After a rain-soaked section of the Appalachian Trail, I could think of nothing more inviting than a hot shower, a warm bed, and dry clothes. Before starting the approach trail of the A.T at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia, I had gleefully browsed through AirBnB for a unique place to sleep in the mountains after my short section hike.
What I found was a 15-foot converted shipping container nestled in the trees at Barefoot Hills Hotel. To say that I was excited to try out “tiny home living” would be an understatement. Living a minimalist lifestyle in an eco-friendly home has appealed to me in many ways, but I still have my reservations about feeling too confined in a space (especially since I work from home 80% of the time). Booking a place that is different from my own space, but that still has an element of “home” within it’s walls is important to me when traveling. The minute I walked into the recycled shipping container at Barefoot Hills, I knew I had found the perfect spot.
Take a 60 second look inside of this Eco Shipping Container converted into a tiny home in the mountains of Dahlonega, Georgia!
When I am looking online for a hotel room or AirBnB, I always jump straight to photos of the bed. The bed is the focal point of energy in a room, and its position in regard to the light, inches off the ground, and aesthetics can completely change the atmosphere. As you can probably guess, I am a light sleeper; which is exactly why I put so much time and thought into booking a room while traveling. In the shipping container, the lifted bed situated beside a sliding glass door with an abundance of natural light (and black out curtains for sleeping) was ideal.
The heating and cooling system in the eco-container was a little difficult for me to find a comfortable sleeping temperature, because the space heats up within thirty minutes of changing the temperature. I’m sure that I would have figured out the best settings for me after another night or two, but I ended up heating the space in the evening to 74 degrees Fahrenheit, and then turning off the system from 9pm to 6am. Usually I would be a little cold when I first woke up, but at certain times throughout the night I would be sweating. However it’s really not that surprising a small space gets hot quickly!
Actually, the most surprising aspect of the converted living space was the bathroom. It was so modern, and the shower had amazing water pressure and heat. I’ve bathed in more water buckets with a cup than most people would care to, so I don’t require luxury all the time. Although I definitely appreciate luxury when I can, and this tiny home was a luxurious experience.
