The stunning west coast requires a sympathetic approach when considering human habitation. It took a few years to find a suitable accommodation which which would offer an exciting and unique retreat yet not detract from the landscape. Our quest took us to Zendome, in Berlin, and their fantastic domes.

It was worth the wait. Ecopod is a light-filled, open plan and chilled out space which commands sweeping views of Loch Linnhe, the mountains of Mull and the Kingairloch coastline. A therapeutic pleasure in itself without even taking into account the luxurious interior of the pods which combines classic soft furnishings, high-end audio-visual equipment and an array of locally-sourced produce and toiletries.

All this with the environment firmly on our conscience:

• Our geodesic structure leaves no permanent footprint on the land. The erection of a dome typically uses a small fraction of the carbon required to construct a conventional building.
• All wood used is FSC-accredited from sustainable local forests.
• All our appliances have been carefully selected so that power usage is kept to an absolute minimum.
• High-efficiency wood pellet biomass stoves are used to heat the pods.
• A tankless instantaneous hot water supply ensures maximum efficiency with no wastage whatsoever.
• All furniture has been selected as recycled classic pieces or hand-crafted from renewable sources.

So 5* isn't a guilty pleasure. Rest assured that Ecopod doesn't cost the earth.