These 14 Strange Hotels Offer Stays You’ll Never Forget
Forget cookie-cutter hotel rooms and predictable lobbies. Millennial travelers strongly prefer unique travel experiences, as 79% of them choose to spend their money on them instead of material things. According to the 2023 travel trends report by KAYAK, searches for unique accommodations increased by 27% compared to the previous year.
Instead of sleeping in a standard hotel room, why not wake up inside a massive beagle, a dazzling ice palace, or surrounded by silver mine spirits underground? This list offers access to the world’s most unique hotels, where you can sleep in places featuring animal encounters and psychedelic art spaces, alongside volcano-shaped lodges and UFO-inspired treehouses. Prepare yourself for 14 unforgettable sleepovers around the world!
Treehotel, Sweden
Discover your inner child or extraterrestrial side by staying at Treehotel in northern Sweden’s Harads region. Above the forest floor, seven playful pods hang suspended up to 20 feet between century-old pines. Choose between a giant wooden bird’s nest or a UFO with blinking lights for your night stay, or go for the forest-vanishing mirror-clad “Mirrorcube.” The Scandi-designed rooms demonstrate environmental mindfulness while maximizing their enchanting qualities.
Bonuses? The property offers panoramic views of the Lule River and allows guests to witness the aurora borealis from September to March, while serving locally sourced meals at its restaurant.
Pro tip: Experience the Northern Lights through a professionally guided tour for an unforgettable sight.
Giraffe Manor, Kenya
How’s this for a breakfast companion? Endangered Rothschild’s giraffes from Giraffe Manor extend their necks through open windows in search of snacks while guests at the 1930s manor near Nairobi enjoy their stay. Visitors at the manor receive treats to feed the giraffes, who are friendly giants. Visitors support vital conservation efforts while acquiring wildlife photography that would impress any magazine editor.
The manor’s charm stems from its exclusive offering of just 12 rooms. Finding a more Instagrammable and heartwarming accommodation than this place will be extremely difficult. The only problem? Explaining the giraffe drool on your pajamas.
Fantasyland Hotel, Canada
Fantasyland Hotel is situated within Edmonton’s vast West Edmonton Mall, offering an extravagant spectacle of themed design. The hotel contains 120 rooms that transport guests to various worlds, including a space odyssey with spaceship bunk beds, a Wild West saloon, and a tropical Polynesian theme. The hotel offers a Roman suite with marble columns and a fake Arabian desert camp.
The world’s largest indoor waterpark, roller coasters, and mini-golf become your adventure when you leave your room. Studies demonstrate that vacationers who choose themed accommodations experience their trips as 30% more memorable. Each night at this Canadian castle offers something unique and fantastical.
Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA
The Dog Bark Park Inn offers a unique lodging experience, allowing guests to sleep inside a giant dog. The 30-foot B&B host “Sweet Willy” stands tall above the Idaho prairie while his tail wags at travelers seeking kitsch experiences. The inn features a collection of canine-themed crafts throughout its interior, alongside handmade furnishings, board games, and paw-shaped cookies created by the owner duo, who are also local artisans.
Got your four-legged friend? Pet lovers can rejoice because dogs can make this place their ultimate pilgrimage destination. Travel forums often list Dog Bark Park Inn as one of America’s most unusual roadside attractions.
Ottoman Cave Suites, Turkey
Enjoy your Flintstones fantasy in these luxurious cave suites crafted into Cappadocia’s mystical landscape. The interior air remains cool throughout the year while soft light dances across the vaulted stone walls with scalloped edges. Guests will find rooms decorated in an Ottoman-style plushness, featuring handwoven rugs and sustainable amenities.
A short walk from your dreamy sleep takes you to legendary hot air balloon rides and centuries-old cave churches. Guest satisfaction scores for cave hotels report 15% higher ratings than standard hotels in the region, according to Booking.com data.
Helga’s Folly, Sri Lanka
The psychedelic mansion showcases hand-painted murals, wax-dripped candelabras, skeletons, and antique decorations. Guests should not anticipate a traditional hotel stay but prepare for eccentric hosts and mind-bending decor that offers legendary tales for social circles.
Guests rave about the comprehensive art experience at Helga’s Folly, which invites visitors to lose themselves in its wild creativity.
Angad Arts Hotel, Missouri, USA
Art lovers, rejoice! At St. Louis’s Angad Arts Hotel, you can move beyond admiring creativity as it becomes your living space. Select your room color (red, blue, green, or yellow) to suit your mood, then explore bold art installations, pop-up performances, interactive spaces, and a quirky musical playroom.
Within St. Louis’s Grand Center Arts District stands the Angad Arts Hotel, a creative incubator for new artists. Studies indicate that guests who experience immersive art leave positive reviews 20% more frequently.
Sala Silvermine, Sweden
When the top floor does not meet your exclusivity needs, explore what lies 508 feet below ground. A unique boutique cave suite is one of the world’s deepest hotel rooms at the base of an ancient silver mine in Sweden. Guests can relax in leather chairs and enjoy the ambiance of flickering candelabras while surrounded by a bone-chilling silence that remains pleasantly warm.
Guests enjoy the thrill factor and the included mine tours that accompany their stay. The subterranean suite provides unmatched solitude and historical significance.
Magic Mountain (Montaña Mágica Lodge), Chile
The Patagonian rainforest would host a volcano lodge constructed by hobbits, closely resembling Magic Mountain. Guests at this imaginative hotel experience a waterfall flowing down the green stone walls of an artificial volcano every day. You enter your round, wooden-paneled room by crossing a rope bridge, and then explore the surrounding Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve.
The lodge’s eco-luxury style and location near rare wildlife earn praise from adventurers while simultaneously becoming the top pick for families and fantasy enthusiasts.
Featherbed Railroad, California, USA
All aboard for nostalgia and lakeside serenity! Nine creatively themed retired cabooses line the scenic Clear Lakeshore at Featherbed Railroad with decor inspired by Art Deco, “Easy Rider,” and a vintage circus. Every car comes with its own private Jacuzzi and a plush feather bed.
Visitors report immediate engagement with Americana, which creates lasting enjoyment and a sense of retro charm after their stay. The LA Times describes the cabooses as essential destinations for train enthusiasts and those seeking whimsical adventures.
Little Ongava, Namibia
Little Ongava’s three hilltop villas provide exceptional luxury and wildlife experiences. Guests stay in villas on a private plateau within a 66,000-acre reserve, which features private plunge pools and expansive terraces overlooking watering holes below. From their breakfast nook, guests at Little Ongava can view elephants, lions, and rhinos.
Guests receive customized safari experiences from on-site guides, and stargazing at Little Ongava is exceptional. Forbes praises Little Ongava as the ultimate secluded destination for experiencing Africa’s grandeur with complete privacy.
Le Voyage Extraordinaire, France
The Jules Verne-themed hotel in Nantes transports guests directly into a world of science fiction marvels. The rooms feature creative elements, such as beds hidden inside large suitcases and children’s play areas requiring a ladder.
Historical travel artifacts, alongside interactive displays, occupy the entire space. Guest feedback from recent surveys identifies creativity and nostalgia as the most prominent attributes of the hotel experience. Le Voyage Extraordinaire’s extraordinary adventure brings fictional stories to life for both families and book enthusiasts.
Mira Mira, Australia
Located in the remote forests of Gippsland, Mira Mira provides three magical accommodations, each featuring a sandstone cave illuminated by soft natural lighting. Guests can enjoy stays with Japanese Zen themes and magical forest atmospheres, featuring elaborate, handcrafted details alongside luxurious amenities.
Romance-seeking travelers find the cave suite’s starlit ceiling a standout feature. Mira Mira holds a top spot on TripAdvisor for Australia’s best-themed glamping experiences.
Hippo Point, Kenya
The nine-story pagoda at Hippo Point offers stunning views of Lake Naivasha and the expansive savannah. Boutique rooms, featuring African art and wide windows, connect seamlessly with the natural surroundings outside. In the morning, watch zebras and giraffes feeding below, while nighttime brings the sound of hippos splashing in water.
Guests love the rooftop yoga sessions, guided plain walks, and starlit candlelit dinners. Hippo Point is a perfect destination for adventurous travelers who want to experience peace among wildlife.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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