The opening of HUUS QUELL, in the village of Gonten in Appenzell, Switzerland, marks a milestone in the country’s sustainability credentials. This new destination wellness property is Switzerland’s first carbon-storing luxury resort. Comprised of 30 suites and nestled into a hillside within a region renowned for cheese-making, traditional yodeling and culinary specialties, including delicious Biberfladen gingerbread, HUSS QUELL operates on zero net energy. The hotel was built entirely from biodynamic, Swiss-sourced moon wood. The interlocking beams used in its construction do not include nails or screws.

“Moon wood” (we know you’re wondering) is wood from trees harvested during a waning moon. The area’s cultural woodcutting traditions propose this type of timber has a higher density, making it stronger and longer lasting. Some ancient logging traditions from Switzerland, Austria and Germany even suggest trees felled during certain phases of the moon are easier to work with. What’s for sure: The untreated, biodynamic larch used for the hotel’s buildings, harvested during the waning moon, are not only dryer and denser, but the buildings created from this timber also lock in 3,000 tons of CO₂.

Designed by Rüssli Architects (the force behind Bürgenstock Resort and the Swiss Embassy in Washington, D.C.), HUUS QUELL is part of the APPENZELLER HUUS wellness portfolio promoting lifestyle choices based on restoration, regeneration and a connection to nature. Geothermal wells, solar arrays, lime-based plaster, insulation created from recycled Swiss wool and a cooling system of spring waters rank it high on the environmental scorecard. At the same time, luxurious components, such as custom textiles by Jakob Schlaepfer, global cuisine crafted with locally sourced ingredients overseen by Executive Chef Carsten Kypke and a serene spa, ensure a superior guest experience.

© Courtesy of APPENZELLER HUUS

In the spa, alpine healing traditions are celebrated in restorative therapies and treatments bound by scientifically endorsed longevity research. At its core is the award-winning L3 Long Lasting Lifestyle Circle wellness program, where guests move deliberately from one therapy to the next.

“The L3 Circle is more than a wellness experience — it’s a scientifically guided system for measurable regeneration,” said Natascha Saar, spa manager, HUUS QYUELL. “Our goal is to help guests feel an immediate shift in energy, focus and vitality that lasts well beyond their stay.”

The wellness circuit begins in the MCS Infrared Cabin, fitted with ionized oxygen, color-frequency stimulation and vibration technology. Next, guests progress to whole-body cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and FLOW Compression system lymphatic stimulation. The circuit wraps up with Precision Diagnostics utilizing a SCANECA Body Scanner and InBody 970, which provides personalized metabolic data.