Null Stern is an open-air hotel in the Swiss Alps. Under the stars: Alpine hotel without a roof and walls Null stern Switzerland

The Null Stern concept means "zero stars" and hints at the simplicity and austerity of a hotel room.

In June 2009, the brothers Frank and Patrick Riklin, together with Daniel Charbonnier, opened a hotel in an old bunker in the commune of Teufen (Switzerland). More like a hostel, this hotel was a mockery of the expensive hotels of the world: the entrance to the bunker was carried out from above through a narrow passage, a dripping shower was installed in the lobby, symbolizing the fountain in expensive hotels, and the views of the Alps could be enjoyed on the screen of an old TV - it broadcast a picture in poor quality. If there were many guests, then the order of taking a shower was determined using a wheel of fortune (an old bicycle wheel attached to the wall). The null stern concept means "zero stars" and hints at the simplicity and austerity of a hotel room.

The hotel immediately became a local landmark and even made it to the list of one hundred the best hotels 2009 according to Geo.

In June 2010, on the day of the opening anniversary, the founders announced the closure of the hotel in the bunker, a change in concept and an imminent opening in a new location.

The discovery, however, occurred six years later, in 2016.

The new concept of the Null Stern hotel is a hotel without walls and amenities, but with a panoramic view of the Alps (the height at which the hotel is located is 1969 meters above sea level). The creators say that for 250 Swiss francs (229 euros, or about 16,500 rubles), you get not only a bed, but also the services of a butler who will bring you breakfast in the morning. The closest toilet is ten minutes walk.
Interesting fact: The hotel has already become a European sensation, and all dates for 2016 are booked. Naturally, sleep open sky only possible on clear days, so Null Stern is only open during the summer and your booking may be canceled due to bad weather.

“Despite the striking differences from the first version in the bunker, the spirit and concept of our hotel remains identical: it is the focus on the hotel guest and the intangible values ​​​​around him,” Charbonnier says.

In the calm silence of the Swiss Alps, the newest enterprise of hoteliers Frank and Patrick Riklin is located. They organized, which has no walls, a roof, and even a bathroom, but there is always a butler at hand, ready to greet new guests, make them coffee or sandwiches. It is called Null Stern which means in German "Zero Stars", and its guests spend the night in an open bed set high in the mountains above the Swiss city of Graubünden. Guests of the hotel can enjoy panoramic views of the Alps, as well as count real stars before going to bed, literally.

Hotel Zero Stars consists of a bed and a bedside table

All amenities at the Null Stern are reduced to a double bed, nightstand and lamp. The nearest public toilet is located 10 minutes walk. For 250 Swiss francs ($254) per night, customers can enjoy the nature of the Alps at an altitude of 1970 meters above sea level. The bed (room) can be rented at any time in spring and autumn, but bookings can be canceled at the last minute if the weather unexpectedly worsens.

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The Swiss city of Selevin has the only zero-star hotel in the world, the Null Stern Hotel. It is located underground in a former nuclear bunker. The most interesting thing is that in a day the hotel can again be transformed into a shelter, the authorities insisted on this aspect. The creators of the Null Stern Hotel are two brothers of the artist-designer Frank and Patrick Rykielnam. It was they who designed the unique interior design.

What is a zero star hotel? It does not have private rooms, TVs, or even service (of course, you will be provided with bed linen, but no more). The shower is shared and hot water is available only in the mornings. Ventilation is air ducts, and instead of windows in the bunker there are monitors on which you can see what is happening on the surface.

Despite the meager amount of amenities, Null Stern Hotel is popular - beds are already booked for a month in advance. And the prices here do not bite, especially for Switzerland - from only 15 EUR per night. No more than 54 people can stay at the hotel at the same time.

The tourism industry has sure come a long way since the conventional lodgings and luxurious interiors. Travelers seek experiences beyond comfortable and homely places to stay. Instead, they want to explore the unknown, the strange and sometimes downright bizarre! Adventure hotels, art hotels, and concept hotels are now a part of mainstream tourism. Moreover, with the growing demands for the mystic and unique lodgings, entrepreneurs are now investing in the exotic and unknown corners of the planet that were until now inaccessible to mankind.

Five-star hotels and luxurious accommodations are a thing of the past; tourists today want to explore the glory and grandeur of nature. The Null Stern Hotel is one such concept hotel established in Switzerland, which is perfect for people who cannot decide between staying at a luxury hotel or camp under the stars. Well, why choose when you can have both! Browse through the short but detailed review of the Null Stern Hotel discussing the various features and facilities that make the place truly special.

Null Stern Hotel at Switzerland is a one of a kind luxury hotel that doesn't have any walls. Yes, you read that right, the lodgings is open on all four sides (five if you count the roof as well). The open air construction of the place gives you a feeling of camping under the stars, the only difference being the plush king sized bed instead of the squishy camping bag. The high and majestic mountains of Switzerland present a picturesque backdrop combining the best of elegance and wilderness. The beds set against the rocky terrain are in sharp contrast with the primitive beauty of the place. Also, the site claims to be a “zero star” hotel (Null Stern translates to zero stars in German), the only stars you see here are the ones above your head.


Built on a nuclear bunker, the Null Stern Hotel is a surreal lodging developed by artists Frank and Patrick Ritlin in partnership with hospitality professional Daniel Charbonnair. The hotel created quite a stir back in 2008 when it was launched. Initially marketed as the “first zero-star hotel,” Null Stern has since then shifted its promotional tagline to “Null Stern – the only star is you.” The local Commune of Sevelen (or the City Hall) decided on converting the nuclear bunker to top quality lodgings that offer guests the best of facilities and a rustic charm.

Considered to be among the top 100 hotels in Europe, Null Stern was also nominated at the Worldwide Hospitality Awards in the year 2009 for its revolutionary design. The safe nuclear bunker was renovated and reused for providing people with surreal lodgings. This concept was created by conceptual artists Frank and Patrick Ritlin who based the place on the core values ​​of the modern economic and ecological advancements. Null Stern is a classic example of how to establish a sustainable relationship with the environment without compromising with the surrounding flora and fauna. The hotel claims to offer unmatched customer service in minimalistic settings and rightfully so.


Located about 6,463 feet above the sea level in the mountains of Graubünden, Null Stern is nothing short of paradise on earth. Surrounded by the Swizz Alps on all sides the place has no walls, no roof, not even a bathroom. All you get is a bed with a couple of nightstands and lamps. Don't worry though; the public bathroom is a 10-minute walk away. Also, the hotel appoints a butler to each of the guests to cater to your whims and fancies. Null Stern is built keeping the guests in the center, i.e. the entire concept focuses solely on giving the tourists a very primitive experience by removing all the material items and replacing it with the raw beauty and grandeur of nature.

Null Stern is a place that sheds away all the world ly pretenses and luxuries of a conventional lodging and instead offers guests an entirely different setting of a bare minimum bed and bedside lamps. The revolutionary open-air concept of the world has taken the world by storm. Developed by the trio Frank, Patrick and Daniel Charbonnair, the lodging offers you a double bed that has to be reserved by the Alp’s Arts Academy and Safinetal tourism. Set in the nuclear bunker town of Sevelen, St. Gallen, the hotel is jointly managed by the officials and locals. The concept hotel was configured to venture out on a grander scale in 2010 when the hotel owners decided to apply the idea to an abandoned cinema. However, the plan never materialized.


There is no architecture or framework of the hotel; the double beds are simply set along the flat and sometimes rocky corners of the Alps, the location of the hotel extending to the area where the beds are installed. This radical vision has attracted a lot of lone travelers and couples who wish to break free from the confines of ordinary hotels and explore the extraordinary.

The hotel originally started in the small section of the country has now spread out throughout Switzerland. The hotel owners have further expanded the idea and spread out to other parts of the country, so much so that the geographical location of Switzerland can be considered a hotel. Today Null Stern has set the new yardstick for innovation in the tourism industry, thanks to its smart resource allocation strategies and redefined concepts of ownership. Null Stern is a hotel radically different from other ordinary lodgings both regarding architecture and services offered.


Guests are warmly welcomed by the locals infusing the spirit of adventure and enthusiasm in you the minute you enter the “hotel premises.” The residents play an active role in managing the place as the hotel staff. A couple of butlers dressed in formal black and white suites complete with gloves and bow ties are equally warm and always at your beck and call. Open in the months of spring and autumn; the place is heavenly and serene enough to relieve your mind off the stress and chaos of reality.

Basking in the glory of nature and snuggling up in bed soaking up the fresh mountain air sounds heavenly, however for more adventurous travelers, there are a lot of other things that you can do here. Mountain climbing, trekking, outdoor sports or a short trip to the nearby town are some of the activities you can indulge yourself in. Engulfed by the majestic mountains and green valleys on all sides, the Null Stern comes as a surprise to city dwellers so used to the cluttered buildings and congested streets. The sheer vastness of the place would leave you awestruck.

The hotel is far away from civilization, and the refore not well connected to the airport or the train station. The nearest village or town stands on the foothills of the Alps. Located in the middle of Swiss Alps the hotel offers a king sized bed and linens offering guests a panoramic view of the starry skies, and clouds. The room consists of a set of double beds, is minimalistic to its truest form. The ethereal, magical atmosphere of the place is pretty surreal. Additional features include complimentary breakfasts, linens, and toiletries that ensure a comfortable and cozy stay.

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Now that you know all about the magic and mystery of Null Stern let us move on to the more practical aspects of your stay here. Null Stern is nothing like a traditional hotel, everything from the architecture to the ambiance is drastically different when compared to any conventional lodging. Listed below are some additional facts and advice about Null Stern that will help you in your stay:

  • The place offers beds all over the Swiss Alps. However, the bathrooms are usually a 10-minute walk away.
  • Also, as the nearest town is set in the foothills, getting good eating places might be a tough task (although you do have your own butler to cater to your needs 24*7).
  • The place is a non-smoking zone and does not entertain pets.
  • It is open only during the spring and fall.

Null Stern is one hotel that has successfully broken all the existing norms and limitations usually associated with a standard lodging space. With no roof, no walls and no physical structure save the double bed and night lamps, the place is strange, eerie and exhilarating. You get an acute sense of freedom staying under the skies, a novel experience for someone used to the hustle and bustle of urban life. Maintained jointly by the locals and the tourism body of the state, Null Stern has somehow managed to spread out all over the country of Switzerland. Guests have to reserve a bed and a spot for themselves; booking is open during spring and fall.


The Null Stern Hotel is located in inimitable Switzerland near the town of Seevelen. The complex was designed by twin artists Frank and Patrik Riklin. They adapted an old bomb shelter for it, in which, fortunately, no one had to take shelter. The hotel worked for a year - from 2009 to 2010, until it was converted into a museum.

Literally, its name translates as "Zero Stars", but this does not mean at all that it is dirty and indecent. There are just few amenities. "Our stars are you!" - this is the slogan of the hotel.

The originality of the idea of ​​the Riklin brothers was that they wanted to build an unpretentious Swiss hotel, radically different from the fashionable resorts. This is its peculiar exoticism, it is thanks to it that the place has become very popular. Inside the room is a large hall, where there are several single and double beds. There is nothing more.

Air ducts serve as decor here. The temperature inside is approximately +15 °C. The atmosphere is spartan, and therefore a bit extreme. But there is a butler who can satisfy some of the needs of the guests. For example, bring coffee in bed in the morning.

Unfortunately, today this unique hotel does not function. Since 2010, as mentioned above, the Null Stern Hotel has been operating only as a museum. But there are so many other abandoned objects in the world. Maybe we should take a closer look at them, what do you think, dear readers of Fancy Hotels?