There are all kinds of hotels in this world: There are luxurious hotels and expensive hotels. There are budget hotels and spa hotels. But there are also unconventional hotels that border on the absurd. We're talking about hotels in igloos and hanging from trees. Hotels with themes that could quite possibly creep you out. But at the end of the day, all of these hotels have thrown conventional thinking out the window to create truly unique — and often awesome — experiences for their visitors.
After all, what's more memorable: a nice hotel with soft pillows, or one that requires you to hike up a mountain just to get in your bed? Memorability is key. And it's only achieved by properties that are one-of-a-kind, unique, kooky, and totally original. Here are 15 hotels that meet that criteria and then some.
Attrap'Rêves, France
Would you like to sleep in a bubble? The Attrap'Rêves Hotel — with locations all over France — consists of plastic bubble domes built from recyclable materials. Each bubble has a silent blower to keep fresh air inside. The spheres also have amazing views of the French countryside, and come with amenities like Champagne (it is France, after all).
Montaña Mágica Lodge, Chile
If you've been dreaming of a stay at The Shire, this could be the hotel for you. The Magic Mountain Lodge — in the middle of the Chilean Patagonian Rainforest — is a privately owned Huilo-Huilo nature reserve. It is built to resemble a water-spewing volcano, andChile's real-life Arenal Volcano can be seen from the hotel. There's plenty of fairy-tale charm thanks to nearby waterfalls and the woodland decor. The lodge also has hot tubs made out of giant tree trunks, a monkey bridge, and a beautiful view of the rainforest.
Book And Bed Tokyo, Japan
Attention, bookworms: This is the hotel for you. The Book and Bed Tokyo calls itself an "accommodation bookshop." Guests' bunk beds are hidden in between the nooks and crannies of library shelves, and the property has over 1,700 books in both English and Japanese. With space for only 30 guests, this place is just begging to host your book club's first meeting abroad.
Natura Vive's Skylodge Adventure Suites, Peru
Adrenaline junkies, listen up. If you've ever dreamed of mountain climbing in the Peruvian Andes, there's a convenient hotel located on the mountainside. That's right — three little sleeping pods with a bathroom and dining area, all on the side of a mountain. Skylodge Adventure Suites looks terrifying, but also incredible. You access the pods by climbing 1,400 iron rungs with a steel cable tied around your body, or by zip-lining 1,000 feet to the cliffside suites. You enter through a roof hatch. And you get a beautiful view of Peru's Sacred Valley.
Zand Hotel, The Netherlands
Introducing the world's first-ever sand hotel. That's right, every wall is covered in sand, and every room has a sand sculpture. The Zand is actually two temporary hotels that are part of a sand sculpture festival. So if you're hoping to experience life in a sand castle, hurry — before these destinations get washed away.
Giraffe Manor, Kenya
Imagine eating breakfast with giraffes. Well, you can. (No really, go to the 50-second mark on the video and see for yourself.) Giraffe Manor is owned and run by The Safari Collection. It's one of the most iconic buildings in Nairobi, and it's a popular hangout for giraffes.
The herd of endangered Rothschild giraffes visits the Manor in the mornings and evenings to mingle with guests before venturing out into their 140-acre sanctuary run by African Fund for Endangered Wildlife's (AFEW) Giraffe Centre.
The Iglu-Dorf Hotel, Switzerland
If you're not afraid of cold weather, try staying overnight in an igloo at one of The Iglu-Dorf's locations this winter. The hotel-igloos are made of snow and ice — with a bar, restaurant, event rooms, and wellness centers — and come with sleeping bags designed to keep you warm in the -35℉ climes.
There's also a Jacuzzi, cups of hot white gluhwein, and ice sculptures. Yes, you'll have to keep your clothes in the bottom of your sleeping bag to prevent them from freezing, but you also get a nice warm mug of tea delivered to your igloo as a wakeup call.
Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, China
Is it a doughnut? Is it a horseshoe? Is it a magnet? Whatever you think of the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort's appearance, it's one of the coolest hotels in the world. Affectionately known as the "doughnut hotel," the resort consists of three buildings — with two of them curving to create a 27-story torus over Taihu Lake. Below ground, there are two floors that connect the structure. There are 321 rooms, hot springs, a yacht dock, and a 28-ton jade centerpiece in the lobby. There's also a 17,000-square-foot wedding island.
Free Spirit Spheres, Canada
Did you grow up dreaming of spending the night in a treehouse? Lucky for you, Free Spirit Spheres in Canada offers three rentable orbs – named Melody, Eryn, and Eve. Each 1,100-pound, 10-foot-wide sphere has a bed, dining table, built-in speakers, and circular windows.
The orbs hang about 15 feet above ground, and are accessed by a series of spiral staircases and drawbridges. Co-owner Tom Chudleigh also designed and handcrafted each sphere, using bio-mimicry to ensure stability and durability. The only catch? No kids allowed. This treehouse is just for adults.
Henn na Hotel (The Weird Hotel), Japan
The Henn na Hotel — also known as the Weird Hotel — is staffed almost entirely by robots. There are two robots to greet you at the front desk: a humanoid who speaks Japanese, and a dinosaur that speaks English.
Yes, this is unusual. Maybe even creepy. But try to focus on the awesomeness. There are mini robots that carry your luggage. You enter your room using facial recognition technology. Robots in your room respond to commands, and there's even technology that reads your body heat and adjusts the room temperature accordingly! Eventually, there will be drones to deliver your food. It's crazy and bizarre, but so, so cool.
Icehotel, Sweden
There have been ice hotels in Finland and in Canada, but Icehotel in Sweden's Jukkasjärvi village is the original. It goes up every year from December through April. This year's suite designs have already been revealed, and they include a giant ice sculpture of an elephant in a bedroom. Everything in the hotel glows blue, which kind of makes the whole place look like the best night club ever (or the secret lair of Mr. Freeze). But it's an insanely impressive feat that's worth experiencing — as long as you're not a wimp about the cold.
Hotel Costa Verde 727 Fuselage, Costa Rica
Hotel Costa Verde is renowned for its beautiful accommodations. But if you're looking for something out of the ordinary, try the 727 Fuselage Home. It's a retired Boeing 727 plane from the 1960s that now sits on a costal bluff near the edge of Manuel Antonio National Park. And it's a hotel.
The cockpit has views of the rainforest; there's a terrace over each of the wings, and a spacious living area that includes two bedrooms, a kitchen, a TV area, and a dining room. Plus, monkeys are known to stop by for a visit.
Hotel Ještěd, Czech Republic
This hotel and restaurant above the clouds is 3,320 feet above sea level and was built to resemble a TV transmission tower. Railings in the hotel's interior are made of discarded steel that was welded together. Yes, you can only get to the Hotel Ještěd via cable car. But isn't it worth it for these incredible panoramic views?
Kolarbyn Eco-lodge, Sweden
Want to leave technology behind and live like Robin Hood? You can, at Sweden's Kolarbyn Eco-lodge, where guests are required to chop their own wood, fetch water, and wash dirty clothes in a spring. There are 12 rustic huts, each with two bunks, sheepskins, and sleeping bags. There are also little wood stoves in each hut. There's no electricity, and the hotel only provides guests with the basics to survive. Kolarbyn Eco-lodge's mud huts were originally used for charcoal burning, but now they're your chance to escape the stresses of the modern world.
Hotel Palacio De Sal, Bolivia
Guests at the Hotel Palacio de Sal are often asked to refrain from licking the walls. Why? Because the hotel is made entirely of salt. No, really. Everything from the walls, the chairs, to the tables; even the beds are made of salt. The hotel is located right on the edge of the Great Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flats. Since wood and metal materials are scarce in the area, the building was constructed with one million blocks of salt. There are 16 rooms, a dry sauna, a steam room, and a golf course. And, of course, the Palacio de Sal offers salt water bathing.
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