Where: Pemba Island, Zanzibar

Manta Resort is a remote hideaway on Pemba Island, surrounded by beautiful turquoise waters and untouched coral reefs where you can feel the simplicity of a naturally evolved traditional Swahili island culture.

Anchored in an ocean floor anomaly, called the blue hole, the floating underwater room is one of the most unique hotels in the world. Encapsulated within a turquoise blue bubble, watching shoals of reef fish swim by. This floating structure, Swedish engineered, provides three levels, above the water clad in local hardwood is a lounge, bathroom below a stargazing, sun tanning bed. Each one worthy of its own story. From the second you step onto Pemba Island, there are dozen of activities available for you to try out. You could grab a snorkel and swim through the beautiful marine life and vibrant coral reefs, have a go at fishing or how about taking a nap under the underwater bedroom.

Where: Finland

If you’re looking for the world’s most unique hotel, add the Golden Crown Levin Iglut to your list. These glass igloo hotel in Finnish Lapland offer luxury next to the wilderness: a view of the rugged fell landscape and the northern sky. The igloo hotel is located on the slope the distance from the lights of the centre and the unobstructed view of the northern sky from the slope make Levin Iglut not only one of the most unique hotels to stay in the world but also ideal for admiring the Northern Lights in luxury.

The cosy igloos come in all different sizes from suites, prime superior, to superior. And none are short of luxurious, so you’ll definitely have a hard time choosing which igloo is perfect for you. For the best chance of catching the northern light straight from your bed head to this igloo hotel between August and April.

Where: Thailand

Being surrounded by nothing but nature on all sides, falling asleep to the stars sparking above you in the night, without sacrificing any comforts sounds like a dream. Anantara Golden Triangle Resort are offering just that and more, with elephants roaming wild which you can witness from the comfort of your transparent dome.

These unique bubble known as ‘jungle bubble’ are located right in the heart of Thailand’s mountainous province of Chiang Rai, which is popular for its elephants. Each of the elephants at the Anantara Golden Triangle Resort have been rescued from either camps that were run unethically or on the streets of the city and are now very well looked after and living a healthy happy life. Read more here.

Where: Costa Rica

Hotel Costa Verde has one of the most unique hotel room under its belt. A refurbished vintage 1965 Boeing 727 airframe, which, in its prior life, shuttled globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines (Colombia). This fully outfitted, meticulously detailed, two bedroom, Boeing 727 fuselage suite jets out from the jungle canopy, affording you views that will make you feel like you’re flying.

 Nestled on the edge of the National Park in our Costa Verde II area, this unusual hotel is  perched on a 50-foot pedestal. At this height, you will enjoy scenic ocean and jungle views from the hard wood deck built atop the plane’s former right wing.

 

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Where: France

Village Flottant de Pressac offers a very unusual hotel experience on water that you just won’t forget. Around 30 eco friendly wooden cabins and lodges float on water in a natural and preserved aquatic site. The African hut-style lodges and Safari tents come in various shapes and sizes, moored in the middle of a pond, or on stilts.

The views on offer are simply magical. All the floating cabins come with a terrace weather you want to fish from the terrace, catch the sunset, have breakfast or simply explore the wildlife. The cabins in the floating village are heated and will keep you comfy on the cold nights on the water. There is also an outdoor swimming pool and A real dining room on the water, you will be able to enjoy your meal around a wood fire.

 

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Where: Bolivia

Where: Bolivia

Palacio de Sal is the world’s first salt hotel on the shores of majestic Salar de Uyuni (Bolivian Salt Flats). In the middle of the world’s largest salt flat in Bolivia lies one of the most unique hotels. Palacio de Sal, which is also known as the salt palace as this one of a kind hotel gets made out of pure salt and water. Built from more than one million compact blocks from the salt flats and held together with a paste made from ground salt and water.Every year, after the rainy season, the hotel loses about 10% of its original structure and a reconstruction process begins. Not only is Palacio de Sal arguable the most unique hotels, this unique experience is also done with luxury. With so many activities at your doorstep at this hotel, it is a must for your bucket list.

Where: Mossel Bay, South Africa

There is no more unusual hotel than to sleep on the train situated next to a beach. Known by the locals as the “The Train” is situated next to Santos Beach, Mossel Bay on the Garden Route. A genuine train located just 30 metres from the Indian ocean with with all cabins facing the sea, you are guaranteed to be treated to to some magnificent views from your bed. 

With the ocean so close, you can’t really beat it’s unbelievable position and exquisite views. An invigorating sea breeze keeps everything cool even on really hot days. Opened in 1994, it maintains a colonial feel and the authentic woodwork to preserve the transport heritage the country.

Where: Rajasthan, India

Floating the in the middle of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, Rajasthan is India’s iconic Taj Lake Palace hotel. This Lake palace stands in all its glory covered in white marble and surrounded by crystal clear waters. Not only was the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy filmed here, Taj Lake Palace hotel is always been frequented by celebrities and royal family from all over the world.

Coined as one of the most romantic hotel in the world, offering picturesque 360-degree views of the lake and surrounding Udaipur city. The hotel is only accessible via a short boat ride, you will be whisked to the hotel from the banks of Lake Pichola to Palace’s grand lobby. Upon arrival expect a Maharaja (Royalty) welcome with a shower of flower petals, refreshments and on a sunny day you will be escorted under a sequinned, embroidered umbrella. Read more here.

Where: Amazon Forest, Peru

Treehouse Lodge, located in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru offers once in a lifetime experience. Featuring 12 treehouses between 35 – 75 feet above the jungle floor, this  is one of the most unique hotels in the world. This unique treehouse is located at the confluence of the serene and protected Yarapa and Cumaceba rivers near the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. From this treehouse you can see the rainforest from an entirely new perspective that most visitors never experience… the tree top canopy.

As you fully submerge yourself in the gorgeous amazon rainforest hotel, you’ll notice that the comforts of home haven’t been cut short. With a spacious room, beautiful en-suite, the best views, and soft white linens in the middle of the rainforest. Just listening to the sound of nature, nothing screams peace and quiet like the Treehouse Lodge Resort.

Where: South Africa

Kruger Shalati in South Africa’s iconic Kruger safari park offers one of the most unique hotel experiences. This one of a kind luxury hotel is formed of train carriages, a re-envisioned steam train which is perched high above on the Selati Bridge, also known as the crocodile bridge in Kruger National Park which is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Kruger Shalati hotel offers the perfect mix of Africa’s wild nature and luxury within a unique setting.

Offering 31 luxury rooms in total, 24 of which are carriage rooms set on the epic bridge. If heights is not your cup of tea then Kruger Shalati offers 7 more land based rooms, Bridge House rooms. The jaw dropping honeymoon suite is located on the land too. With floor to ceiling windows in the rooms unprecedented views of the local wildlife are on offer. Read more here. 

Where: Wadi Rum, Jordan

Located in Wadi Rum with mountain view Memories Aicha Luxury Camp is one of the most unique hotels on offers. Often compared to a living on mars due to its striking  similarity in landscape in fact this one of a kind hotel is very much located on earth in the Jordanian desert.

40 large canvas tents with the backdrop of stunning Arabian desert, this unique hotel gives you the opportunity to wake up in the wild outdoors without compromising on the luxuries. Expect  plush furnishings and decor that reflects the surrounding area, air-conditioning, wifi , library, terrace, restaurant and outdoor barbecue area. Expect the same type of luxury you would expect from a luxury hotel.

Where: Maldives

Arrive in luxury with your very own private seaplane or private speedboat, which you can use for the duration of your stay, before being escorted to this unique hotel by your personal island host. This one of a kind luxury hotel in the world is spread over 2 floors with a master bedroom submerged over 16 feet below sea level in the Indian Ocean, as part of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort.

The upper floor of this world’s most exclusive hotel features 2 bedrooms, ocean facing tub, outdoor deck with infinity pool. Make your way down the spiral staircase or elevator to your private underwater aquarium and one of the most unique hotels in the world. The master bedroom is 180-degree curved acrylic dome with floor-to-ceiling windows in the bathroom and walk-in closet along with a dedicated tunnel viewing theater.

Where: Nairobi, Kenya

Giraffe Manor is a boutique hotel located in Nairobi, Kenya which nestles in 140 acres of forest. The most amazing thing about Giraffe Manor is the herd of resident endangered Rothschild giraffes that roam freely within the forest sanctuary. What makes it even more fascinating is the way the hotel is built, it allows giraffes to poke their the necks inside the window and engage with the dinners in a hope for a treat. Now you can actually put having breakfast with giraffes on your bucket list. Read more here.

Where: Lapland, Finland

Enjoy Lapland’s nature and culture at this unique glass igloo hotel. Admire the northern lights and twinkling of the bright starry sky at the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Indulge yourself with a wide variety of luxurious igloos to choose from, log igloos to glass. 

One of our favourite is the newly built Kelo-Glass igloos. Made from Lapland’s unique Kelo pinewood, this luxurious igloo offers the perfect balance of a comfy warm cabin and magnificent views from the attached glass igloo. Something even more unique awaits for the kids, at the end of a beautiful narrow bridge across a narrow river – Santa’s Home. To catch the northern lights visits between August to the end of April. Fill up your days with an endless amount of fun with sledging, skiing and many more activities. 

Where: Amsterdam

The Yays Crane Apartment is a fun place to spend the night and is one unique hotel and most unusual to date. Built in 1957, these crane’s watched the island evolve from an industrial area to a creative hub and even took a similar transformation and turned into a 3 story luxury apartment with spectacular views over the river. Perfect for when watching the sunset or rise. It also has a luxurious bathroom and an open kitchen.  

Explore the KNSM Island on your Yays bicycle. Cross the bridge into town to discover everything it has to offer. In The Yays – Crane Apartment, you’re not just staying in one of the most unique accommodations in the city – you’re staying in a piece of Amsterdam history.

Where: Peru

Located in the Sacred Valley of Cusco is the hanging capsule hotel exclusive from SkyLodge Adventure Suites.  These luxury capsules are located 1200 feet high up, popularly known as the hanging capsule hotel. Offering one of the most unique hotel experiences in the world by giving you the opportunity to sleep in a completely transparent bedroom which is hanging off the Peruvian Valley.

There are three exclusive capsule suites which hang vertically from the top of the mountain with a 300-degree view. These capsules are handcrafted out of aerospace aluminium and weather resistant polycarbonate with a total capacity of 8 people. Each suite has four beds, a dining area and a private bathroom. The capsules offer 6 large windows with a very impressive panoramic view of the valley and beyond. During the night thousands of twinkling stars appear above making the experience even more magical. Read more here.

Where: Miami, USA

Famously known as the Versace mansion, when back in 1992 the villa got bought by the famous Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace. Today, the villa operates as a luxury hotel on Miami Beach.  Featuring 4 types of extravagant suites, from one bedroom suites, exceptional suites, superior suites and lastly, Gianni’s Master Suite. As you would expect these rooms get filled with luxurious décor, custom Italian marble, masterpiece painting walls and beautiful furniture. Be sure not to miss the famous thousand mosaic Versace pool.

Where: Joshua Tree, California, USA

If you love wild western movies with cowboys and guns, the Pioneertown Motel is going to be right up your street. This unusual hotel located located near Joshua Tree, California gives you the taste of being in your favourite western movies. Built originally as a waypost for movie stars of old Westerns, Pioneertown Motel has stood since 1946 as a place for wearied travelers and sun-drunk revelers to seek solace and inspiration. Today, it features 19 different guests rooms offering a unique hotel experience. 

Pioneertown is and always has been a gateway to the great California desert. Experience the authentic wild west life at the Pioneertown Motel, catch a meteor shower, happen upon a sold out show, dance under the stars or simply pass time around a fire.

Where: Norway

Juvet hotel is located in a remote part of a remote village in a remote region of Norway. If you are looking to escape the day to day life Juvet is a unique hotel that offers just that. Located somewhere between the famous Norwegian scenic route between the UNESCO world heritage fjord Geiranger and the dramatic road and viewing point Trollstigen.

Surrounded by complete nature, Juvet hotel features 3 different types of rooms. Landscape room, Bird houses and Writers Lodge. All are unique in the own way, although one thing that they do have in common is the gorgeous panoramic windows and all the rooms have a dark interior to avoid stealing focus from the scenery.

Where: Kuala Lumpur 

The Sekeping Serendah forest retreat is a beautiful, secluded retreat, located in the tropical rainforest North of Kuala Lumpur. This unique hotel ( private retreat ) attempts to tread lightly on the land. The very transparent and open sheds celebrate the beauty of the natural environment surrounding them. The 10 sheds are intentionally kept basic and free from lavishness, set within a 5 acres tropical rainforest. They float gently over the forest floor beside a bubbling brook. The sheds are seen more as ‘glorified tents’ to provide basic shelter for its inhabitants as they commune with the land.

The rooms contain a queen-sized bed, mosquito nettings, a lavishing kitchen and bathroom and even comes with a shared BBQ facility and free Wi-Fi to the common area. The retreat also has two swimming pools, so take an afternoon dip and do some jungle tracking if you feel adventurous.

Where: Elciego, Spain

One of the most eye catching hotels in Spain, Hotel Marques de Riscal is stunning 2Ist century chateau was designed by internationally renowned architect Frank Gehry and is a true masterpiece. This Located in “The City of Wine,” this luxurious unique hotel offers one of a kind experience. Featuring each of the unique 61 guestrooms and suites promises to enchant with exceptional designer touches and enviable views of the countryside, medieval town of Elciego or the striking architecture.

This unusual hotel also boasts a Michelin starred restaurants enjoy local cuisine and fine wines at 1860 Tradición or Marqués de Riscal Restaurant or soak up the benefits of the grape at the Vinothérapie spa Caudalie Marqués de Riscal.

Where: Czech Republic

Architect Karel Hubáček decided to place a 94-meter-tall television transmitter, restaurant and hotel in one tower on top of Ještěd mountain. Located in Czech Republic, 1,012 meters above sea level the summit and arguably one of the most unique hotels in the world can be reached by a cableway.

The accommodation on Mount Ještěd is an unforgettable experience, given the location and tilted windows in each of the rooms you are treated to the best view of the snowy mountain. With six types of accommodations such as retro, apartment, family studios and more, you won’t have any reason not to stay here. The restaurant has panoramic windows that make you feel like you are eating outside.

Where: Canary Islands, Spain

Sitting on a tongue of lava rock surrounded by the Ocean is El Hierro’s Hotel Punta Grande. Sitting on the coast of the Canary Islands, on the unspoilt island of El Hierro and quite literally between a rock, Hotel Punta Grande offers a unique hotel experience like no where in the world. In fact, in 1984 the hotel entered the World’s Guinness Records as the World’s smallest hotel at just 600 square meter. Read more here.

Where: Netherlands

Are you looking for the most unusual hotels in the Netherlands? Dromen Aan Zee will definitely rattle your brain. This intriguing hotel provides 3 very different accommodations for you and your spouse to share.

You could elevate yourself off the ground by staying in a harbour crane. How about sleeping in a lifeboat or have the unique experience of having a lighthouse as your accommodation. These accommodation sites have to be part of the most unusual hotels in the world. With vibrant pops of colour and filled with retro-styled furniture and fixings Dromen Aan Zee offer a very unique hotel experience.

Where: Sweden  

The Icehotel, located in Sweden is one of the most unique hotels in the world. This one of a kind experience started back in 1989 and is still going strong. Known for being the world’s first and largest hotel made of ice and snow it recarnates every year during the months of December – April and with a brand new art to experience every year. When Torne River turns to ice, a new Icehotel is created in the small village of Jukkasjärvi in the north of Sweden. The tickets for the Icehotel and art exhibition are available on site and allows guests to stay overnight. You can sleep on in the ice hotel or in a traditional warm hotel room or chalet.

Where: Bali 

Sharma Springs isn’t just a unique hotel, it is a unique bamboo house and a work of art. Set on a river valley landscape along Bali’s sacred Ayung River this unique stay in Bali spread over 6 storey bamboo house. Featuring 4 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a spacious living room, a private plunge pool, and a guest house. Enter the main house isn’t just a standard entrance, enter this unique hotel from the 4th floor through a stunning 15 meter tubular bamboo entrance.

Both the river valley view & interior are remarkable, providing such a marvelous feast to the eyes that you find it extraordinary to live so in touch with nature but in complete luxury.

 

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Where: Switzerland

Built on stilts, Hôtel Palafitte is not only one of the most unique hotels but it is also built in a unique location: quite literally on Lake Neuchâtel, the largest lake in Switzerland.

Hôtel Palafitte was built back in 2002 as part of the Swiss national exhibition. Like the lake which inspired it, Hôtel Palafitte follows the rhythm of nature, season after season. Open and bright in summer, the hotel exudes an increasingly warm atmosphere once the temperatures drop.  There are two options of rooms to choose from, the Lake Room and the shore room. Whilst one faces the lake, the other faces the shore. Each room comes with a jacuzzi, bathtub and shower, and a balcony. 

Where: Japan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is a traditional Japanese Inn (ryokan) in Japan. Founded in 705 AD by Fujiwara Mahito, in fact, 2011, it was recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest hot spring hotel in the world. It has been owned by the same family for over 52 generation. Despite the unique hotels rich history, the building itself had recently been renovated over time to reflect morder needs without sacrificing its ancient characteristics and charm.

Set in a valley surrounded by nature, it boasts free flowing hot spring with 2 indoor and 2 outdoor hot springs. The therapeutic water isn’t just limited to spa area but accessible throughout all rooms including the showers. What’s more impressive is that the hot spring has flowed freely without interruption since the hotel began operation.  Located in the Yamanashi Prefecture, this unique hotel happens to be in the same region as famous Mt. Fuji.

Where: Utah, USA

Amangiri oftens features on the list of not just the best luxury hotel but also one of the most unique hotels in the world thanks to its location. A remote luxury hideaway in Canyon Point, Utah. This unusual hotel blends into untouched red-rock country, claiming 600 acres of the vast and majestic Colorado Plateau, the original Wild West. In this desert landscape of canyons, mesas, ridges and gorges, the modernist Suites of Amangiri and the tented Pavilions of Camp Sarika offer an inspiring welcome to one of the world’s most dramatic secluded settings. Perfect for adrenaline-fuelled adventure and peaceful desert retreats.

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