Innovation Week 2011: Five Game-Changing, Solar-Powered Vacation Getaways

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Monday, November 28, 2011, by Rob Bear Photos: Shakti Himalaya

Situated an hour's hike into the wilds of northern India, the Shakti 360° Leti eco resort looks a lot more modern than one might expect. The solar-powered compound also uses recycled grey water, composts to dispose of food waste, and only utilizes local produce in its kitchen. While the positive impact on the environment certainly appeals to potential visitors, we're pretty certain that it was the remoteness of this stacked-stone getaway, rather than a green building ethos, that drove those design decisions. That said, walls of glass and a minimalist aesthetic appeal to both the left and right brain. A three-night, four-day package, including guided trekking, costs a heady $1,916 per person.

Photos: Personeni Raffaele Scharer

? This tiny, modern, solar-powered mountain hut in the Swiss Alps was formerly a tiny, aging, decrepit mountain hut in the Swiss Alps. Retaining as much of the original structure as possible, the place was renovated and is now powered by a solar panel. That's partially owing to the difficulty of stringing electric lines up to this rock outcropping at 6,069 feet. The sleek interiors are complemented by raw concrete brought in to fortify the structure. Needless to say, the views are utterly stunning.

Photos: Eggleston Farkas Architects

? Just when we got to thinking that the only cool solar-powered escapes were to be found in far-flung locales, this stateside beauty, set in the foothills of Washington State's Cascade Mountains, proved us wrong. Designed by Seattle-based Eggleston Farkas Architects, the Nighthawk Retreat is a sleek mountain retreat that's not only powered by solar panels, but also utilizes further green tech that won it an award of "Sustainable Merit at the Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards."

? Thankfully, not all solar-powered homes are clean-lined modernist creations. This wood-framed home in Big Bear City, Calif. has a boring beige-on-beige color scheme and far-from-distinguished furnishings, but it's still powered by the Cienaga Creek Ranch's solar array. Nightly rates start at $650.

? The sun-drenched deserts near Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California are ripe for solar power, and this understated country escape takes full advantage. The mid-century structures sit on five acres of solitude, and rent for as low as $75 per night. Still, the name, Rattler Ranch, is more than a little off-putting for the snake averse.

· Shakti is a Solar-Powered Eco Retreat Nestled in the Himalayas [Inhabitat]
· Tranquil Swiss Alps Shelter Renovated into a Cozy Solar-Powered Retreat [Inhabitat]
· Eggleston Farkas Architects’ Nighthawk Retreat is an Eco-Getaway in the Cascade Foothills [Inhabitat]
· Secluded Luxury [Tripadvisor]
· Rattler Ranch [Tripadvisor]

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Rent, Don't Buy: Spring Break Getaways That Renters Won't Regret

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Thursday, March 10, 2011, by Rob Bear

While the masses are clamoring for another Rum Punch, packing themselves into cramped hotel rooms, and grinding to last year's techno hits, there are relaxing rentals to be had in some of the most popular spring break destinations. Take this Spanish Colonial villa in the Mexican vacation hub of Acapulco. The five-bedroom house has quite the celebrity history. Until 2005 it was owned by pop star Julio Iglesias and during Acapulco's jet-set heyday it hosted icons like Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Errol Flynn. Today, it's one of a handful of private homes on the grounds of the exclusive Villa Vera Hotel Spa & Racquet Club. While that means easy access to a host of amenities, it also means a bit more privacy and security, as the resort serves a maximum of 100 guests at a time. What does it cost? $1,261 per night in high season.

? Amid the lush vegetation and all-inclusive resorts—like Sandals and the scandalous Hedonism II—of Montego Bay, Jamaica lies the Round Hill Hotel, a quaint collection of cottages arranged on the site of a former plantation. Among those cottages are some larger villas with private pools, a breakfast chef, and a housekeeper, like this three-bedroom number that rents for $2,530 per night. The resort is all about measured escapism: you won't find a TV in the house, but there's one available for rent at the front desk.

? If access to amenities is a priority, there's always The Ocean Club, a high-end resort that shares Bahamanian Paradise Island with the famous mega-resort Atlantis. That means access to the water parks and casino gaming of Atlantis without the riotous crowds. Oh yeah, James Bond won a car from a witless baddie here in 2006's Casino Royale. You might need to win a few hands of Baccarat yourself to afford the 13,500-square-foot villa with infinity pool and deep-water dock—this one is "price upon request."

? For the truly xenophobic spring breaker there's always Florida, and its rental offers there don't disappoint. Coming it at $12K per night, this Miami Beach mansion on "Millionaire's Row" would break all but the most generous vacation budget. The elaborate interior is protected from intruders by a wall around the property and 10 closed-circuit TV monitors. Good thing, too—someone could be having a party on the other side of the 16,000-square-foot spread and you'd never know.
· Villa Acapulco 99 [Unusual Villa]
· Round Hill 3-Bedroom [Wimco]
· Ocean Club Villa [Unusual Villa]
· Millionaire's Row - 8 Bedroom [Luxury Rentals Miami Beach]

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Rent, Don't Buy: Five Staggeringly Expensive Summer Getaways for Fat Cats

× Like us and you'll find top breaking news in your Facebook newsfeed. Sign up for our daily email newsletter and get top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Thursday, April 28, 2011, by Rob Bear Photos: Sandpiper Rentals

For a truly extravagant summer vacation, there's no better venue than a palatial pad in one of America's tried and true summer resorts. But these days, despite the recession, prices for these premier vacation homes are climbing higher and higher (just ask the folks over at Curbed Hamptons). So for all you moguls and captains of industry, we've found some of the best, and most expensive, summer haunts in five of America's classic summer destinations. Let's start on the preppy Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard, where this low-slung five bedroom nestles into the scrub brush on the outskirts of Edgartown (above). With views over Slough Cove and Great Pond to the Atlantic, stone patio, and swimming pool, this 4,800-square-foot cottage is asking $180K per month in high season.

— In Bridgehampton, N.Y., this newly-constructed shingle-style spread has been attracting plenty of attention. First, the landlocked estate went on sale for close to $60M, then, last summer, the owner—Hamptons luxury homebuilder Joe Farrell—started asking $500K for two weeks in July. Well it turns out that scheme worked, because it rented for full price—$35,714 per day. Want to see some of the outrageous amenities at work? Watch Farrell's niece and nephew lead the tour, courtesy of MTV's Teen Cribs. Anyway, this entertaining monstrosity popped back up on the rental market this year, same $250K-per-week price tag.

? For a little less high-profile chicanery, head north to the blue blood bastion of Mount Desert Island, Maine. In the village of Northeast Harbor, this hillside charmer sleeps up to twelve and rents for the relative bargain price of $58K per month. Plus, there are waterviews, a small private beach, and a yacht mooring for that perfect Maine lifestyle. The only downside is the remote location, some five hours by car from Boston.

? Across the continent, in Malibu, Calif., former Million Dollar Listing star Chad Rogers has the listing for this six bedroom beachfront estate in the Malibu Colony. No wonder he was always talking up that Colony exclusivity: this place is asking a whopping $110K per month. But ol' Mr. Rogers is going to have to search high and low for a renter who can get along with the schizo decor.

? Back on the Atlantic coast, this Nantucket spread with six bedrooms (including two master suites) is aiming for those easily wowed by design name-drops. The listing lets potential renters know they'll be sleeping beside Brunschwig & Fils wallpapers, lounging on solid teak pool furniture from McGuire's Portico Collection, and goes so far as to mention the "custom-made wood and honeycomb blinds by Great Windows." This sort of detail is usually more appropriate for a sales pitch, but when you're forking over $165K a month, it's nice to know where that cash is going.

· Summer Rental Roundupse [Curbed Hamptons]
· 17 Forever Wild Way [Sotheby's]
· 612 Halsey Lane [Corcoran]
· The Sandcastle coverage [Curbed Hamptons]
· Teen Cribs (Season 2, Episode 1) [MTV]
· Seaward [Knowles & Co.]
· Malibu Colony [Chad Rogers]
· Lily Pond [Time & Place]

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