20 Bizarre Hotels

Are you tired of staying at the same popular hotel and motel chains and resorts everywhere you go? Would you like to experience accommodations that are just as much of an adventure as your trip itself? If so, you’ll be happy to know that there are hotels around the world that are anything but ordinary! Some of the places you can stay during your travels are so eccentric they may end up being an attraction in themselves. While there are many crazy, eye-brow raising, and out-of-this-world lodgings you can discover on your own, we’ve compiled a list of 20 bizarre hotels that may inspire you to add a little extra spice to your next holiday – or at the very least – will certainly amuse you. Enjoy!

1. Ice Hotel

JUKKASJÄRVI, SWEEDEN http://www.icehotel.com/uk/icehotel/

If cold weather is what you like, then you’ll love bundling up and enjoying a stay at the ICeHOTEL in Sweden. Made up of over 6,000 square feet of ice and snow, it's the largest - and the original - ice hotel in the world. Guests sleep in a specially made thermal sleeping bag on a unique bed built of snow and ice on reindeer skins. In the morning, a cup of hot lingonberry juice is brought to your bedside, after which you can enjoy the warm comfort and relaxation of an early morning sauna. With an average temperature range that varies between 24 and 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 and -9 degrees Celsius), bring lots of layers to stay toasty during your frigidly exciting experience!

2. Green Magic Nature Resort, Kerala

KERELA, INDIA http://www.jungleparkresorts.com/htm/greenmagic.htm

If you longed for a tree house getaway as a child, the Green Magic Nature Resort in Kerela, India may be your long awaited dream come true. The tree houses are nestled in a tropical rainforest and built in trees 90 feet high. They come complete with amenities, such as running water, private baths, and telephones. For the extra adventurous guests, there is even access to a hanging bridge. All of the houses are made of Eco- friendly materials, and run by alternate energy sources, avoiding conventional electricity power. This, coupled with the beautiful abundance of flora and fauna, makes for beautiful and unique accommodations in a magical setting you’ll likely never forget.

3. Kunsthotel

BERLIN, GERMANY

If the term “theme hotel” brings to your mind images of champagne-shaped hot tubs and vibrating beds, one visit to the Kunsthotel in Berlin will surely alter your perspective. Each room in this gallery-like hotel is whimsically designed by a renowned artist to fit a different theme, era, or location. Rooms dedicated to Edward Hopper, Audrey Hepburn and Vincent Van Gogh are among your choices. Other rooms have broader themes, like the color yellow, specific literary works, and even shoe fetishes. With more than fifty rooms and an art gallery, the Kunsthotel, is a feast for the eyes and a treat to all travelers interested in the arts.

4. Daspark hotel

LINTZ, AUSTRIA http://www.dasparkhotel.net/index.php?lang=EN

In the middle of a public park in Lintz, Austria reside three repurposed, and extremely robust drainpipes that provide suitable lodgings for interested travelers. The drainpipes have been converted into mini guest rooms that consist of a double bed, a bedside table and a lamp. Dasparkhotel’s “pay as you wish” system attracts many budget conscious travelers who are looking to travel on the cheap, allowing them to leave whatever amount in Euros that they can afford. While your stay in the drainpipe will be far from lavish, it will surely make for a ridiculous travel story.

5. Imperial Boat House Beach Resort Ko Samui

CHEONG MON BEACH, THAILAND http://www.imperialhotels.com/imperialboathouse/

The Imperial Boat House Beach Resort Ko Samui, located on a Cheong Mon Beach in Thailand, is comprised of 34 authentic teakwood rice barges that have been converted into luxury beachfront suites. The transformed barges reside in the resorts beautiful gardens to give travelers the feeling that they've just docked their own private yacht onto their very own island. Each two-story suite features a sunbathing deck, living room, dining area, sky-lit bathroom and luxurious bedroom. In keeping with the vessel theme, the hotel's pool is shaped like a boat.

6. Poseidon Undersea Resorts

FIJI

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live under the ocean? Poseidon Undersea Resorts will be able to provide you with this amazing experience without compromising safety or luxury. Nestled 40 feet below the surface of the clear blue Fijian Lagoon, the underwater Frisbee-shaped pod suites will be accessible by elevator and contain an impressive number of features for guests to enjoy, including a restaurant, bar, library, spa, wedding chapel and conference room to name a few. 70 percent of each suite is enveloped in 4-inch thick acrylic walls that ensure safety and allow for spectacular views of the ocean. Guests are invited to interact with the beautiful, lavish underwater surroundings, and can feed fish with a push of a button, or flip a switch to turn on the sparkling underwater lights.

7. The Capsule Inn

TOKYO, JAPAN

If room size and space isn’t at the top of your “must-have” travel accommodations list, and claustrophobia isn’t a problem for you, you may appreciate the compact lodgings at The Capsule Inn. While the Inn provides a public lounge space that includes bathrooms, guests stay in a capsule unit. These capsules, which are made of reinforced plastic and have been designed to resemble the cockpit of a jet airplane, are equipped with basic amenities that are well within your reach, such as adjustable lighting, TV, radio, and alarm clock. Although this may not be the ideal accommodation for everyone, for those looking for a unique place to stay, or who will be taking a short holiday or business trip, it’s definitely an experience worth looking into.

8. Utter Inn

VÄSTERÅS, SWEDEN

At the Utter Inn, guests literally sleep underwater. Swedish Sculptor and Artist, Mikael Genberg, designed the Utter Inn that floats atop Lake Mälaran, a Swedish lake located near Stockholm. Guests are taken out in an inflatable boat to a small red house and then left alone to enjoy their own island escape, where they can spend their night 3 meters ( approximately 9.8 feet) under the water, surrounded by panoramic windows in every direction. Far from the ordinary, the Utter Inn is sure to be more of an aquatic adventure than a hotel stay.

9. Winvian Cottages

LITCHFIELD HILLS, CONNECTICUT

The cottages at Winvian, in Litchfield Hills, CT, offer an unusual, yet quiet resort-style getaway. Designed by fifteen different architects, each cottage has a unique theme and comes outfitted with luxurious amenities, such as spa inspired bathrooms. A notable cottage is The Helicopter cottage, which is a 17,000 pound, restored 1968 Sikorsky Sea King HH37, and resembles a hanger. It features operating lights and controls that simulates flying over the New England countryside. Among the other cottage themes are a Treehouse, a Greenhouse, a Beaver Lodge that has an actual dam above the bed, and the Secret Society cabin. Despite the upscale services and the posh rates, Winvian is basically one big countryside playhouse.

10. McMenemins Kennedy School Hotel

PORTLAND, OREGON http://www.mcmenamins.com/KennedySchool

The Kennedy School, a historic elementary school, has been converted into a delightful little place where travelers can stay while visiting the Portland area. Each room, fashioned from original schoolrooms, contains a chalkboard, and features a phone, Internet connection, and even a private bath. Couple those amenities with an in-house restaurant, movie theatre, and brewery, and you've got a truly unique hotel without sacrificing any conveniences during your stay.

11. Burj Al- Arab

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Looking for another sea-themed hotel and have plenty of money burning a hole in your pocket? Just hop aboard a flight to Dubai and visit the Burj Al- Arab. This all-suite luxury hotel resembles a billowing white sail, stands over 1,000 feet tall on a manmade island, and was once marketed as the world's only 7-star hotel. Having its own island, restaurants that allow you to dine under the sea or under the stars, reception desks on every floor, and rain showers in every suite, it should come as no surprise that the Burj Al-Arab is among the world's most impressive and expensive hotels.

12. Hotel Fox

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Created by Volkswagen in an effort to promote a car, Hotel Fox, is a creative and cool hotel located in the center of Copenhagen, Denmark. Twenty-one artists were commissioned to design 61 rooms, which share an over-the-top, kitsch appeal. The service provided by the hotel is as equally special as the uniqueness of the rooms. Guests can enjoy a flat screen TV in their room, and are given Minibar-bags, an empty cooler bag that they fill themselves. Trendy and plush, the Fox Hotel is certainly an accommodation to consider when staying in Denmark.

13. Kate's Lazy Meadow Motel

MT. TREMPER, NEW YORK

Kate Pierson, member of the quirky rock band the B-52's, created an equally quirky cabin getaway in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Kate's Lazy Meadow features mind-blowing mid-century modern/space age/rocket-your-socks-off décor. The grooviest of suites contains two bedrooms and a full service 50's style kitchen, complete with turquoise refrigerator and all. The motel is located on nine beautiful acres and one lazy meadow, so that guests here are surrounded by more than just fun lodgings and decorations.

3. Kunsthotel

BERLIN, GERMANY

If the term “theme hotel” brings to your mind images of champagne-shaped hot tubs and vibrating beds, one visit to the Kunsthotel in Berlin will surely alter your perspective. Each room in this gallery-like hotel is whimsically designed by a renowned artist to fit a different theme, era, or location. Rooms dedicated to Edward Hopper, Audrey Hepburn and Vincent Van Gogh are among your choices. Other rooms have broader themes, like the color yellow, specific literary works, and even shoe fetishes. With more than fifty rooms and an art gallery, the Kunsthotel, is a feast for the eyes and a treat to all travelers interested in the arts.

14. Woodlyn Park Motels

WAITOMO, NEW ZEALAND

Planes, Trains and…Hobbit Motels? Woodlyn Park in Waitomo, New Zealand offers three unique lodging options. A 1950's railcar and a Bristol Fighter plane have been refurbished and transformed into small self-contained motel units, while the Hobbit Motel resembles an authentic hobbit hole built into the side of the mountain. The entertainment provided at any of the three Woodlyn Park motels is equally bizarre. Guests are invited to enjoy a sheep shearing, as well as fun with bush animals, such as the kiwi bear or the dancing pig.

15. Alton Towers Resort

STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND

Alton Towers, England's most famous theme park, features 8 roller coasters, 5 water rides, and several themed hotel suites. Among the available themes are Peter Rabbits Burrow, Arabian Nights, two Chocolate Suites, and one totally cool - perfectly pink - Sleepover Suite. For the ultimate girls’ night “in”, the Sleepover Suite comes equipped with a theatrical dressing area packed with makeup, a state of the art entertainment system, and soundproof walls. Whimsical and fun, Alton Towers is the ultimate destination for families traveling to the U.K.

16. Helga's Folly

KANDY, SRI LANKA

Rather than a simple hotel, Helga's Folly, is a 40-room boutique-hotel in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Run by Helga de Silva Blow Perera, Helga’s Folly was designed by her family in the 1930’s and is a private home. Anyone looking for typical hotel services and experiences won’t find it here. Instead, Buddhist relics, ancient statues, murals, and elaborate shrines, coupled with modern kitsch, make up the overall grandiose decor of Helga's Folly. Guests are invited to explore, enjoy the 1930's jazz tunes that are played throughout their stay, and soak up this wonderful way of life..

17. The Canopy Treehouses

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA http://www.canopytreehouses.com.au/

Luxury and tree hugging usually don't go hand in hand. However, The Canopy Treehouses in Australia manage to combine both elements in their unique accommodations. This beautiful lodging is a secluded wildlife sanctuary, located on more than 100 acres of ancient rainforest on the Cairns Highlands. Guests lodge in the luxury pole houses that overlook the Ithaca River, which offer privacy and seclusion. A stay at The Canopy Treehouses provides a retreat from the stress of daily life with a one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly twist.

18. Propeller Island City Lodge

BERLIN, GERMANY

The Propeller Island City Lodge in Berlin, Germany, much like the Kunsthotel in the same city, is a gallery-like hotel. Its 31 rooms are named, not numbered, according to their design theme. At the lodge, you can choose from a variety of sleeping options, such as a coffin, a castle bed, or resting in a strikingly orange room. Equally unique are the rooms that feature slanted floors, wave-like walls, and caged beds. This eccentric City Lodge is best suited for travelers who prefer adventures of the outlandish variety.

19. Hotel de Nesle

PARIS, FRANCE

The city of Paris still holds some of its Bohemian charm. This charm, along with the works of the writers and painters of old world Paris, are preserved in the Hotel de Nesle. This quaint budget hotel's rooms are adorned with painted frescoes based on historical events and literary themes. Guests can choose to sleep in rooms designed in homage to the writer Moliere, the Notre Dame de Paris room, or in the romantic Heloise room. Luxury lovers beware, the Hotel de Nesle is void of elevators and phones, so you can forget about room service. Travelers who have few needs and a love for the arts would better appreciate this hotel and all of its delights than the traveler looking for a typical hotel experience and luxurious services.

20. Kasbah du Toubkal

JBEL TOUBKAL, MOROCCO http://www.kasbahdutoubkal.com/home.html

The Kasbah du Toubkal is an extraordinary experience for any traveler who loves the idea of enjoying a mountain retreat. An escape from the ordinary and nothing like your average hotel, the Kasbah du Toubkal is the result of a unique Berber and European partnership, and is a haven situated atop a mountain in the Toubkal National Park. Although this lodging is unlike a traditional hotel, it features wonderful rooms in a breathtaking setting, with different accommodations and event possibilities to suit the diverse requirements of guests.