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The Most Unique and Unusual Hotels: Stay Somewhere Totally Quirky On Your Next Holiday

Forget about humdrum hotels, if you’re looking for somewhere a little more exciting to lay your head, check out these weird and wonderful venues

If you're used to staying in chain hotels or resorts that come with all the trimmings, you might be getting a little bored of your home away from home.

So for your next holiday, why not try somehwere truly out of the ordinary?

1) Kakslauttanen Hotel and Igloo Village, Saariselkä, Finland

Kakslauttanen Hotel and Igloo Village, Finland
Kakslauttanen Hotel and Igloo Village, Finland


What better way to experience the Aurora Borealis than from your very own igloo? This magical Arctic resort boasts 40 spherical snow and glass constructions and a number of cosy log cabins complete with fireplace and sauna. From £50 per night.

2) Costa Verde 727 Fuselage Home, Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

Costa Verde 727 Fuselage Home
Costa Verde 727 Fuselage Home


Remember that scene from Romancing the Stone where Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner spend the night in the Colombian jungle amid the wreckage of an airplane? Follow suit with your own mini adventure in this converted Boeing 727. Perched on a 50ft pedestal, it has two air-conditioned bedrooms with flatscreen TVs, a kitchenette and a dining area. From £61 per night.

3) Huttenpalast, Berlin

Huttenpalast, Berlin (Flickr)
Huttenpalast, Berlin (Flickr)


Vintage caravans, wooden huts and picnic tables in this old vacuum cleaner factory offer the charm of The Great Outdoors without the unpredictable weather. A breakfast of croissants and apples served on the branches of a painted tree is a particularly charming touch. From £43 per night.

4) Neemrana Fort Palace, Alwar, India

Neemrana Fort Palace, Alwar
Neemrana Fort Palace, Alwar


Rising to an impressive 12 levels, this former 15th-century fort-palace, set amid 10 hectares of the Aravalli Hills, was restored to glory in 1986. Explore the hanging gardens, enjoy a dip in one of two pools, unwind in the Ayurvedic spa or whizz across the resort on India’s first zip line. Doubles from £54 a night, including breakfast.

5) Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

Treehotel, Harads, Sweden
Treehotel, Harads, Sweden


The Mirrorcube is one of several unusual tree rooms dotted around the forest near Harads. Visitors leave their luggage at a central guesthouse, then take an overnight bag to their room. The 4x4x4m cube has underfloor heating, artisan tea and coffee making facilities and, should you tire of being at one with nature, there’s a communal sauna and relaxation room. From £200 per night.

6) Palacio de Sal, Uyuni, Potosi, Boliva

Palacio de Sal Uyuni, Bolivia
Palacio de Sal Uyuni, Bolivia


Taking a literal approach to the phrase “Good enough to eat”, the owners of this unique 48,000sq ft hotel have constructed the walls, ceiling and floors from the surrounding Salar de Uyuni salt flat. From £85 a night.

7) Sala Silver Mine, Sweden

Sala Silver Mine
Sala Silver Mine


East 17 threatened to go “Deep deep down” but sub 155m might prove too much even for the former bad boys of pop. Included in a stay in the world’s deepest hotel room is a basket of gourmet goodies and a tour of the Sala Silver mine. Afterwards, you’re left to your own devices until your guide returns to take you to ground level the next morning. From £47 per person per night

8) Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, Idaho

Dog Bark Park Inn (Flickr)
Dog Bark Park Inn (Flickr)


What more could a dog lover ask for than a night inside a giant beagle? Taking advantage of the huge success of their wooden canine sculptures, husband and wife artists Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin decided to open a two-bedroomed B&B inside a 30ft-high sculpture, affectionately known as “Sweet Willy”. From £57 per night.

9) The Balancing Barn, Suffolk

The Balancing Barn (REX)
The Balancing Barn (REX)


This 100ft-long holiday home, quite literally perched on the edge of a nature reserve, looks precariously positioned. In fact, the half of the building that juts out is made of lighter materials, making it safe as houses (sorry). There’s even a swing hanging from the protruding end. From £855 for four nights.

[A windowless plane: Is this the future of flying?]
[Poland: Cheesecake, Beer and Beautiful Beaches]