Designed by architects for travel enthusiasts: Our curated collection of outstanding holiday accomodations — also via map. Do you already know our new entry?
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Sometimes gently babbling, sometimes powerfully rushing – water shapes not only the landscape but also the living experience. These homes reflect the calm or dynamism of their surroundings – and open their architecture to views of rivers and lakes.
Designed by architects for travel enthusiasts: Our curated collection of outstanding holiday accomodations — also via map. Do you already know our new entry?
Sometimes gently babbling, sometimes powerfully rushing – water shapes not only the landscape but also the living experience. These homes reflect the calm or dynamism of their surroundings – and open their architecture to views of rivers and lakes.
in May 2025
Forest Bathing Under a Starry Sky
Canoeing, salmon fishing, swimming in the river – the Salaca River holiday home offers an immersive experience of nature. Scandinavian minimalism meets the rustic charm of an old log cabin.
Once a fisherman’s house and later a rest stop between Riga and Valmiera, the Salaca River holiday home was built in 1867. Its survival is thanks to current owner Artūrs Martinsons, who had the timber house dismantled, each piece numbered and transported to its new location – in the Salaca River Valley. The valley, one of the most beautiful nature parks in northern Latvia, is known for its dense forests, red sandstone cliffs and rare plant and animal species. Martinsons commissioned the creative team behind Danish design brand Vipp to transform the structure. The result: the dark log house was turned into a light-filled retreat with an open-plan living area and airy volume. Highlights include the views through vast panorama windows, a wood-fired whirlpool on the terrace and a freestanding bathtub beneath the exposed beams.
The undisputed star here is the little Alb river – or is it the Black Forest, extending down the hillside almost to the edge of the property? Water fun and forest idyll: At the holiday home Schwarzwaldstrand, guests enjoy both.
Wood and water – the passions of the owner, a trained boatbuilder – define this solid timber house on the bank of the Alb. The elongated plot opens up to the river, whose banks were carefully reshaped and integrated into the outdoor design. Three L‑shaped holiday units – each 75 square metres in size – are connected by a shared entrance hall. Each apartment offers tranquillity and privacy, while still allowing space for encounters – ideal for a holiday with family or friends. Inside, light, white-varnished timber meets dark stoneware flooring, and large window fronts open onto a south-facing terrace overlooking the river and forested hillside. And for those who do feel like heading out: cycling and hiking trails start right outside the front door, and the local open-air bath in the forest is just 100 metres away.
A former town hall transformed into a stylish bed & breakfast – with direct views of the Meuse. The perfect place for a little escape.
At Het Raadhuys, located in the heart of the Dutch village of Kessel, the view of the river is a constant companion throughout the day. Whether at breakfast in the morning, while lounging under the trees in the afternoon or enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace in the evening – the sound of the water and the passing ships bring a sense of calm and deceleration. Following a sensitive refurbishment by architect Kim Peeters, daughter of the hosts, four individually designed guest rooms were created, each charmingly nodding to the building’s former life. Whether the Archive Room or the Mayor’s Room, every space tells its own story while offering modern comfort. Alongside its historical charm, the B&B provides room for encounters – whether while reading in the old vaulted hall or relaxing in the living room with a view.
Curtains up for nature: Perched on a rocky outcrop, the Bergaliv Söderloftet puts sweeping views across the expansive landscape of the Ljusnan Valley centre stage. A place where architecture and nature become one.
Das Söderloftet – ein minimalistisches Stelzenhaus aus Birke, Tanne und Kiefer – liegt in der Region Hälsingland inmitten der schier endlosen Wälder Mittelschwedens. Mit einer überdachten Aussichtsplattform und großen Panoramafenstern öffnet es sich in Richtung Fluss. Im Inneren des Hauses herrscht japanisch-nordische Schlichtheit: klare Formen, ein platzsparendes, flexibles Wohnkonzept mit ausgesuchten Accessoires, viel Holz, wenig Ablenkung. Es ist alles da, was man braucht, auf das Wesentliche reduziert. Wer hierherkommt, findet Ruhe – begleitet vom beständigen Rauschen des Wassers.
Twelve ponds, gentle hills and a stone house with a modern extension: Maison 10étangs is a stylish retreat nestled in the rolling landscape of Wallonia.
Maison 10étangs is surrounded by unspoilt nature and a dozen glistening ponds and lakes. Photographers Anne Champion and Jean-Luc Laloux discovered the former fish farm and transformed the house into a modern holiday home with a generously glazed annexe. Stone, wood, metal and concrete define the interior, complemented by iconic design pieces. Expansive windows frame views of the six-hectare grounds, where the natural ponds invite guests to swim, relax – or, in winter, take an invigorating ice bath. In fine weather, the large window front can be opened to seamlessly connect the living area and the garden. Rented together with the neighbouring holiday home Gîte 10étangs, the Maison is ideal for families, groups of friends or workshops of up to 14 people.
Two timber-and-glass cubes blend harmoniously into the hillside: the SEE 31 holiday lofts. If you seek peace and love the water, the Salzkammergut is just the place – with panoramic views of lake, mountains, sky and meadows included.
Near the village of Traunkirchen in Austria, two modern holiday homes invite guests to retreat with Nordic design, larch wood and generous glazing. The larger house sleeps eight, while the smaller contains two apartments for up to five guests each. Floor-to-ceiling windows open towards the lake, offering views of the majestic Traunstein mountain and a magnificent natural spectacle. In summer, the terrace, a private swimming jetty and a public lakeside meadow just 50 metres away – complete with shady trees – invite guests to unwind. In winter, it’s all about comfort – with sauna, wood-burning stove and skiing on the nearby Feuerkogel.
Far from it all and very close to nature: In the heart of a Finnish forest, Mökki Santara sits by a tranquil lake. Hiking, picking blueberries, rowing – and in between, a sauna session with a view of the water.
This modern holiday home is set secluded in the untouched landscape of the Karelia region, nestled in a forest and right on Lake Santara. Raised on stilts, the house offers sweeping views of the lake, which invites boating and fishing in summer and ice skating in winter. The wood used for the Mökki and its neighbouring sauna house comes mostly from trees that once stood on the property – deep black on the outside, but surprisingly bright and welcoming on the inside. The minimalist design directs the focus to what matters most: nature, water and tranquillity. Perfect for nature lovers with an eye for design.
The Parcloft in the Plankenstein city palace: a successful blend of historical architecture with contemporary design. Its location in the Elisabeth Park is also unique – offering an unobstructed view of the Passer River.
The Plankenstein was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century as a luxurious residential and commercial property and is now considered one of Merano’s most important buildings in the history of the town. The Parcloft is located in one of the seven buildings that make up the complex, a former retail space transformed with a fresh, modern flair, generously extending across two levels. Both floors offer views over the river and the historical promenade. The light-filled, box-like bathrooms made of glass blocks resemble light cubes, while the staircase leading to the sleeping gallery also serves as both a room divider and a shelf. A modern kitchen block, vintage furniture and Italian design icons, as well as custom-made pieces, create the perfect symbioses of functionality and style.
The Seehotel Ambach embodies the spirit of the 1970s. Its iconic, gently curved structure resembles a ship stranded on the northern shore of Lake Kaltern.
Architect Othmar Barth is regarded as a pioneer of modernism in South Tyrol. His design for the Seehotel Ambach is a masterpiece of the 1970s, with soft, flowing lines that echo the shapes of the surrounding landscape. With large windows, front terraces and loggias, the hotel opens up to the lake, the mountains and the park. Inside, the hotel impresses with its preserved original furnishings, including exclusive designs by Othmar Barth, as well as lamps and seating from Italian modernism. The timelessly elegant bathrooms have been redesigned to offer 21st-century comfort. A unique feature is the bathhouse in the park, designed by Walter Angonese, which stands as a wooden stilt structure reminiscent of a garden pavilion. The Seehotel Ambach is a total work of art, blending architecture, design and nature.
A villa from the Wilhelminian era, two characterful apartments – and the lake always in view: On the shores of Kellersee, historical charm meets modern ease.
Located between Eutin and the spa town of Malente, this house, built in 1910, sits right on the shores of the second-largest lake in the Holstein Switzerland region. Two individually designed holiday apartments – one bright and airy, the other decorated in warm shades – offer retreats on the edge of the forest. The centrepiece of the ground-floor apartment is a conservatory with a cooking island, fireplace and panoramic views; in the upstairs flat, the living room and kitchen with balcony afford sweeping views over the lake. The two units are connected by a staircase and can be rented together. The garden – recently updated with a sauna – leads directly to the lakefront with a sunbathing lawn, private jetty and rowing boat.
Christiane Weidemann is a literary scholar and ethnologist. She never travels to the same place twice, loves good architecture and full bookshelves. When she's not planning her next travel destination, she writes books and texts about art, culture and architecture.
Haus am Kellersee is a Wilhelminian-style villa situated directly on the shore of the second-largest lake in Holstein Switzerland. Situated on the edge of a forest between Eutin and the spa town of Malente, the villa from 1910 has been extensively refurbished and converted.
The former old town hall in the historic Burgdorf Kessel in the heart of the Dutch province is located directly on the river Maas. Het Raadhuys combines design and comfort with the charm of a small bed and breakfast.
Bring everyone along: if you're looking to get away from it all in a larger group, you'll find what you're looking for in the gentle landscape of Wallonia and the Maison 10étangs - a place full of peace, space and a dozen bathing ponds.
This holiday home can be found in a secluded spot in the unspoiled countryside of the Finnish region of Karelia: in the middle of a forest and directly by lake Santara. The property consists of a residential house and sauna connected by a terrace.
At the Parcloft, you stay in a stately city palace in the historical centre of Merano, in the Elisabeth Park, overlooking the Passer River. Here, the award-winning architect Markus Scherer has transformed a former store into an extraordinary holiday apartment.
The Schwarzwaldstrand house reflects the client's love of wood and water. The solid timber construction stands on an almost triangular plot, which is bordered on the long side by the Alb river.
Above a lake near the village of Traunkirchen, in the Austrian Salzkammergut region, you will find two cubes of wood and glass neatly nestled into the hillside and dream view of Lake Traunsee and the Traunstein mountain.
Seehotel Ambach beams its guests back to the seventies. At the beginning of the decade, architect Othmar Barth, considered a pioneer of modernity in South Tyrol, created a complete work of art – merging architecture, design and nature – on the northern shore of Lake Caldaro.
Nestled along the banks of Latvia's spectacular Salaca river valley, a relocated fisherman's house fills its listed architecture with new life and minimalist design.
In the village centre of Sent in the Lower Engadine, Casa Defilla, built by confectioners, overlooks an impressive Alpine backdrop and rich history. Of swallows, Swiss stone pine parlours and the great art of subtle modernisation.
Old walls, fresh spirit: not far from the Nibelung city of Worms, surrounded by vineyards, the listed Valentin estate with its limestone façade, exposed supporting structure and timeless design invites you to get together. The historic backdrop is both a stage and a silent star.
When former production sites become holiday destinations, it means outwitting the destructive principle of constant activity. Welcome to eight accommodations with industrial flair.
Compact living, amplified. The minimalist house in the Uckermark region offers great freedom in a small space. Its secret: compact on the outside, versatile on the inside. Like a stage set that can be changed in an instant to suit any desired scene.
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