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The top 5 strangest hotels in the world
We’ve scoured the Web to bring you some of the most unusual hotels out there. They not all that luxurious but curious nonetheless and so I think worthy of a mention on any travel blog due to their quirky nature.
Free Spirit Spheres, Canada
Seemingly floating among the treetops, you could be forgiven for thinking these spheres are UFOs if observing them from a distance. They sway in the breeze and with people’s weight and typically accommodate two people at a time.
The Capsule Hotel, The Netherlands
Moored (yes, I said ‘moored’!) in the Hague, these orange capsules are in fact old 1970s survival pods rescued from an oil rig. They’re tight for space but can accommodate up to three, and there’s still space left over for an emergency chemical toilet.
Sala Silvermine, Sweden
This single suite can be found 120km from Stockholm and 155 metres underground in a mine that produced more than 3 tons of silver a year at the height of its production. You can take a tour of the mine but, come nightfall, you’ll be the only occupant. Thankfully there’s intercom access with the outside world should you need it.
Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA
I’m not sure what the thinking is behind this bed and breakfast hotel, but who’s to say you can’t put two rooms in a giant, wooden beagle structure and then charge people to stay?
Das Park Hotel, Austria
If someone told you they were going to use segments of sewage pipes to make a hotel, you’d think they were nuts. Due to their construction, though, they serve as quite cool rooms in the summer and, weighing in at almost 10 tonnes each, they are extremely robust.
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.
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I sure the Beagle Suite will be a hit with kids. I mean, its a GIANT BEAGLE!
Loved reading this post. Of course I had heard of Sala Silvermine, from my days as a Mining Engineer, but didn’t realise you can stay underground. I really must give that a go. The floating capsule hotels look fun also and the Hague is not too far from here. A weekend trip perhaps?
I don’t know how you selected the “Top” 5 but another contender would be the Null Stern Hotel in Switzerland which is also a nuclear bunker. The luxury element is the hot water bottle they give you to keep warm in bed!
Hi John
Yes, it was hard to select a ‘top 5’ and who’s to say what’s top and what’s not. It’s just a catchy title if nothing else that seems to encourage re-tweets and the like (hey, at least I’m honest!).
In addition to your suggestion, another contender would be the crane hotel at Harlingen (see https://www.vuurtoren-harlingen.nl ), also in the Netherlands. No doubt an uplifting experience (*groan*).
It seems the Dutch are quite unique when it comes to hotels!
Paul
Paul,
Thank you for that link. The crane doesn’t appeal to me, but a night in a lighthouse! How could anyone resist?
If a lighthouse appeals, John, you might also like to take a look at this post I did for the UKseries blog:
https://www.ukseries.com/blog/2010/09/9-of-the-best-lighthouse-stays-in-the-uk/
The idea quite appeals to me, too, although I’m not sure about the one where earplugs are provided because of the automated foghorn!
Paul
Hi,
That is a comprehensive list of websites.
Im really amazed by the the Free Spirit Spheres of Vancouver Island.What a unique concept!
John Peter
You’d have to be ‘barking’ to stay at the Dog Bark Park Inn :-)
cool list – would love to hear about some of the others you didn’t put in the top 5 – not sure i’d like to be in the silvermine alone although the spheres intrigues me.
So I don’t think the mine would be the perfect hotel for claustrophobics :p I LOVE the dog hotel, we should have more giant animal structures :p
Free Spirit Spheres sounds wonderful for meditation. I have always wanted to visit somewhere as unique as this. What a fantastic concept!
Have you seen this hotel? Maybe not strange but definitely unusual! https://www.tvark.se/treehotel/
We are planning to stay in a converted jail cell and I thought that was a strange place to stay. None of these rock my boat unfortuantly
Wow free spirit spheres in Canada looks amazing! Would love to stay there swinging in the trees. Would love to see more of these funky places to stay.