All language subtitles for Worlds.Most.Secret.Hotels.S01E02.720p.ALL4.WEBRip.x264-GalaxyTV

Imagine staying the night
deep in the desert,

sleeping underneath the stars...

..lodging in an airship
hidden in a forest...

..or holidaying in a resort
perched on top of a glacier.

In this series,
we venture across the globe...

It's literally built into the rock.
You wouldn't even know it was here.

..to reveal some of the world's
most unique hotels,

hidden in the most
surprising places.

Even people who are from here,
they have no idea that this is here.

From reinvented bunkers
and converted jumbo jets...

I've never experienced
something like this.

It's just a really cool place.

..to floating hideaways
and futuristic escapes.

It's like nothing
I've ever seen before.

We meet the teams
who keep them running...

We're inviting people to create
unforgettable experiences.

..and the guests
living their dreams...

This is an entrance you don't
normally see, isn't it? Wow!

..as we explore
the world's most secret hotels.

This time, we meet the owners
of a historic landmark

that has been transformed
into a secret seaside escape.

People walking along the coastal
paths probably don't even realise

that you can stay here.

We check into the only
747 jumbo jet hotel in the world.

We wanted to go to the cockpit suite

because you can play
at the pilot's space.

And we travel
deep into the Ecuadorian jungle

to a unique wildlife retreat.

It's like you get into the forest
and, suddenly, you find

this incredible building
in the middle of nowhere.

But our adventure begins in Jordan

in the Middle East.

Four hours' drive
south of Jordan's capital, Amman,

and 60km east of the nearest town

is a place the locals call
the Valley of the Moon, Wadi Rum.

It's a vast
720 square-kilometre valley

cut by ancient rivers
into the sandstone and granite rock.

The summers here are extremely hot,

with temperatures soaring
to over 40 degrees Celsius,

while the winters can be cold,
with snow.

Deep in the heart of the valley,

looking more like a large cluster
of spacecraft on Mars

than luxury desert accommodation,

is an unexpected
and well-hidden secret...

..the Bubble Luxotel Wadi Rum.

This resort was built in 2019

by three brothers descended
from the Bedouin tribes

who have lived in the area
for centuries.

It is designed to immerse guests
into the desert experience,

inside a bold alternative
to traditional tents.

One of these brothers is
Musab Nawafleh, the general manager.

This is a new experience
for everyone.

We have many international tours
coming from all over the world.

The 20 domes are made
from recycled plastic,

and can sleep 30 people

in either twin, king-size
or family bubbles.

Inside, there are
three connected spaces -

a living room
with a panoramic window,

a bedroom with transparent roof,

and a bathroom with private toilet.

With no fixed frames, the bubbles
rely on a continuous air supply

to stay inflated, like a balloon.

Two airtight doors create an airlock

to stop the bubbles deflating
when guests enter and exit.

The resort also has a restaurant,

kitchens and communal areas.

The bubble units sit on top
of wooden platforms,

so they are above the ground,

which can get hot
during the day and cold at night.

This helps regulate the temperature
of the accommodation.

They are cleverly designed
to blur the boundaries

between inside and out.

80% of the dome is transparent,

including the lounge
and the top of the bedroom.

The bathroom has solid walls
for privacy,

and there are blinds or curtains
that the guests can close

to block out the world.

Each bubble is inflated
by a quiet fan

that sits in a soundproof box
four metres away.

This air blower is necessary
for the bubble to keep its form.

It also constantly renews
and filters the air inside,

prevents condensation
and regulates the temperature.

It is vital that one of the two
doors to the airlock entrance

stays closed when people go in and
out, so the bubble remains inflated.

The hotel sits
within a UNESCO Heritage Site.

The desert landscape here has deep,
narrow gorges and towering cliffs.

It is just over 100km
from the ancient city of Petra,

Jordan's most visited
tourist attraction.

To protect the beauty of the desert,

all cars are parked
in a secure area 5km away,

and guests are brought to the hotel
in four-by-fours.

The international clientele,
mostly European and American,

are all searching
for a magical desert adventure.

We love unique experiences,

and we were searching
for something that was cool,

and we saw a picture, and we were,
like, "We have to go there."

It's like nothing
I've ever seen before.

It looks like a fancy hotel room
anywhere else,

except when you look out your window
and see the scenery.

But there's nice hardwood floors
and a really nice bed.

Something about staying in a tent

in a place
where there could be scorpions

a little bit freaked us out,

so being in an enclosed bubble is
really a perfect way

to see the desert
without worrying about that.

It feels like you're in a suburb
on Mars.

Watching the sun rise
over these little bubbles felt

like an otherworldly experience.

It looks like it's from a movie.

I mean, it feels like it's
from a movie, even walking around.

Guests can make the most
of the interstellar location

by exploring the desert off-road
in four-by-fours,

or even from the back of a camel.

We did a camel ride this morning,

and then, we're going to take off
on a six-hour jeep tour

to a bunch of different
historical sites,

tourist sites,
little markets or bazaars,

so we don't really know
what to expect,

but there's a lot to explore
out here.

25 members of staff live on site,

providing round-the-clock service
for the guests.

But keeping the bubbles clean
can be challenging,

especially in the dusty
desert climate.

Where possible, housekeeping is done
early in the morning

before the heat
of the midday sun hits.

First job is to cover the domes
to protect them

from the sun's ultraviolet rays,
which damage the plastic.

This also helps keep the domes cool
during the day

until they are removed
before sunset.

Shaban Hamdi Elwani
and Rahul Surjit are

two of the housekeeping team.

Shaban has been working in the hotel
for the past three years.

Every day,
we have 20 bubbles here cleaning.

For the bedroom, I will change
the sheets and pillow every day,

and the towels for the bathroom,
I send it for the wash for laundry.

I like my job.
This is my second home.

This is my family.

Running a five-star hotel in such
a remote spot is no simple task.

Food and crucial supplies
have to be shipped in

across kilometres of arid desert.

Tankers bring in the hotel's
fresh water from a well 10km away.

Every day, we have

three, four, maximum five tanks
every day.

Nothing here is easy.

The resort is positioned

some distance away
from the national power supply,

so the hotel has to generate

a considerable amount
of electricity itself

to provide heating,
air conditioning,

and the all-important air pressure
to keep the bubbles inflated.

To do this, it makes the most of
something this region has lots of.

Now, also, we have a new system,
solar system from the sun.

This almost limitless resource
can be stored in batteries

to provide enough power to fuel
the hotel's infrastructure 24/7.

The hotel's reception area
and dining room are also housed

in large, interlinked,
pressurised bubbles.

Catering here is
another huge logistical challenge.

Food is delivered once a week

from the capital, Amman,
330km away.

Chef Rafatusif prepares
everything fresh,

including the hotel's
signature dish, zarb.

It's a traditional barbecue
cooked over charcoal

in an underground sandpit
for several hours

before being dug up and shared.

This Bedouin food in Jordan.

It's rice and lamb

and chicken and vegetables.

Everything is fresh.

Every day at three o'clock,

Chef Rafatusif and his team lower
the ingredients

into the underground oven
to cook for three and a half hours.

The zarb is the centrepiece
for a sumptuous Bedouin feast,

featuring traditional dishes

of shawarma and pickled vegetables,

served in the hotel's
100-seater dining room.

This hotel's true secret is
only revealed when the sun sets

and the covers come off the bubbles.

Wadi Rum is so remote, there's
no light or air pollution here,

so one of the big attractions
is stargazing.

The transparent bubbles enable
guests to lie in bed

and see the stars
in all their majesty.

When I'm sleeping in the bubble,

I am feeling like I am sleeping
in the sky.

It was pretty cool last night. Yeah.
You could see some of the Milky Way.

This is a very new experience
for the guests to enjoy in Wadi Rum.

It definitely felt secret.
We've loved it. It's beautiful.

Still to come, an historic treasure,

reconfigured
into a boutique getaway.

This actually isn't
the top of the windmill.

There's an even more secret room
even further up.

And a unique stay
for any aviation enthusiast.

We have the cockpit suite.
You can be a captain for a night.

We're exploring some of the world's
most secret holiday escapes,

from futuristic getaways
built in remote forests

to historic landmarks that have
undergone surprising reinventions.

Norfolk sits along

England's eastern coastline...

..a breath-taking sanctuary
of natural beauty.

4,000 acres of protected marshland
thrives with marine life.

It surrounds one of England's
most picturesque country villages,

known historically
as Cley-next-the-Sea.

But the locals simply call it Cley.

Cley is a haven for explorers
of coastal trails

and secluded river channels.

Its most famous landmark
is Cley Windmill.

This 80-foot brick and wood
structure has towered

over the town for 200 years.

But many sail by, never knowing

that this building is actually
a luxury hotel.

The last working miller left
the windmill in 1921.

Since then, a succession of private
owners transformed the structure,

first into a home,

then, in 1983, into a hotel.

Today, Varian and Natalie Bush
are the custodians

of this historic ten-room complex.

People walking along the coastal
paths probably don't even realise

that you can stay here.
It has remained a great secret,

and one that I think people are very
happy when they find out about it.

I didn't even realise
it was a hotel to start with.

All the spaces inside the windmill's
complex have been converted

from their original industrial uses.

The six outbuildings
that surround the tower

have been transformed
into luxury accommodation,

including the Miller's Room,
where the miller himself once slept.

At the base of the tower is
the reception room

and the old mill room that, today,
functions as a breakfast room.

On the floor above, storage rooms
have become two cosy bedrooms.

On the second floor, there's space

for one bedroom
with its own private balcony.

At the top of the windmill sits
a tightly fitted bedroom,

split between two floors.

I just find it fascinating

that it's been standing
for all these years

and so many lives
have been lived in it.

It was very exciting when we took
ownership of the place

but, obviously, tinged with that
is the responsibility

of taking such an iconic building
forward for future generations.

Today, Cley Windmill is ranked
Grade II

on the National Heritage List
for England,

a high-level protected status

that restricts alterations
to the building.

But it's this stunning preservation
that attracts guests

seeking to stay inside a part
of England's history.

To get here, they must navigate
windy country roads.

Glimpses of its sails can be seen
between houses,

before a discrete turning reveals
the five-storey windmill

in all its glory.

From the outside,
the buildings still look as they did

when they were first constructed.

Flint stone walls, used for
centuries in this part of England,

make up the robust industrial
outbuildings.

Peaking inside reveals
their conversion

into quaint self-catered cottages.

But it's the mill tower
that is most striking.

With its historic curved brickwork,

clues to its function today are hard
to spot.

But as guests venture inside,

they are transported
into a world of luxury.

A rustic reception area leads
to a breakfast room,

complete with a grand
original fireplace.

Climbing the stairs reveals
two cosy bedrooms,

where once grain and flour
were stored.

The windmill's rooms are converted
with pure comfort in mind.

Only their names give away
their former use.

So, you've got the Barley Bin
round the back,

where the barley was stored.

The River Room is great because
you can just walk straight out

onto the garden and you can see
the river and the boats going past.

The Stone Room, where
they would have kept the stones.

So, again, it keeps that link
to the past

when it was
a fully operating windmill.

Tucked into the tower's
second floor,

the Stone Room was once the bedroom

of Cley Windmill's
most famous guest.

Summer after summer, this was where

global pop star James Blunt
came to relax.

I believe James Blunt's bedroom was
Stone Room,

and that's a really cool room

cos it's got
its own private balcony.

In 1934, James's grandfather,

Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Blount,
inherited the windmill.

It stayed in the family
for over 70 years,

becoming a favourite holiday retreat
for the singer in his youth.

But today, Cley Windmill's
star attraction lies hidden

at the very top of the tower.

Only some guests are lucky enough
to get a glimpse up here.

But head of housekeeping, Sarah Roe,

knows this secret part
of the building better than anyone.

This has to be the most interesting
room within the windmill,

and it's certainly my favourite.

You do not need a key to get
into the hatch,

but what you do need is
this pulley system

to open the hatch door first of all.

Access to this part of the windmill
isn't easy.

Guests must sign an injury waiver
before climbing

an almost vertical ship's ladder,
which is the only way up,

turning luggage delivery
into a unique challenge.

To get the luggage up, there's
quite an ingenious little trick.

We just get the bag,
clip it onto the winch, like so,

and then, just winch it up.

So, you have to be very careful
when you're going up in general,

but, yeah, luggage-wise,
that's the easiest way to do it.

At the top, guests are rewarded
with a very private space,

with room for not much more
than a four-poster bed.

It's smaller because you're actually
at the top of the windmill,

but you've got great views
over the salt marshes,

right out to the North Sea.

You've got views
of the sails as well,

which are pretty close up, being
just literally outside your window.

Guests staying in this room
have even more to explore

above where they sleep.

This actually isn't the top
of the windmill.

There's an even more secret room
even further up.

Through a second hatch door
is the shower room,

a space shared with the windmill's
archaic engineering.

You can't help but notice
this original gear mechanism

from when the windmill, in its day,
was grinding flour.

It's going to be probably
a couple of tonnes of wood hanging,

literally, above your head
as you walk up here.

And the second thing you can't help
but notice

is the wind rattling
through the windows.

It is very atmospheric,
but I think that is part

of the unique character of it,
basically.

Heat lamps have been installed
to keep this lofty room warm

during the winter months,

but it's here
the adventure continues.

One final flight of stairs winds
round the top

of the huge gear system,
out onto the roof.

Once you've made it out here
onto the fan-stage,

it's super rewarding.

You've got the best views
in Norfolk, I would say.

You've got the whole of Cley
in front of you here,

you've got the salt marshes and
the North Sea. It is totally superb.

Back when the windmill was
operational,

standing up here
by the rotating fantail

would have been
a thrilling experience.

The sails are the quintessential
part of the windmill.

While they do still turn,
the mechanisms are all in place,

they are sort of chocked in.

During its working days,
the windmill's 80-foot wooden arms

were encased in cloth sails
to catch the wind.

The fantail behind them
would steer the roof cap

so the main sails faced
into the wind.

As the wind blew, the sails turned
three vertical shafts

inside the tower that were connected
to three huge millstones below.

As the millstones rotated,
grains would be ground into flour.

But even when static,
the sails are open to the elements

and need constant maintenance.

A new set can cost
in excess of £16,000.

They've got at least another ten,

15 years of life left in them,
hopefully,

and then, we'll need
to replace them.

When the windmill was in use, it sat
at the heart of a bustling port.

Cley Harbour committee member
Simon Read knows

all about its colourful past.

The windmill itself, obviously,
it was built beside the harbour,

and the harbour itself was
one of the main exporters of grain.

It's a very old harbour.

In the 1300s, it was the fourth
largest harbour in Britain.

There were warehouses all along
the front. It was known for pirates.

It had a certain lawlessness
about it.

It had its own red-light district,
it ran seven pubs, at the time.

It would have been
a really lively place.

Today, people come here for peace
and tranquillity.

Just a few clues to the windmill's
working life remain.

The millstones have been preserved
as paving,

and a missing section of roof line
reveals where its older sails,

which were longer, used to pass.

Set into this stunning environment,
the windmill is a hidden retreat

for those seeking to enjoy
the natural world.

We get lots of birdwatchers coming
through, so that's really lovely.

You can just do it straight
from your own private balcony,

at height, which is
a great feature for them.

Decking, concealed among the reeds,
is the perfect natural bird hide,

and the tower itself provides

a great height advantage
to survey the entire coast.

It is very much cut off up here.

You can have that feeling,
standing on the balcony looking out,

that you are
on the edge of the world.

Becoming owners of Cley Windmill
has been

more than a business opportunity.

Like the Blount family
who came before them,

the charm and beauty of this hotel
has already made

the Bushes feel at home here.

We received a really lovely,
surprising email

from James's father, Charlie,

who expressed how important the
windmill was to him and his family.

We're very much part
of getting the children involved.

They love being here
and it would be lovely

if we could pass it on to them.

Hopefully, it'll be standing here
long after we're not.

With the Bush family at the helm,

Cley Windmill's old wooden doors
should be open to guests

for decades to come.

Coming up, a jumbo jet that has been
transformed into a novel getaway.

I've never experienced
something like this.

It's just a really cool place.

There are over 700,000 hotels
across the world,

and we're exploring
some of the most memorable stays

in the most unlikely locations.

Our next stop is Sweden.

37km north of the capital,
Stockholm,

and nearly 40km south-east
of Uppsala is Arlanda Airport.

More than 20 million international

and around 5.5 million domestic
travellers pass through its doors

every year. It's the largest
and busiest airport in the country.

It is so busy here that it would be
easy for travellers to miss

the one plane that hasn't moved
from its spot

next to the main runway
for the past 13 years.

This would normally be a cause
for concern, but not here.

There is no turbulence,
no holding pattern,

and there's no need
for a boarding pass.

But if you want to stay, you
will definitely need to check in,

for this remarkable holiday hideaway
is the Jumbo Stay Hotel,

the first 747 hotel in the world.

Some people I met from England
or other places,

they would just come for a night
or two just to experience it.

So, many people have
different experiences,

different reasons of staying here.

I met a lot of pilots
who have come with their kids

to teach them how to fly a 747.

This aircraft was built
for Singapore Airlines in 1976.

When this model first took
to the skies,

it was the largest passenger plane
ever built,

which revolutionised air travel.

It is just over 70m long
with a cabin width of just over 6m,

and could carry over 400 passengers
on a single flight.

Fully loaded,
it weighed over 333,000kg,

and it could fly 9,800km
before it needed refuelling.

It was decommissioned in 2002,

bought by an aviation
enthusiast businessman,

and opened as a hotel in 2009.

Ameer Junejo is the proud manager.

I would say it's one of the most
unique places in the world.

It's the only 747 which is a hotel
and a restaurant.

It's very unique and special.

It's very, very different,
you know, than a normal hotel.

The hotel has 32 rooms and 76 beds,

and can accommodate up to 90 guests,

mostly in the belly of the beast.

There are five dormitory rooms,

five standard rooms,

a single suite, the Blackbox Suite,

and in the nose,

the best room on board,
the Cockpit Suite.

First class is usually reserved
for those with a gold credit card

or a serious amount of air miles.

Today, anyone can pull down their
eye mask and put their feet up.

CABIN BELL CHIMES
Have you booked

a room with us today?
Yes, we booked the Cockpit Suite.

Ah, so you have the whole upper
floor for yourself.

And if you need
any information regarding anything,

just let me know. OK.

Enjoy your stay.
Thank you. Thank you.

We have a restaurant for our
customers who are staying with us.

The interior has been reconfigured

and the 450 seats have been replaced
with a minimalist and sleek design.

And there's much more than
just chicken or beef on the menu.

The bedrooms are spacious and comfy,

laid out across multiple rows.

So, this is one of the normal rooms,

where toilets and showers are shared
in the corridor.

Then you have
your own compartment here,

which is original
from the 747-200 from 1976.

Then the room has a double bed,

so two people can sleep easily here.

Or it can be a single bed up,

so three people can easily
sleep here as well.

Then you have your own TV.

One suite is a must-stay

for anyone who's ever dreamed
of piloting a 747.

We have the Cockpit Suite.

That's the best suite we have

because this is where
everything happens, you know,

when the captain is flying
the plane.

So, when you are sleeping here,
you can be a captain for a night.

Everything is original there.

So, you have,
of course, the bed here,

you have all the instruments there,
you have a beautiful view.

You have your own toilet
and shower here.

Then, on the left there,
you have the first-class lounge,

where you can sit, and you have
original seats from the 747.

CABIN BELL CHIMES

Here, at the cockpit,
you have all the instruments

and you can come here and you can
experience how a captain feels

on a 747, and you can try it out.

You've got some instruments here
as well.

And downstairs, we have,
in the hatch, when you're moving

these instruments,
you can see how it works.

I've never experienced
something like this.

It's just a really cool place.

We wanted to go

to the Cockpit Suite
because I think it has

the best, like, view. And, yeah,

you can play at the pilot's space.

This decommissioned 747 makes
for a remarkable hotel.

Tucked away under the wings

and at a squeeze only large enough
for two people are the engine rooms.

You don't need to be a mile high
to join this club,

but you will need to travel light,

as each engine room actually fills
the space

once occupied by the plane's
Rolls-Royce engines.

The turbine used to be here before,

but now, it's a room
where one or two people can sleep.

The thrill for the aviation
enthusiast doesn't end there.

If you fantasise about wing-walking,
then this hotel offers

the perfect stroll, along
an observation deck like no other.

Here, you can sit,
have lunch, dinner,

or you can just come
for ice cream or snacks.

You can see all of the airport
from here and, I believe,

this is the only 747 wing where you
can walk, sit, eat lunch and dinner.

The attention to detail
in this remarkable jet getaway

is second to none.

Every room contains something
for those who love to fly.

You meet people
from around the world.

For me, personally, also,
I have travelled

so many times on a 747
with my family,

so it takes you back in time
with the memories you had

with your family,
so this is different and special.

It takes a certain type
of person to come

so far off the beaten track
to visit a plane that is now hotel.

And when they do,
it is reassuring to know

that there are exits here,
here and here.

Buckle up and enjoy the journey.

Still to come, we journey to Ecuador

to a remote jungle escape.

The fact of being here,
so far away from the city noises,

from smog, from the pressure
of living in the city,

it makes you relax a lot.

We're exploring
the world's most secret escapes,

from hotels hidden in the heart
of cities

to far-flung hideaways.

Next, we're travelling
to South America,

deep into the rainforest.

Situated on the equator
between Colombia

and Peru, Ecuador is

a land of extremes.

From rivers to mountains,
it has amazing flora and fauna.

Nestled in the foothills
of the Andes is

one of the most starting places
of all.

Set within 17,000 uninterrupted
hectares of rainforest

is the Mashpi Reserve,

one of the richest biodiversity
hotspots on Earth...

..home to 500 species of birds,

300 species of butterflies
and moths,

along with monkeys, mammals
and toucans.

At the heart of the reserve,
situated three hours by road

from the country's capital of Quito,
is the Mashpi Lodge.

You're right
in the middle of mountains.

The vegetation is extraordinary.

But you have to understand
that if it was too easy to get here,

most probably this place
wouldn't exist any more.

This unique getaway sits
1,200m above sea level

in a cloud forest, which is similar
to a rainforest, just a bit higher.

The warm air rises from the jungle,
cools and turns into clouds.

Built between 2010 and 2012,

this sanctuary, in which to observe
life in the wild, was the brainchild

of businessman and ex-mayor of Quito
Roque Sevilla.

This is a very special place.

When I bought this property
21 years ago,

my intention was exclusively
to protect the area.

But later on,
we came to the conclusion

that many, many people
should come here

and see the marvellous nature
that we have here in Ecuador.

And that is when we decided
to build a hotel.

Alarmed at the destruction
of the rainforest,

Roque bought and rescued
1,200 hectares of land here

that had been earmarked for logging.

It was really a big luck,

because if we hadn't protected
this area,

the forest wouldn't be there
any more.

Roque worked with local architect
Alfredo Ribadeneira

to safeguard this unique habitat
and create an eco-hotel

for visitors to experience
the beauty of this area.

The biggest challenge,
I think, it was in the design.

This was a very difficult design

because you cannot go wrong.

If you go wrong here, it's a mess.

We had to be very careful in the way
that we approached the design

and I think that we did a good job.

The remote and delicate site
here meant

that the team had to preconstruct

the various elements of the building
in Quito.

They were then transported by truck
and assembled together on site.

However, constructing a hotel
in an area so remote and wet

created additional challenges.

The levels of humidity here are
very high,

so we have to use materials
that resist humidity,

so mostly, we used glass
and aluminium and steel,

so it works very well.

This rainforest retreat has 24 rooms
over three floors -

20 doubles and four suites,

each with floor-to-ceiling windows

to take in the exceptional views
across the rainforest canopy.

At full capacity, the lodge can host
47 guests,

all looked after by a staff of 85.

There is also a restaurant,
library, a spa,

an observation deck
and communal areas.

All meals here are served
buffet-style in the restaurant.

Keeping the hotel stocked with food
and drink is an ongoing challenge

for operations manager Marc Bery.

Working at Mashpi is not easy.

I mean, you have to be willing
to go the extra mile to do it.

We are right in the middle
of nowhere,

so to get supplies here takes
quite some time.

We get our groceries,
we get most of it from Quito,

so we have a truck coming here
three times a month.

It's a truck
that is partly refrigerated.

But then, we try to work a lot
with surrounding communities,

so we buy fruits, vegetables,

everything that we can around here,

and that comes at least once a week.

Sustainability is key to running
this lodge.

It gets all its electricity from
a local hydroelectric power plant,

which is driven by the area's
fast-flowing river systems.

Cables buried in a 5km-long trench
connect the plant to the hotel.

Storing and processing the rainwater

so that it's safe to drink is
another challenge.

We have four different tanks
because, since we get the water

straight from the source, sometimes
you get landslides, you get mud.

So, you filter those tanks
one to the other

until you get the last tank
coming straight to the lodge.

So, we have big responsibility to
bring in clean water to our guests.

And when it comes to upkeep
and cleanliness,

the staff here face
an additional battle - humidity.

We have an army of dehumidifiers.

We have 24 rooms and we should
have about 18 dehumidifiers,

and we move them
from room to room every single day.

To keep it clean, it's a 24/7 job,

because you have incoming guests.
They come in from their walks

with muddy boots,
with dripping water,

so you have to clean after them
all day long.

But if you do it with passion,
it's easy.

We love to say that Mashpi is
where clouds are born

because, in a sense, they are.

Because of the weather conditions,

you have clouds coming out
of the forest,

and it gives something special
to the ambience,

this kind of mystery,

because you don't see
the whole view of the forest.

And where there are clouds,
there is rain.

THUNDER RUMBLES

With over 6m of rainfall per year,

the staff here need to be prepared
for anything.

We're right in the middle
of a rainforest.

It rains a lot,
so sometimes you get landslides,

so roads get closed
and you have to react very fast

to clean them up,
to open those roads

for your guests, for your explorers.

But what's a little rain when you
have a whole rainforest to explore?

The adventurous can take flight
in the 2km-long cable car

that soars 150m high above
the treetops.

It gives a bird's-eye view,
and from hummingbirds to frogs,

this place is
a biologist's paradise.

The guided tours into the rainforest
are an educational experience.

Rare breeds of butterflies, mammals,
birds, fish

and amphibian reptiles have been
observed here,

and new species are being recorded.

And so far, we have discovered
about two new species

of amphibians, frogs, and about
three different species of plants.

So, we have the information

and we share this information
with the world.

The site has a dedicated team
of biologists

who share their finds with
scientists and conservation groups

to help better understand
and preserve the ecosystem here.

What is the difference
between Mashpi and other places is

that we do actual research,

and this research is very important
for the lodge

because that's how we generate
all the information

that we share with our guests

and, of course, our explorers.

The lodge is a great place
to escape city life

and learn about the natural habitat.

The fact of being here, so far away
from the city noises, from smog,

from the pressure of living in
the city, it makes you relax a lot.

And that is something that,
most of the time, they don't expect

because they think
they're going to be coming here

just to walk around and do trails.

Then they realise
that it's very, very relaxing.

They leave as new people.

Mashpi Lodge exists to show us
a world

we would normally never get to see.

It's like you get into the forest,
and suddenly,

you find this incredible building
in the middle of nowhere.

And that keeps it secret
in the middle of the forest.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media