Rooms with a view: Get back to nature in Hinter’s minimalist-chic hillside retreat

If you’ve ever fantasized about quitting cubicle life and running off into the woods — well, who hasn’t? For Mauricio Padilla, the Montreal-based founder of Hinter, a start-up working to build sleek, modern retreats in out-of-the-way locales, the lure of nature proved irresistible.

Until a few years ago, he was the president of an AI software company, flying all over the world for business meetings, while pondering, “But what’s next?” On every work trip, he would tailor his travel schedule to allow for some restorative hiking. “It’s a very spiritual, meditative thing,” says Padilla, 35, describing his forays into national parks. “Especially in the Scandinavian countries, you would see these beautiful houses in the middle of nowhere, just sitting there.”

The seed of an idea was planted, and Padilla decided to have his own cosy, Scandinavian-inspired modular home built in a tranquil forest in La Conception, Que., a 15-minute drive from Mont-Tremblant. Dubbed Hintercabin, the mini cottage was originally purchased as his private property in 2018, but soon evolved into a proof-of-concept pilot for Padilla’s full-fledged, new hotel concept.

This more ambitious project, Hinterhouse, also in the Laurentides region near lakes, rivers and mountains, began welcoming guests last year. Created in collaboration with the architectural firm Ménard Dworkind, it looks like a Norwegian-meets-Japanese vision ripped from the pages of a design magazine — and it’s been covered in more than a few.

Clad in white cedar, the long and lean structure sits atop a tree-studded hillside, where you can survey Mont-Tremblant valley from floor-to-ceiling windows. The two-bedroom space is just over 900 square feet, but achieves an airiness with minimalist Alphabet furnishings, an open-concept layout and generous doses of natural light. Descend the stairs outside to reach the four-person sauna, which mirrors the look of the main house, complete with an outdoor cold shower. (Those enamoured with the esthetic may be intrigued to learn Hinter just expanded to include an architectural practice as well.)

Thought has also been given to matters of sustainability beyond the actual design choices. “Technically, you’re still intruding into nature, right?” says Padilla of building such spaces. To offset this impact, Hinter partners with the non-profit One Tree Planted to ensure 10 trees are planted for each booking. Also new for mindful motorheads this year is the option to rent a Tesla Model 3; pick it up in Montreal for the drive to Hinterhouse, soon to be outfitted with a connector for charging.

Padilla has more grand plans, including a still hush-hush endeavour called, fittingly, Stealthhouse. It’ll prioritize connecting with the great outdoors, but in an even more secluded setting. “I want to buy 15 to 20 acres and put five houses there,” he explains, noting that he’s in the land-scouting stage. Beyond that, he has his eye on the West Coast, the U.S. and potentially Portugal.

“Even before the pandemic, there was this big cultural shift toward appreciating nature more and giving yourself space more,” says Padilla, who speaks from personal experience, after all. “I think that’s going to grow.”

The Star understands the restrictions on travel during the coronavirus pandemic. But like you, we dream of travelling again, and we’re publishing this story with future trips in mind.