Do you crave adventure? Want a holiday that will seriously make those hard-to-impress co-workers choke on their cappuccinos? Book a room at one of these extraordinary and unusual hotels.
They may not be the most exclusive, the most comfortable or the most sensible choices. But we’re pretty sure they’ll offer an unforgettable experience to brag about.
A Science Fiction Dream
If you have ever dreamed of living underwater, discover Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida (yes, named after Jules Verne of course). Here is where you need to dive down 21 feet before you reach your accommodation – in a deep-sea capsule. No wonder this place has been featured on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” and in numerous other magazines and television networks. It’s pretty sensational we think. www.jul.com
Caveman Style
If you think diving down seems a bit too much, how about going below ground? In Australia, the mining town of Coober Pedy has a unique hotel – “Desert Cave”. In Desert Cave you can sleep, drink and even play poker in holes (yes, you read that right). Don’t go for the views though. www.desertcave.com.au
Sweet Dreams (or Nightmares)
The Propeller Island City Lodge in Berlin is for the brave or simply very curious. This is where you book a room if you have always wanted to try sleeping in a coffin (with or without the lid closed) or in an “upside down” room. Each of the 30 rooms is individually designed to offer a unique experience (many come with a must-read manual), and from cages to mirrors to padded walls we’re pretty sure it will indeed be unique. The master mind behind this place? German artist Lars Stroschen. www.propeller-island.com
Cozy and Cute
The extremely small rooms inside any of the “capsule hotels” in Japan certainly offer an unusual sleeping experience (at least to anyone who is not in fact Japanese and therefore have not seen nor tried these kinds of accommodation before). Climb inside your very own 2 x 1.25m fiberglass or plastic pod and reach for your TV remote, or just close your eyes and let your imagination take you on an intergalactic, dreamy adventure. www.capsuleinn.com
Forget Alcatraz
At the Karostas Cietums former Soviet detention facility in Latvia you can spend the night on an iron bed, with a prison toilet and cold water as your only “luxury”. According to the hotel/lodging facility itself, it is way more impressive than Alcatraz. Why not see if you can stomach a couple of hours as a military prisoner? www.karostascietums.lv
Truly Cool
What was once a modest igloo the size of an average 1-bedroom apartment is today the world’s largest hotel made of ice and snow – ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is extraordinary in more ways than one. Whether you want to travel to northern Scandinavia (this hotel is located 200km north of the Arctic Circle) for the midnight sun or to see the Northern Lights you will probably never forgive yourself if you don’t spend a night here. Just remember to put on those thermal underwear and you’ll have sweet dreams until they bring you your cup of hot lingonberry juice in the morning. Oh, and of course, since the hotel melts back into the nearby river where its materials are sourced every spring, you should probably plan to come in the winter. Burrrr. www.icehotel.com
The Middle-Earth Experience
All Lord of The Rings fans, listen up. The Hobbit Motel in New Zealand makes every effort to help you have a complete hobbit hole experience – it is even built into the side of a mountain, with round doors and windows. Don’t worry if you are more than 4 feet tall and don’t have pointy ears or hairy feet, you’ll probably feel at home here anyway. www.woodlynpark.co.nz
Bullseye
To be honest, we’re not sure if this qualifies as one of the most offbeat hotels. But we find Quinta Real Zacatecas, a luxury hotel constructed inside a majestic bullfighting ring in Mexico, interesting and unusual enough to mention. Where blood was once spilled there is today a romantic patio, and inside each guest room we hear you’ll find every comfort and luxury you could ever dream of. www.quintarealzacatecas.com.mx
Bird’s Eye View
What better way to wrap up our list of offbeat hotels but with a visit to the jungle? The Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel puts you right at the top of the Brazilian rainforest canopy where you can hang out with any friendly monkey, sloth or parrot that passes by. To reach the different towers you simply cross wooden catwalks (don’t look down we say!). Did we mention that this hotel is one of our favorites because it leaves the fragile surrounding environment virtually untouched? www.ariauamazontowers.com
Do you have more cool, weird or extreme hotels – luxurious or really simple – post your links here in the comments so everyone can benefit.
Happy travels!
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