cabinski

Christopher Eichhorn and Tim Suske have been close friends since childhood. On one of their many ski trips together, they were using the time on the chairlift to dream up ideas for resource-sensitive and environmentally conscious tourism in the Alpine area: That’s when the idea for cabinski was born. The name stands for minimalist houses in spectacular natural surroundings, where everything is centered around sustainability. In August 2020, they opened their first location on the outskirts of St. Gallenkirch in the heart of the Montafon Alps—ten cabins with simple, beautiful interiors and small but really comfortable rooms. From the loft beds, you can look straight out into the night sky and count the stars as you fall asleep. Chris and Tim discovered the second location for their project in the Großes Walsertal biosphere reserve. In the municipality of Sonntag, at an altitude of around 1,100 meters, there are now twelve Tiny Houses in a dreamlike setting. The six in the front row have their own sauna and another six sit behind, a little higher up the slope. The aim is to be regional, sustainable, traditional and modern at the same time. What the two locations have in common is a relaxed but well-thought-out concept. When planning the minimalist, space-saving wonders, the friends opted for an ecological construction with the huts being made almost exclusively from natural materials produced in Austria. Instead of English clipped lawns, there are colorful flower meadows and the roofs of the dark wood cabins are planted. As soon as you open the door, you are enveloped in the comforting smell of untreated wood. Everything is bright, warm and flooded with light. The vibe is laid back, people are on first-name terms and come together to relax by the communal fireplace or on the yoga platform. If someone seems to have disappeared, they can usually be found quickly enough in their favorite spot, between soft cushions on the bench in front of the panoramic window looking out to the meditative view of the landscape.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The hosts describe the feeling of space quite aptly with the phrase “Tiny isn’t really tiny when you’re in a small high-quality space!” To ensure that everything feels airy and uncluttered, they have used muted colors and natural tones and created a successful interplay between indoors and outdoors.
• The cabins are cleverly designed and full of surprises. For example, the bench in the lounge area offers enough storage space for up to four large pieces of luggage.
• Only high-quality materials are used—wood, metal or glass, no plastic, and all natural and durable. 
• No matter what natural spectacle is on show, whether flowering meadows or snow-covered mountain peaks, the wide windowsill in front of the huge window is the perfect place to enjoy it.
• Each cottage has its own garden area, with handmade sunshades, seating and lounging areas, table, outdoor shower and lots of great plants and wildflowers.
• Who needs a lot of space to experience those spa moments? The cabins have naturally lit bathrooms with a walk-in rain shower and an in-house Spotify playlist that you can listen to via the Sonos speakers while showering.
• Speaking of wellness, six of the cabins in the Walsertal are equipped with a private aspen wood sauna. You can enjoy the unobstructed view of the mountain range through the panoramic window while enjoying the heat. 
• Wonderful for frosty toes after a day in the snow, the Tiny Houses are heated by water-supplied underfloor heating. Hot water is provided by a central air heat pump powered by green electricity.
• Cabinski’s blog, which features seasonal recipes as well as hiking routes and tips on slow travel
• The imaginative and sustainable construction; the houses consist of a timber frame construction with partition walls filled with cellulose insulation made from recycled paper.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• Families are very welcome! Children and young people up to the age of 17 stay at a reduced rate.
• Each of the 27-square-meter cabins sleeps four people in a hand-built “double decker bed”, consisting of a loft bed (1.80 x 2 meters) and a bunk underneath (1.80 x 2 meters).
• The fully equipped fitted kitchens have everything you need for a stylish cabin dinner: Four ceramic hobs, dishwasher, fridge and simple, very pretty tableware.
• The cabins in the Montafon also have a microwave with grill function.
• Very practical: Windows, shutters, heating and sound are controlled wirelessly via smart home technology.
• in der Sommersaison (15. April bis 30. November) können zwei der Cabins gemeinsam mit dem besten Freund auf vier Pfoten bezogen werden. Diese sind umzäunt, verfügen über ein Hundebett, einen Futter- und Trinknapf und ein extra Handtuch
• Organic products are used whenever possible. 
• The minimalist houses are erected on leased building plots and to reduce the use of concrete, in Walstertal they stand on screw foundations. The houses can therefore be dismantled in one piece, transported away and reassembled elsewhere.
• Both locations are ideal starting points for outdoor activities. Mountain biking, skiing, tobogganing, hiking or forest bathing, there are beautiful things to experience here at any time of year.
• Guests receive a 10% discount when booking with the code 'lq10'