Prison Hotel Latvia Karostas
Ever wanted to spend a night in prison? Who hasn’t… Free food, accommodation, loads of time to read and exercise… I mean why not. Karostas Hotel in Latvia offers this very experience only you don’t have to commit any crimes – you do have to pay for it though. The hotel is a former military prison located right smack down in the city centre of Liepaja. You get a bench, a loo, cold water, iron bars – everything you need to create the right prison environment and all for less than 10 quid! Bargaaaaain!
Palacia de Sal Bolivia
Like a bit of salt on your food? How about on your bed, carpet, walls, ceilings, chairs and tables? Palacia de Sal – or the Palace of Salt – is a hotel built entirely of salt blocks. It’s located about 25 km away from the Bolivian town of Uyini and is quite the luxurious treat – each room is equipped with its own private bath, sun bed and central heating… There is also a dry sauna, steam room and of course a salt water swimming pool. Visit the restaurant for some salty lamb and sizzling chicken salt dishes. Room rates start at $100 a night.
http://www.palaciodesal.com.bo
Poseidon Undersea Resort Fiji
If you get a little claustrophobic and don’t like the idea of being 40 feet underwater in a submarine like structure then maybe the Poseidon Undersea Resort is not the right thing for you. But if you like luxury, marine life, undersea panoramic views and consider yourself a bit of a water baby then definitely give this 5-star remarkable piece of engineering a little visit. You have to be a little rich though. Rates start at $15,000 per person per week. Ouch. To be fair though, you will experience the world’s first five-star sea floor restaurant, get pampered with undersea spa treatments and can even learn to pilot a 3-passenger submersible. You can even get married in this bad boy! A private jet will fly you out from Auckland, Sydney, Vancouver and Los Angeles… Top notch holiday.
http://www.poseidonresorts.com/
Das Park Hotel Austria
Located by the beautiful Danube river, this hotel is constructed entirely of repurposed, robust, concrete drain pipes. Sounds comfy doesn’t it. Even though it looks like the most Brutalist sewer-like structure in the world, this hotel is unexpectedly delightful – and don’t worry it won’t roll over. There is just enough room for your head, a double bed, storage space, electricity, woolly blankets, cotton sleeping bags to suit your needs. The best part is the ‘pay-as-you-wish’ system which lets customers decide on how much they would like to spend. This is minimal-hospitality at its best.
http://www.dasparkhotel.net/?lang=EN
Capsule Inn Osaka
Image credit: Joshua Davenport / Shutterstock.com
The Japanese are known for their crazy inventions like water collecting umbrellas, glue stick type butter tubes, vending machines, the WASHLET (… you know, the toilets that do all the work for you so you don’t have to ever use toilet paper again …) and of course, the Capsule Motels that cram their guests inside lockers, or coffin/morgue like structures, depends on how you like to see it. The Capsule Inn in Osaka is the first capsule hotel opened in 1979. The idea was to provide cheap and basic overnight accommodation for guests who are in (usually urgent) need of somewhere A-OK to stay. The sizes of these capsules are roughly 2 metres by 2 and provide just enough room for luggage, a TV and a bed. Wi-fi included! Prices range between £30 – £50, depending on whether you would like a massage, sauna time, breakfast or dinner.
http://capsulehotel-inn-osaka.com/
Dog Bark Park Inn
They say a dog’s a man’s best friend, but can a dog be man’s best abode?! It sure can. The fellows over at the Dog Bark Inn in Idaho (Who da ho’?) have built two of the world’s largest beagles, Toby and Sweet Willy, where guests can sleep in the cosy alcoves that are their muzzles. There’s also a gift shop, an artists’ studio and plenty of canine carvings to marvel at. Nearby there are canyons, monasteries, scenic walks, mountain biking routes, fish hatcheries, summer rodeos and white water rafting tours. There’s even a drive-in movie theatre. This unusual ‘bark park’ is located in true red-blooded American territory. Rates per night are $98 + $10 for every extra person including breakfast.
Tree Hotel Sweden
Everyone loves tree houses and it’s probably safe to say that everyone loves a bit of luxury. The Tree Hotel in north Sweden offers cutting edge accommodation in the most unspoilt and uninhabited part of the world that is Harads. Each ‘tree room’ is designed for relaxation and gives visitors the opportunity to experience nature at their own time and pleasure. It ain’t no party tree house – we’re talking pure relaxation tree house. A buffet breakfast is included in the room price, and breakfast, lunch and dinner can be served up to your tree room at any time you like. Nifty. And bloody expensive! A night can cost you up to £460 – be sure to book in advance!
Jumbo Hotel Sweden
As if the Swedish didn’t have enough weird shit to sleep in. Here’s the Jumbo Hotel in Stockholm where you can sleep in a retired 747 jumbo jet hostel. You can chose between a few ensuite rooms, budget dorms or even stay a night in the cockpit suite and sleep like a pilot! Free breakfast, flat screen TV, bathroom and shower included. No seatbelts required!
Iglu-Dorf Engelberg Switzerland
Sleep in a freezing cold igloo in the freezing cold mountains? Who the hell wants to do that! Well loads people apparently. The Igloo village has been so successful it has spread all over the shop. Located 1800 metres above sea level, this igloo village is supposed to make you feel like the first human being in the mountains, or just plain fucking cold if you ask me. You can get a 6-bed igloo, a Romantic family igloo, a ROMANTIC igloo and a hot igloo. Hot igloo thank you very much! Since snow is largely made up of air, you won’t have trouble breathing and safety measures make sure the thing doesn’t collapse on you. The good news is there is no running water or showers so it’s only really possible to stay there for one night. Also, there are toilets, saunas and Jacuzzis. There is also an eat-all-can cheese fondue for dinner. Now that’s great! Apart from eating and sleeping you can also learn how to sculpt ice, build igloos, get married, get baptised and check out the whirlpools. Prices range from £105 to £240.
Capsule Hotel, The Netherlands
The Dutch have always been a little bit strange; they’re obsessed with bicycles, loathe their German neighbours, legalise pot yet don’t smoke it, love orange and go ape shit about hair gel. They also have the Capsule Hotel which is super weird because why would anyone ever want to sleep in an oil rig survival pod!!! They are about 4.25 metres in diameter, in other words tiny, though not as tiny as the capsules in Japan, come in orange and of course are just about the most uncomfortable things to sleep in. But ever since The Spy Who Loved Me James Bond film came out, people are all over it. Rates range between $50-$150.
