WTF? Hay Beds Are Latest Craze. :crazy:

deafskeptic

deafskeptic

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Holiday-makers around the world are facing up to the fact that, in times of recession, large travel expenses are difficult to justify.
German huehotel 'Zum Alten Marstall' is situated at the foot of an 11th century castle and has adopted a medieval theme accordingly.

German huehotel 'Zum Alten Marstall' is at the foot of an 11th century castle and has adopted a medieval theme.
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While for some this has meant the end of life as we know it, for a new generation of nature lovers and eco-conscious tourists, it has prompted the discovery of a cheap and unusual alternative.

In Germany and its European neighbors Austria and Switzerland, a long weekend in a converted barn - sleeping on a bed of freshly raked hay -- is fast becoming the 'staycation' of choice.

Heuhotels ('heu' is German for hay) offer exactly what their name suggests. For as little as eight euros ($11) a night backpackers, couples, families and, in the case of one "hay hotel" in central Germany - 'groups of up to 60' - can rest their heads in a way nature intended.

With private bedrooms and the option for "real" beds, the 'Zum Alten Marstall' is at the "luxury" end of the market. It also takes advantage of its position at the foot of the 11th century Castle Guttenberg by adopting medieval styling throughout. Here staff wear embroidered tunics and woolen cloaks and male guests are referred to as "Knights."

While not all hay hotels provide such elaborate extras, many offer a range of activities. These typically include horse riding, canoeing, mountain biking and archery. Foodies will also get the chance to buy fresh meat, cheeses and other farm produce on site.

Types of accommodation range from open lofts stuffed with bales of hay, to feed stalls furnished with wooden platforms. And while some hotels include more civilized amenities like privacy curtains and bottles of wine to take to 'bed,' most still require that guests bring their own sleeping bag and towels.

Would you stay in a hay hotel? Or have you stayed in one? Share your experiences in the SoundOff box below

The 'Hofgut,' hay hotel situated just outside the small town of Kassell in the heart of Germany, has been operating for a few years now.

"I suppose some people might find the idea unappealing," manager Sarah tells CNN, "but for anyone who wishes to snuggle up close to nature it's perfect."

To the skeptics she says: "Think back to when you were a child -- this would be heaven! What's changed since then?"

Without the need for new construction, heavy laundry bills or other forms of high energy consumption, hay hotels are also an effective means of low-impact, sustainable tourism.

But it's not just eco-warriors, spendthrifts and children who enjoy the pastoral allure of a converted barn.

"We have many important people from the city coming to stay here, all types that you wouldn't expect," says Sarah, "what better way for a team to bond than by eating together around a camp fire and then rolling around in the hay?"

For others, these hotels present an opportunity to fulfill long-held romantic ambitions -- hence they have become a very popular destination for weddings and honeymoons.
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"For lovers, there's nothing more exciting than a night on the hay," says Heinz Laing, a former Greenpeace activist who runs a hay hotel outside Hamburg.

Just remember if you're partial to the odd cigarette, all hay hotels operate a strict no-smoking in bed policy.
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I can see why they'd have those if you want to cut travel expenses. Personally, I'd prefer a ritzy hotel room. I'm not a horse. :giggle: I'm not smoking in there either. :lol:
 
:giggle: :naughty: Guess they'll enjoy the hay rides and a romp in the hay!....Aren't there red bugs in hay? I know there are in tree moss (learned the hard way there!)....

I'd prefer a "feather bed." Which we did have when I was a little girl! Very warm and cozy.
 
I'm sneezing already. Does sounds like allergy fest hotel.



Rockin,
Red bugs are in old tree limbs and spanish moss. I have had it before too. Believe me it is no fun. Got it from hauling the firewood to the campsite. It lasts for a few days then die off.
 
hays? c'mon... use hammock!
 
Stuffy nose from hay dust for sure. I wouldn't want to sleep on a hay-bed because of bedbugs! Who knows! I am not saying that hay-bed is a bad. Maybe, I'm too fuzzy. I don't mind to go on a hay ride which is more fun as long as the weather is nice and no mosquitoes around us on the ride.
 
netrox said:
i love the smell of hay.
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Yeah, I like the smell of the hay but I don't think I could sleep on it. It wouldn't be comfortable and but, then again, there will be a headache of trying to get the hay out of your hair. :lol:
 
Not to mention that you'd wake up numerous times in the night to remove hay from your sleeping bag because that stuff gets EVERYWHERE. :ugh: If you've ever hauled hay in the summers, you know what I'm talking about. Now imagine trying to sleep with that.
 
Ouch Ouch! I walked on the dry hays without wearing my sneakers. Actually, I was at the horse farm.

I imagine that if the hay-bed is too dry, it could cause a fire. :dunno:
 
Webexplorer, the only way hay can spontaneously combust if you bale it and store it while it is still "too green" because methane gas builds up between the bales as the hay starts decomposing after harvest, and other reactions cause heat, and the prescence of oxygen causes it to flame. This is why when you see someone cutting hay, instead of immediately baling it, they will let it lay for a couple of days before baling it.
 
Dixie said:
Webexplorer, the only way hay can spontaneously combust if you bale it and store it while it is still "too green" because methane gas builds up between the bales as the hay starts decomposing after harvest, and other reactions cause heat, and the prescence of oxygen causes it to flame. This is why when you see someone cutting hay, instead of immediately baling it, they will let it lay for a couple of days before baling it.
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My dad keeps stacks of hay in his back yard for his archery practice....and also in the basement as well during the winters. He would do target practice in the basement. And he is stupid because one of us could have gotten killed by an arrow if we didn't know he was doing target practice in the basement. We had to check for flying arrows before going downstairs when we were kids.
 
Dixie said:
Webexplorer, the only way hay can spontaneously combust if you bale it and store it while it is still "too green" because methane gas builds up between the bales as the hay starts decomposing after harvest, and other reactions cause heat, and the prescence of oxygen causes it to flame. This is why when you see someone cutting hay, instead of immediately baling it, they will let it lay for a couple of days before baling it.
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I forgot to post this to thank you for your explanation. :)
 
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