Frying Pan Tower

The world's most dangerous hotel! With such a bold title, you would expect to be fed to the hungry sharks upon check-out if your credit card payment declines. But while Frying Pan Hotel stands on long steel legs where sharks love to hang out, the real danger comes from above.

The tower was designed to resemble an oil rig, but it was being used as a lighthouse that housed coastal guards. Its purpose was to protect ships from running aground on the shoals, which were responsible for numerous shipwrecks and had earned the nickname "Graveyard of the Atlantic."

The tower's new owner turned it into a bed and breakfast retreat in the past couple of years. Today, it has 5,000 square feet (465 square meters) of liveable space that includes seven bedrooms, a kitchen, an office, a storage area, a recreation area, and bathrooms.

So what about the dangers? The Frying Pan Tower is often hit by major tropical storms. In 2010, it survived Hurricane Irene with measured winds of 67 mph (108 km/h) and waves the size of a three-story building. So, you could say that this B&B can blow your mind!

Le Grand Mazarin

Le Grand Mazarin is so fresh that the paint on its walls has barely dried. Located in the historic district of Marais in Paris, this five-star hotel is 100% Parisian with its effortlessly elegant interior.

The chief interior designer, Martin Brudnizki, worked alongside skilled French artisans to develop an exceptional space that transports you back in time to the era of La Belle Époque (which translates literally to "the beautiful era"). The chic design of the space is so impressive that it is worth the Accidentally Wes Anderson hashtag.

With 61 rooms and suites, a restaurant, bars, a winter garden, a wellness area, and a fairy-tale-styled indoor swimming pool, Le Grand Mazarin is one of the top luxury hotels in Paris.

The Interlude Hotel at Pentridge

Prison boutique hotel is not a word combination you often see in one sentence. When the medieval castle-like HM Prison Pentridge on the outskirts of Melbourne closed down, many wondered about its faith. Luckily, creative minds decided to transform the former prison, which once housed some of Australia's most infamous criminals, into a luxurious hotel.

The unusual hotel concept incorporates most of the original structure inside and outside, where between 1851 and 1997, gangsters, serial killers, drug dealers, rapists, and various other sinners were spending time behind bars, trying to escape (on many occasions successfully) or be executed.

So, you wouldn't say it's the ideal setting for a luxurious getaway. But weirdly, with all the fancy furniture and high-class design, the thought of the former hostile environment filled with sweat and aggression is far detached.

Hoshinoya Tokyo

Founded in 1904, Hoshino Resorts is a luxury hotel chain in Japan, with Hoshinoya as its flagship brand. With the utmost respect for its founding fathers and Japanese hotel-building traditions, Hoshinoya has set the highest bar for contemporary ryokans.

Hoshinoya Tokyo is built on three pillars: traditional ryokan customs, minimalism, and sophisticated luxury in a typical Japanese way. Simply put, the interiors are heavily inspired by ryokan and onsen (traditional Japanese spa) looks, with unpretentious yet high-class design.

Most hotels would only use phrases like "Hoshinoya Tokyo stimulates all your senses", but in this rare case, it's true. Fresh bamboo smell, pleasantly soothing feeling in your feet while you walk on specially designed tatamis, creative light visuals as the light enters your room, and calming silence, which we all crave at this class of hotels.

Then, there is a futuristic version of traditional onsen spa with a vertical tunnel reaching the sky and a calming silence one only expects on a spaceship traveling to faraway galaxies.

Villa Palladio Jaipur

This palace hotel in Jaipur added a bold twist to its already stunning design, creating one of the world's most daring boutique hotels. For those who love bold visuals, Villa Palladio stands out with its bright red and white facade contrasting the infinite chessboard tiles on its front veranda.

A splash of Wes Anderson complements the Italian influence, creating a visually stunning package. The interior's overwhelmingly red design demonstrates that the exterior was only a foreplay.

Villa Palladio is the star of fashion and travel magazines, and if you don't mind being half an hour's drive from Jaipur, you can stay at one of the most photogenic hotels in the world.

The Chalet

Ever since the first-class Pullman trains were introduced in the UK in 1874, the brand has been synonymous with luxury travel.

Today, you can experience the golden age of travel on board the luxurious Venice Simplon Orient Express as it journeys through classic European cities. But the first-class trip comes with a hefty price tag very few can afford.

The Chalet, on the other hand, has static Pullman trains parked at the former railway platforms of the Choo Choo Terminal Station in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.

Although you cannot experience the thrill of witnessing breathtaking landscapes and arriving at a new destination in the morning, you can enjoy a night's stay in the luxurious trains, which feature the same iconic interiors as the original ones at a fraction of the price.

IKEA Hotel

Yes, the IKEA Hotel exists! There is only one IKEA hotel in the world, despite the fact that the Swedish brand has 471 stores operating in 63 countries worldwide.

The hotel is in Älmhult, a Swedish town with only 9,000 inhabitants, where the first ever IKEA store was opened in 1958 by Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of the world-famous brand.

What's it like inside? It's pretty much like sleeping in an IKEA store, but you have to pay for it! However, on the upside, the hotel upgraded the typical IKEA dishes in its restaurant to an unexpectedly high culinary level—yes, including the iconic meatballs.

Forestis

Forestis is a five-star hotel located in Southern Tyrol, which claims to have the highest-located rooftop bars in the world. Instead of a skyline view with hundreds of skyscrapers, this hotel offers something even better. At a stunning altitude of 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) above sea level, Forestis overlooks the magnificent peaks of the Dolomite Mountains.

How unique is the view from here? There are only 266 natural places globally recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, and this is one of them.

The Forestis resort comprises the original 1912 timber mountain hut and three modern towers, which house the two-floor penthouses designed by local architect Armin Sader. These luxurious suites feature natural wooden floors, walls, ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling glass panels that showcase the majestic mountains beyond. It's like a natural version of a theater, with the mountains as the stage.

On the second floor of the penthouses you will find an open-air rooftop terrace with a heated rooftop pool and views to die for.

Sun Cruise

A giant cruise ship? What's so special about it? Sun Cruise is perched on the highest point of the beachside cliffs in Jeongdongjin, South Korea. It wasn't an accident; this ship is a remarkably unique landmark in the city. Sailing the open seas wasn't in the plans, as the boat-shaped building was constructed from the ground up to become a stationary hotel.

With 211 rooms, multiple Korean and international restaurants, a spa, a gym, a golf course, a volleyball court, and a beautiful landscaped garden, it's just like any grand resort. Except you cannot take your eyes off it because it's unlike anything you have ever seen!

Bambu Indah

The story of Bambu Indah began in 2005 when John and Cynthia Hardy transported eleven antique Javanese bridal houses to Bali to host their friends and family in a gorgeous environment along the Ayung River.

A few years later, the couple decided to open Bambu Indah for travelers and expanded it to 16 rooms. New structures, like a world-class kitchen designed by the master bamboo architects behind Ibuku, were also added.

Later, bamboo houses were built by the riverside. They had hanging moon chairs and bamboo pods suspended above the river. For lovers of panoramic views, rustic jungle tents were installed on the peak of a hill overlooking the valley.

Bambu Indah is possibly the most photogenic resort in Bali, and it offers all the signature features of the island: organic food straight from the garden, yoga classes, eco-friendliness, warm hospitality, iconic bamboo structures, and a picture-perfect natural environment.

Hotel de la Coupole

Sapa Valley is the most popular tourist destination in Northern Vietnam, renowned for its stunning terraced rice fields. The charming town of Sapa serves as the capital of this picturesque region, sitting at an elevation of 4,921 feet (1,500 meters). The Hotel de la Coupole palace is a prominent landmark in the town.

With its façade painted in shades of gold and bronze and adorned by three grandiose domes, the hotel's building is an eye-catching attraction of Sapa. Its French Indochine architecture is reminiscent of a Wes Anderson film.

Architect Bill Bensley designed the luxury five-star property. It is a unique blend of Parisian haute couture and Vietnamese hill tribe culture. Bensley drew inspiration from a rare flea market discovery: a vintage polka dot hat from the 1920s placed on top of a traditional Vietnamese hat known as 'Nón lá'.

The vibrant culture of the Dao and H'mong tribes and the elegance of haute couture made an unlikely compatible pairing. Bensley and his team collected thousands of antiques and locally sourced items to decorate Hotel de la Coupole with unique decorations.

Habitas AlUla

The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, has set his country on a journey to overcome the challenges of the post-oil era. One of the biggest tasks was to make Saudi Arabia a tourist hotspot, one that was previously among the hardest for foreign (non-Muslim) people to visit.

There are some ambitious architectural plans, such as mile-high towers and futuristic linear cities in the desert. However, more down-to-earth projects have already been accomplished. One of them is the Habitas AlUla resort, located in the Ashar Valley, a unique UNESCO natural heritage site.

The resort's 96 eco-friendly villas are spread around the rocky land with plenty of space between them. This allows for a luxurious experience of enjoying the breathtaking views of the canyon in complete privacy. When you want to socialize with the other guests, you can visit the extraordinary outdoor pool, which appears so surreal that it resembles a movie set.

Hotel Terrestre

Beautiful brutalism? Sounds like an oxymoron. But not when it's Grupo Habita's collaboration with Mexico City-based architect Alberto Kalach and the super hip Puerto Escondido's natural beauty surrounds it.

Hotel Terrestre's structure is constructed using materials sourced from the local area, and its energy supply is derived entirely from solar power. Kalach, the designer of this project, drew inspiration from ancient Mayan architecture. If you look closely, the stepped concrete structure of Terrestre resembles the stone temples and pyramids of the Mayan civilization.

The fourteen brutalist villas have naturally cooled interiors (another clever Mayan technique), and their open-air rooftop terraces with pretty pools overlook the Pacific Ocean.

El Nido de Quetzalcoatl

We are still in Mexico, but El Nido de Quetzalcoatl's unique organic architecture is on the antipode of Brutalism.

Javier Senosiain, the pioneer of organic architecture in Mexico, has worked on numerous projects, including designing offices, houses, and factories. One of his prime examples is El Nido de Quetzalcoatl, which was built in 2007 after nine years of preparation in the town of Naucalpan, north of Mexico City.

The ten apartments were constructed with minimal impact on the rugged terrain and inspired by nature, avoiding straight lines. The striking structures are spread around an area of 5,380 square feet (5,000 square meters).

When Senosiain noticed during the construction how the structure crawled in between the ravines, it reminded him of the silhouette of a viper. So he decided to shape the ending in the cavern as the head of the snake. The quirky project was named after the "Feathered Serpent" - a deity in Aztec culture—with the ten homes built in the "belly" of the snake.

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac

What makes Québec so unique is that it's the only city in North America to have preserved its fortifications. The fortified colonial town of Old Québec is home to one of the most impressive castles in the world, the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. The historicist-style building, designed by Bruce Price, was listed in the prestigious World Heritage List in 1985.

Since its completion in 1893, the castle has functioned as a hotel with 610 rooms and suites that offer stunning views of Quebec City and the St. Lawrence River.

The themed suites are named after famous people, so the Celine Dion Suite or Princess Grace of Monaco Suite will have posters of them on the walls. Another unique feature of the highest-class suites is their location within the castle. The Hitchcock Suite is at the top of one of the hotel's largest turrets.

The Le Chateau Frontenac is Quebec City's landmark building that has been featured in pop culture since its appearance in Alfred Hitchcock's "I Confess" (1953). It is also known for being one of the most photographed buildings in the world.

White Desert Antarctica

What is it? It is more exotic than a safari lodge in a private game reserve where zebras pass casually in front of your room, more adventurous than climbing to Everest Base Camp, and more luxurious than your average five-star hotel. It's Antarctica's first and only hotel.

Only about 54,000 visitors make the journey each year to the southernmost continent of Planet Earth, making it one of the most remote places on any avid traveler's bucket list. Depending on the season, Antarctica's population can shrink to less than a couple of housing blocks in New York City.

A stay costs tens of thousands of dollars, but if you can afford that, you will be flown to the icy Antarctica resort on Gulfstream g550 private airplanes, and on arrival, the welcome drink is a martini with 10,000-year-old ice cubes.

The accommodation is in six spaceship-like pods with a comfort level of five-star luxury hotels and a dose of futurism.

TWA Hotel

New York's most unique hotel is at its largest international airport, the JFK. Trans World Airlines operated in the USA between 1930 and 2001 (when AA bought them). TWA's former John F. Kennedy International Airport flight center was converted into a retro hotel with six restaurants, eight bars, 512 rooms, and a rooftop pool that overlooks the runways where airplanes take off and land nearly every minute of the day.

The original 1960s critically acclaimed design of the former flight center is the masterwork of Eero Saarinen and Associates. The design incorporates elements from various architectural styles, such as Futurist, Neo-futurist, Googie, and Fantastic, making it worth visiting for any architecture fan visiting New York via JFK.

Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen

Would you like to experience the magical Aurora Borealis but can't stand the cold and harsh environment? Radisson is not exactly famous for radical ideas (maybe except for their Berlin property with the largest cylindrical aquarium that sadly blew up), but in 1995, the hotel chain decided to open the world's northernmost full-service hotel.

Spitsbergen Island is part of the Svalbard archipelago, located in the far northern region of Norway. The island's central hub is Longyearbyen, the world's northernmost settlement with a population exceeding 1,000. This small town used to be a coal-mining center, but now it is slowly turning into a popular tourist destination famed for its stunning displays of the Northern Lights and for the opportunity to observe wild polar bears in their natural habitat.

Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen is only 828 miles (1,333 kilometers) from the North Pole, and it is part of the puzzle that completes the Aurora Borealis "comfort experience." With 128 rooms, a crackling fireplace in its lounge, a spa with saunas, and an outdoor hot tub with a view of Hiortfjellet Mountain, this hotel is convenient and fulfills all its roles for a comfy stay.

Polar experiences can be booked directly at the reception, and the journeys start at the hotel's entrance. Easy-peasy!

Magic Hills Bali

Magic Hills is a set of pretty bamboo villas in Bali at the foothills of Mount Agung, the island's highest volcano. The Queen House is a two-story structure with a beautiful thatched roof and a picture-perfect private.

The romantic getaway fills all your Balinese fantasies. The upper floor's terrace has an integrated hammock floor bed where you can daydream with a scenic view of the rice paddies and hilly terrain dotted with palms. On the ground floor, there is a traditional handcrafted hammock and a full-size mattress bed overlooking the dipping pool decorated with flower petals.

The highlight of Magic Hills Bali is the outdoor shower, though. It's made of bamboo, just like the villa, and the "walls" to protect you from exposure are big leafy greens. Taking a shower here feels like becoming one with nature.

The Cube Aletsch

The Cube Aletsch was built as an experimental romantic getaway in a remote part of the Swiss Alps at an altitude of 2,869 m (9,413 ft) above sea level.

If you are familiar with high-altitude mountain refuges, you know you are lucky if your body doesn't touch your neighbor climbers during sleep in the multi-occupancy bunks. The Cube is a prefabricated hut with unseen luxury: hot showers, a comfy bed (only for the two of you, no surprise guests!), a panoramic terrace with designer chairs, and a hot tub where you can soak while looking at the icy landscape.

The Great Aletsch Glacier is one of the longest "ice rivers" in Europe, with its 12.4 miles (20 km) length, and it is part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage area. Unlike the other mountain huts where you need to hike all day long just to share a bed with 20 other people, a dedicated cable car takes you up to the top of Eggishorn Mountain, from where a short walk leads you to the Cube Aletsch.

Volcano House

If you haven't watched the Fire of Love documentary movie from 2022 about the French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, it's a must-see! The daring couple spent a lifetime studying and getting up close to active volcanoes.

They described two distinctive categories: safe "red" and deadly "gray" volcanoes. This latter is destructive and dangerous because it's impossible to predict

A classic, friendly red volcano is Kīlauea in Hawaii. It's a spectacular sight of magma releasing in a slow lava flow. The constant small eruptions ensure that there isn't a heat build-up that would end in an explosive eruption, which makes the gray volcanoes so dangerous.

So, building a hotel near a red volcano is perfectly safe and sensible, and it lets you experience a unique view of one of the most fascinating natural phenomena.

Hawaii's Volcano House is one of the few places on Earth to enjoy a relaxing dinner with a view of an active volcano's glowing magma.

La Casa del Mundo

Guatemala's world-famous Lake Atitlán is often compared to Lake Como's beauty. Although architecturally, it would be an exaggeration, when it comes to the surrounding natural beauty, they are on par. The deep lake sits in a massive crater, and volcanoes with pointy tops decorate the majestic highlands of Guatemala. It's a spectacular view, especially from a lakeside house with a cozy hammock where you can switch between reading your favorite book and gazing at Atitlán's beauty.

And this is where La Casa del Mundo ("The House of the World") comes into the picture. It's built into the lake's rocky shores and is only accessible by boat. Because of its location, it's free of the loud noises of motorization, and instead, you can listen to birds singing and Atitlán's gentle waves.

The house was built from locally sourced materials, and its interiors use traditional textiles. It's almost like the budget-friendly version of Le Sirenuse in Positano (Amalfi Coast). However, that would only be fair to say about its price. Other than that, the colorful garden and the views from each of its rooms, romantic balconies, terraces, and even its panoramic hot tub are otherwordly—every part of the day.

Venice Simplon Orient Express

Sixteen million dollars for 35 Pullman trains is how the story started of an American entrepreneur's vintage railway project who sought to revive the golden age of travel. After their purchase in the late 70s, all these vintage trains originating from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s underwent a painstaking renovation.

Nearly a century after the Belgian company Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits first put its luxury trains into commercial use, on 25 May 1982, the first London–Venice Orient Express rolled into service.

Today, the modern version of the Orient Express operates on lines between London and Verona/Venice and Paris to Verona/Venice. Aboard the luxury trains, you can admire the fine craftsmanship of the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles.

Zannier Hotels Sonop

Namid Desert's picturesque landscape is home to one of the prettiest resorts in Namibia, built on a pile of volcanic granite rocks. The solar-powered camp consists of ten tents, with interiors designed to remind you about the British explorers of the early 20th century.

Excursions into the privately owned NamibRand Nature Reserve will take up most of your day. For post-adventure relaxation, a Cocktail & Cigar Lounge with a billiard table and a spectacular heated outdoor infinity pool are there to enjoy a calm evening.

The poolside loungers turn into cinema beds when, after the dramatic sunsets, a giant projection screen pops up at the pool's edge. After enjoying a fun movie, turn your gaze skyward. This area, free of light pollution, provides a stunning view of distant galaxies and billions of stars.

Clown Motel

America's quirkiest motel is between the two big casino cities, Reno and Las Vegas. It's a perfect stopover on an adventurous road trip, especially if you don't have coulrophobia – fear of clowns.

The unique motel was built in 1985, and since then, owners Leona and Leroy Davis have collected 2,050 differently-sized clown dolls that are exposed all over the place.

Each of the 31 clown-themed rooms has a unique, spooky design, and of course, the owners claim paranormal activities may happen on the motel's grounds. You would think it's a cheap marketing trick, but they make you sign a contract stating that they aren't responsible for any unexplainable, unusual, or paranormal activity or interactions, which may include risks that may or may not be foreseeable. Scary stuff!

InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland

An abandoned quarry about 30 kilometers from Shanghai sounds like a place you wouldn't want to visit. Not until you hear that one of the most famous hotel brands purchased this former industrial complex and used the underwater structure to create luxurious suites.

With cliffs, beautiful rock surfaces, and a waterfall crashing into a lake, there isn't much to remind you about the former quarry. It now looks like a stunning natural environment with a high-tech hotel built around it. It's so surreal that many would mistake it for some AI-generated hotel, but luckily it's all real.

The state-of-the-art hotel was designed by Atkins, the same firm that designed the Burj Al Arab. Mr. Fisher, the hotel's seafood restaurant, is one floor below water level, with enormous glass windows so you can observe marine life. The two underwater levels are home to six suites, each with a private saltwater aquarium.

Manon Les Suites

Thailand? Bali? Or some other heavenly tropical destination? Not quite. Manon Les Suites is in Denmark, where the average summer temperature barely exceeds the night temperatures of the places mentioned above.

This plant-filled hotel is in Copenhagen, Denmark's capital city. Its centerpiece is the Junglefish Pool, where one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world comes to life. The vertical greenery of Manon Les Suites' is the contemporary reincarnation of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Sheldon Chalet

Fingers crossed, you are a billionaire; if not, you will have to be satisfied by only looking at Sheldon Chalet's photos. It's one of the most remote hotels on Earth (the only one that can compete is probably the White Desert in Antarctica - also listed as one of the top unique hotels), located inside the Denali National Park.

Even though Sheldon Chalet is practically in the middle of nowhere, the hotel's service is on par with that of five-star establishments. It offers posh rooms, fine dining, and a panoramic sauna overlooking the dramatic Alaskan landscape filled with snow and mountains. Because you deserve to be spoiled after an exhausting hike in the wilderness—if you can afford it.

Morpheus Hotel

For fans of cyberpunk and utopistic architecture, the Morpheus Hotel delivers on all fronts of being futuristic. It's part of Macau's City of Dreams, an entertainment complex just like the ones in Las Vegas, but bigger. Unlike the casino city of America, which copied the architecture of European cities and monuments, Macau went full-on high-tech.

The Morpheus Hotel has escalators swiftly running between the hotel floors as if we were in the year 2100. So, if you want to time travel to the future, Morpheus Hotel can take care of that!

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

There is no going around it. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is so impressive that no amount of media coverage can be enough. The Muraka is the hotel's two-story suite with the lower level 16 feet (5 meters) under the water.

It could be one of the most photographed rooms in the world, but only a few people can afford tens of thousands of dollars for a night. However, the resort's Ithaa Underwater Restaurant is a poor man's alternative (and by poor, I mean you are only a millionaire, not a billionaire), where you can dine and observe the colorful maritime fauna.

Jules' Undersea Lodge

Inspired by Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", this unique accommodation is below the seawater in a protected lagoon in Key Largo.

It started as a marine research station, where scientists would dive in to spend days at a time. The underwater structure was named after the famous author as a tribute to him.

After extensive renovations in the 1980s, Jules' Undersea Lodge was opened. This simple station is still America's first and only underwater hotel.

The Beekman

The historic Beekman Hotel building was built in the Queen Anne, Neo-Grec, and Renaissance Revival styles. If you're unfamiliar with Queen Anne architecture, it was a popular Victorian style in the USA during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Two of the three buildings that the Beekman Hotel encompasses are New York City designated landmarks: The Temple Court Building (built in 1883) and Annex (built in 1890).

The atrium at the center of the building rises through all nine Temple Court Building floors and ends with a beautiful pyramidal skylight. It is encircled by balconies with tile mosaic floors and iron railings kept in place by cast-iron brackets shaped like dragons.

Azulik

Azulik is a hippy dream manifestation on the gorgeous coast of Yucatan, Mexico in the hipster city of Tulum. Its organic structure is made of natural elements, and every corner of this unique resort is full of creativity.

Azulik's Adult Wonderland is one of the most popular getaways for the rich who want the cool factor on top of the service of a luxury resort.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan

Japan's ryokans (traditional inns) are some of the oldest establishments on the planet. The Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan has been run by the same family—52 generations and counting—for the past 13 centuries. Yes, you read that right.

This place under Mount Anio (Japan's fourth tallest mountain) is the current Guinness world record holder and officially the world's oldest hotel.

Henn Na Hotel

Yet another tech craze that comes out of Japan! The land of the rising sun never ceases to amaze with its inventions. In the late 1970s, they came up with the capsule hotel idea, and now, as artificial intelligence starts to shake up whole industries, it's time for some robot staff. The Henn Na Hotel's reception has intelligent humanoid robots to check you in.

With 20 hotels in Japan and two international locations (one in Seoul and one in New York), the AI robots are on a quest to conquer the world! Hopefully, their work remain limited to housekeeping and helping guests.

ION Adventure Hotel

About an hour and a half drive from Keflavík International Airport (or 30 minutes from Reykjavík), you arrive at a breathtaking place that makes Iceland so famous.

ION Adventure Hotel is surrounded by wildly rugged terrain, including an ancient glacier. It's like those ski-in, ski-out hotels, but instead of a snowboard, you need to wear sturdy trekking shoes to explore the land of fire and ice.

There are plenty of hotels between the latitudes 60 and 75 degrees in countries like Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, Canada, USA (Alaska), and Greenland, where you can watch the glorious Northern Lights, but only a few are so unique. The ION Adventure Hotel has a heated outdoor pool, a sauna, and rooms so posh that you wouldn't expect in such a remote and wild environment.

Atlantis, The Palm

Even as an avid hater of oversized resorts with thousands of questionably behaving tourists, you can't deny the impressiveness of Atlantis, The Palm. Its gigantic, action-packed aquapark is one of the world's best. With thrill rides like the slide with an underwater tunnel going through a shark-filled tank.

There are 1,548 nautically themed rooms plus underwater suites named "Neptune" and "Poseidon." One of the world's largest hotel aquariums, the Lost Chambers Aquarium, is home to over 65,000 marine animals. So, the Atlantis Dubai hotel is pretty different from a soulless typical resort.

Book and Bed Tokyo

This brilliant concept in Tokyo combines quirky capsule hotels with a fully equipped library. The cozy sleeping nooks are hidden in between the book-filled walls. Once you climb inside your capsule with a book, you have the privacy you could only dream of in a hostel with bunk beds.

That's the beauty of capsule hotels; you get a similarly low price per night (around $30) but a lot more character and a place to hide when you don't feel like socializing. Another quirk of Book and Bed Shinjuku is that it's one of Tokyo's few capsule hotels offering couple pods.

Wigwam Motel

If you plan a road trip in the US, you cannot miss Route 66's iconic stopover. One of the most famous roads in the US starts in Chicago, Illinois, and ends in California. Wigwam in Arizona is a quirky motel with a museum between Albuquerque and Las Vegas. The colorful teepees are modernized structures of the originals once used by Indian tribes.

The roadside motel is a big dose of American culture, with rusty vintage cars and trucks parked outside, places to park your car right by your accommodation, firepits, and a pool to relax after a long day's drive on Route 66.

PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering

Singapore's most exciting hotel is often overshadowed by the famous Marina Bay Sands, which everyone recognizes by its sky-high infinity pool on three towers. But that shouldn't stop you from discovering this worthy alternative. Located in Singapore's Chinatown, the PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is a vertical jungle with high-up rooms overlooking the city.

The building was one of the first projects to grow plants on a tower's specially prepared outdoor structure. After many years of thriving greenery on the hotel's facade, it's safe to say the project has been a success. So, if you are intimidated by the extensive concrete surfaces of big cities, this five-star hotel is an oasis.

Hoshi Onsen Chōjukan

Plunging into the healing waters of a traditional Japanese inn's hot spring pools is a life-defining experience. Hoshi Onsen was established in 1875 in the mountainous Gunma Prefecture.

The fully wooden interior of its onsen (traditional Japanese spa) is in its original state, and through its beautiful arched windows, the light shining through the steam of the hot pools almost touches one's soul.

Salish Lodge & Spa

Some people start humming when seeing a picture of Snoqualmie Falls and that house perched on top of it. This group can be described as fans of David Lynch, specifically one of his best works, Twin Peaks.

The cult TV series from the 90s was set in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, where FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper was investigating a mysterious murder. The scene with the waterfall was part of its iconic intro, and the fictional Great Northern Hotel is, in reality, the Salish Lodge & Spa.

Today, this hotel is a memorable treat for Twin Peaks fans and those who love the calming sound and sight of an incredible waterfall, which can be seen from various rooms, the restaurant, and the hotel's massive spa.

Berggasthaus Aescher

The Berggasthaus Aescher became the synonym for a fairy-tale Alpine hut. Its building was constructed into a cliff, and the surrounding mountains of the Appenzeller Alps frame it into one of the most magical places on Earth.

A quick ride on the Ebenalp cable car, followed by a scenic hike, leads you to the adorable Berggasthaus Aescher. To call this mountain hut popular would be an understatement. Bookings need to be made well in advance, and its panoramic restaurant fills up quickly on a sunny day.

Giraffe Manor

Once staying at elephant resorts in Thailand becomes too ordinary, you should shift your attention to Kenya. The Rothschild's giraffe is an endangered species, with only about 1,400 thousand roaming freely in the wilderness. Just 20km from Nairobi, a 1930s Scottish hunting lodge-style hotel awaits you with some surprises.

For example, when you eat your morning croissant, some long-purple tongues might stick through the open window and try to steal it. You guessed it right: the Giraffe Manor's 150-acre sanctuary is home to ten long-necked beauties.

Once you get used to the exotic sight of the giraffes, a new, fairy-tale element emerges. The manor is home to the adorable Piggy Pumbas, who are like the male warthogs from The Lion King.

9h Nine Hours Capsule Hotel

9h Nine Hours is Japan's most famous and technologically advanced capsule hotel chain, with twelve properties in five cities. The "nine hours" concept was based on the needs of businessmen and overtime workers who needed an hour of rest, seven hours of sleep, and an hour to shower, put on clothes, and get ready for another day of work. However, it didn't take long for travelers to discover this affordable urban hotel concept.

Nine Hours today is the most fashionable and futuristic capsule hotel in Japan. Its avant-garde interior is full of innovative solutions, like the multi-level pods stacked into a tall tower with a high-level service built around it just like in boutique hotels. For example, Nine Hours has co-office spaces with panoramic views of Tokyo, and some properties even feature a rooftop sunbathing terrace. The (shared) bathrooms have premium shampoo, conditioner, and body soap provided by Tamanohoda. Plus, your coffee is made each day by a barista at the onsite café.

Yet, even though the boutique-hotel-level service, Nine Hours is one of the most affordable hotels in Tokyo (and the other four Japanese cities where they have properties).