While Antarctica is almost twice the size of Australia, it’s a destination which is far less travelled by tourists. As such, it is home to some of the world’s most exclusive and remote hotels. However, swapping your usual sun-soaked beach holiday for a snow-capped adventure certainly doesn’t mean scrimping on luxury.
Echo by White Desert is one of the most remote luxury hotels in the world, although it takes the form of an Antarctic camp rather than the typical hotel.
The only way to reach this stunning destination is via a five-hour flight from South Africa, transporting visitors to the summertime midnight sun of the Arctic Circle.
Echo, by White Desert, is said to have been “inspired by astronauts” and is dubbed “as close as you can get to feeling like you’re off the planet without leaving Earth”.
Rather than your usual hotel rooms, guests spend their stay in space-age ‘Sky Pods’ which “look like they’ve been beamed down from Mars”, according to White Desert. Former Commander, White Desert guest and retired astronaut, Colonel Terry Virts said: “The mountains are the most beautiful I have seen across Earth, Venus and Mars.”
Each Sky Pod is also decorated with original photos taken from the International Space Station by Virts.
These futuristic pods become luxurious homes in the peaceful desert of snow, encircled by pitted rock formations. Here guests can combine an ultra-luxury experience with a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
Bathrooms are no different, with floor-to-ceiling windows so that you never miss a single moment.
Inside each contemporary pod, guests can climb into a king-sized bed and wake up each day to incredible views of the snow-capped landscape. A luxurious ‘library pod’ is available for guests to relax, with a comfortable seating area and bar area.
A dedicated dining pod serves up opulent meals, with bespoke menus crafted by a personal chef.
But staying here isn’t just about the unique accommodation. Echo Camp also offers numerous activities including skiing, nunatak tours, abseiling, fat biking, ice climbing, skidoo tours, traversing expeditions and mountaineering expeditions.
White Desert also offers specific packages, including an eight-day South Pole and Emperors package which takes guests on a luxury adventure into the heart of Antarctica to see the Emperor Penguins. The package includes a private jet flight from South Africa.
The Early Emperors package, meanwhile, spans up to six days taking guests to a site of more than 14,000 penguins and their young chicks.
However, staying at Echo does not come cheap, with prices for one of the packages staring from $71,500 per person (approximately £60,953).