Why stay at boring, run-of-the-mill hotels when there is a world of creative, quirky accommodations out there? That’s right, no reason to! If you want your next hotel destination to be a lot more memorable, you should check out this list of the 81 most unusual hotels in the world.
Carved out on the hillside in Trout Creek, Montana, the Hobbit House is a charming and faithful recreation of Shire. If you’re a Tolkien fan, the level of detail in this place will blow you away with references to the books on every corner.
Literally hanging over the edge of a cliff at 2,835 meters, Bivacco Gervasutti is not a place for the faint-hearted. To get there you need to climb a challenging ascent, but the views certainly are unforgettable.
Bambu Indah consists of eleven wooden Javanese homes that were brought to Bali to create a sustainable retreat among the rice paddies and lush gardens. Each house has its own unique character and is furnished with antique furniture and locally made art.
The fairy-tale vibe is strong with Baumhaushotel, offering eight whimsical treehouses in a German national park. Expect wonky walls, dizzying colors and a lot of fun!
Inntel Zaandam looks like a patchwork of traditional wooden cottages that are typical for Zaandam district of Amsterdam. Inside it’s every bit as creative as it is outside so you’re in for a lot of surprises.
Ever wondered what it would be like to hide in the Trojan horse? At La Balade Des Gnomes, you can stay in one! The other crazy rooms include a pirate boat, Moroccan desert night, and the Moon.
Nimb Hotel looks like a fairy-tale palace straight out of the Arabian Nights that someone dropped right in the middle of Copenhagen! If you like luxury with an oriental twist (and free entry to Tivoli probably won’t hurt either), then this one is for you.
You can really get your lumberjack mode on at STF Kolarbyn because there will be a lot of wood chopping involved. You’ll be staying in a wooden hut in the depths of the Swedish forest with no electricity or shower, but with beautiful unspoiled nature around you.
Not many people can say that they’ve slept in a sculpture but some of the guests of the Beaumont Hotel are among the lucky ones. The dark, mysterious ROOM by an artist Antony Gormley is an art concept and a 5-star hotel suite in one.
If you’re bored of waking up to the same view for your entire holiday, the Rotel tour might be the answer. By day you’ll be touring the place of your choice in the coach, by night you’ll sleep in a comfortable room in the rear. Win-win!
This hotel is a real treat for aviation lovers. The owners of 727 Fuselage Home rescued an original 1965 Boeing from an airport graveyard and gave it a new life as an elegant suite on Costa Rican coast. It might not be flying high anymore but the views are still breath-taking!
Hotel Not Hotel is a playful homage to art and interior design. Each room is different and when I say ‘different’ I really mean it. You can stay in an authentic retro tram cart, a secret room behind the bookcases, or a miniature wooden house.
If the splendor of Titanic captivated your imagination, then the Queen Mary Hotel is probably right up your alley. Once a luxury liner for the rich and famous, Queen Mary now serves as an indulgent hotel with art deco suites.
Karosta Prison in Latvia is certainly an extreme lodging choice. In this haunted prison, you can spend the night in a cell of one of the scariest hotels in the world.
Forget your usual ski chalet! Barin Ski Resort in Iran looks like a snow-capped mountain itself. Getting around this hotel feels like walking through an ice maze and the rooms resemble ice-carved igloos.
The crystal-shaped construction of The New Monte Rosa Hut is certainly stunning, but you know what’s even more impressive? Its sustainable design! If you want to see eco-design in action this is the place.
Located in Harlingen, Lifeboat Hotel is a beautifully restored original lifeboat that can accommodate two people. Unlike most other boat hotels, this one is fully functioning so you can hire a private captain to take you out in the sea!
Seeing the Northern Lights from your bed has got to be one of the best hotel views on Earth. Levin Iglut igloos are fully made of glass so you can watch the spectacular Aurora dance without freezing your toes off.
Yes, you heard that right! Capsule Hotel repurposed old survival pods into lodgings ranging from very basic pods to luxurious James Bond themed suites.
Nakagin Capsule Tower was originally designed in the 1960s to provide self-contained living spaces for bachelors. Today anyone can stay in one of the micro-apartments in this iconic building.
The Shell House would be your typical vacation home with a pool if it wasn’t for the (very) unusual shape. Not only does it look like a shell but it’s also decorated with countless seashells found along the nearby beach.
You might not be a mermaid, but you certainly can enjoy life under the sea. The Manta Resort has a special floating suite with an underwater bedroom where fish glide past your windows.
Sun Cruise Resort offers all the luxury and convenience of a cruise holiday without, well, the actual cruise. Perched on a cliff in Korea, this cruise ship won’t take you very far but maybe it can still float your boat.
If you’re an art lover, Rogner Bad Blumau deserves your attention. The spa hotel was designed by a famous Austrian architect to unleash the guests’ imagination and harness the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Located in a pristine Norwegian forest, Juvet Hotel offers undisturbed peace and quiet. It’s part of the recent architecture movement to create buildings that blend in with the landscape and highlight the beauty of their surroundings.
From 2009 to 2010, Frank and Patrik Riklin ran a project called Null Stern (“no stars”) which was aimed to poke fun at over-styled hotels around the world. It was located in a Swiss nuclear bunker and, sadly, has now been closed for several years, but the brothers are planning further projects combining the hotel industry and art.
If you like to stay in places that get people turning their heads in astonishment, hardly anywhere will do the job better than Ooops Hotel. Although it looks like it’s half-sunk in the lake, you have nothing to worry about. It’s just a skilled illusion!
Everything about Harlingen Harbour Crane is fun: the colourful interiors, the fireman’s pole right in the middle of the room and, most importantly, the fact that you can operate it yourself!
Volcano-shaped construction covered with plants, a waterfall running down the walls, and a monkey bridge leading to the lobby. You won’t find ordinary at Montana Magica Lodge but you’ll definitely find magic there.
Picking a room to stay at is a real challenge when it comes to Arte Luise Kunsthotel. Each and every room has been individually designed by an artist and they all push the boundary between a hotel and an art gallery to its creative limits.
If you’ve gotten this far down the list, you might think you’ve already seen the craziest repurposed hotels. Well, SiloStay with apartments in steel grain silos will probably challenge that opinion.
9 Hours Capsule Hotel in Japan might just be the most efficient hotel in the world. They estimated that all you need on a business trip is a seven-hour sleep plus an hour in the evening and in the morning for rest. And that’s all the time you’ve got to enjoy this futuristic capsule hotel.
Bet the Americans didn’t see that one coming! Canopy Tower was built in the 1960s as a US radar tower to control the Panama Canal and has since been revamped as a world-renowned birding destination.
Giraffe Manor isn’t just a romantic name. This 1930s estate is home to tame giraffes who like to poke their heads through the restaurant windows to see what you’re up to. Don’t let them steal your breakfast!
Sekeping Serendah is an intentionally minimalist rainforest retreat outside Kuala Lumpur. The sheds are kept open from all sides so you can enjoy the sounds, smells, and views of the surrounding nature.
Kennedy School Hotel will take you on a sentimental journey with a quirky twist. Old classrooms have been converted into bedrooms (chalk blackboards still there!) and the detention has been turned into a place you’ll happily be detained at – a bar.
The cowboys-and-Indians game just got serious! At Mustang Monument Resort, you can re-live your childhood fantasies of sleeping in a tipi, going to a Western saloon and crossing the prairie on a horseback.
Just one look at Sala Silvermine’s Mine Suite will give you the chills (literally, it’s pretty cold down there). Carved out of pure rock 155 meters below the surface, this hotel room is the deepest suite in the world and a pretty fancy one at that.
From a UFO ship through a glass cube to a giant bird’s nest, the treehouses in Treehotel are unlike anything you’ve seen before.
SleepIn Fængslet in Denmark managed to maintain the dismal look of a prison ward after a thorough refurbishment. So as odd as that sounds, you can spend a night behind bars quite comfortably here.
CasAnus was designed by a Dutch artist, Joep Van Lieshout, to look like a large intestine. The level of realism in this one is unsettling, to be honest.
A photographer Johan Hellström achieved the impossible with Fabriken Furillen. He converted the desolate landscape of an old gravel query into a romantic, cozy getaway. Pure magic!
Frank Gehry’s iconic buildings are among some of the most important works of contemporary architecture. If you’re a fan of architecture, you can’t pass the opportunity to stay at the eye-popping Hotel Marques de Riscal of his design.
Don’t judge the book by its cover or the floating cottage by its exterior. Utter Inn is already adorable as it is but it also features an underwater bedroom below the surface!
Kirkjubaer Guesthouse used to be a place of worship for the village of Stodvarfjordur but now serves as a cozy and welcoming guesthouse for travelers.
At Igloo Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland, you can watch the Northern Lights right from your bed! And if instead of a glass igloo you prefer the traditional snow and ice construction, they’ve got that too.
With all the stunning flowers and trees around, Eve’s Garden really lives up to its name. You’ll find here sustainable design, organic cooking, and mindful living.
There’s hardly anything more romantic than a lonely lighthouse on a sandy beach. If you stay at Pelican Point Lodge, you can enjoy that view every day from the control tower that’s been transformed into a comfortable, stylish hotel.
Good news for all the bookworms out there! At Book And Bed Tokyo, you’ll find cozy sleeping pods behind the bookshelves and a wide range of books in English and Japanese to read the night away!
If people can age like wine they can also sleep like wine – by which I mean in a wooden barrel. The Dutch Hotel de Vrouwe Van Stavoren will sort you out for a comfy night in a wine cask.
Jealous of your nephew’s car bed? Well, the good news is they come in adult size too. And made from real cars! At V8 Hotel, you’ll find plenty of creative car-themed rooms including car wash, car workshop, or a racing course.
What happens when you put an ultra-modern design in a beautifully preserved gothic interior? Judging by Kruisherenhotel, pure aesthetic feast.
Hang Nga Guesthouse has been splitting the crowds since the very beginning. Is it a surrealist masterpiece of architecture or a thing straight out of nightmares? You have to decide for yourself, but it certainly is one of the most iconic spots in Dalat.
You’ve probably seen other repurposed planes before but hear me out. Vliegtuigsuite Teuge has a fully-equipped cockpit and truly indulgent facilities with sauna and jacuzzi onboard the aircraft. And, on top of that, the view of the runway is great!
Is there anything more incredible (and terrifying) than staying in a glass box hanging off a mountain? At Skylodge Adventure Suites, you get a cozy suite with a living room and a bathroom, so it’s half adventure, half comfy lodging.
Who said you can only sleep in a caravan on a campsite? Hüttenpalast is a former factory that now houses quite a collection of lovely vintage caravans. They might be indoors but they certainly haven’t lost their charm.
Sleeping in a coffin, on a suspended bed, or under a guillotine? Once you step inside Propeller Island, nothing will shock you anymore. This hotel and art installation by Lars Storschen that pushes the very limits of what a hotel can be.
Not often can you take a peek inside an army building. Although La Claustra has been transformed into a comfortable 4-star hotel, you can still learn a lot about this former military fortress by wandering through its corridors.
The name really says it all, doesn’t it? House In The Clouds is set on top of a 20-meter tall water tower and it has gorgeous panoramic views of the countryside.
Jumbo Stay rooms are rather short on space (as you might imagine) but they don’t lack the wow factor. You can stay at the cockpit, in a turbine or in the wheel well cabin so every inch of the plane is put to good use.
Seaventures Dive Rig has been especially relocated from its original site to one of the best diving spots in Malaysia to create an eco-friendly and unique dive resort.
When making a themed room, Eden Motel certainly goes all out. The best example is their famous Batman suite with a mind-blowing level of detail and amazing design.
Slightly confusing and definitely very unusual, The Cubehouse must have required a lot of custom furniture but looks surprisingly homely and welcoming inside.
If you’re committed to reducing your carbon footprint while traveling, Amazon Jungle Palace is a place for you. This unusual floating hotel uses state of the art technology to ensure sustainable tourism.
Is it a hotel or is it a time machine straight out of a science fiction film? Could easily be the latter, since Hotel Jested offers both retro and future-forward rooms.
If all you need is peace and quiet, check out Hotel Punta Grande. Located far from the only town on the remote island of El Hierro, it’s certainly not marred with hordes of tourists.
Dennis and Frances had been carving wooden dogs for many years before they decided to create their biggest artwork – Dog Bark Park Inn. This giant wooden beagle holds a comfortable suite and, unsurprisingly, is decorated with dozens of dog-related items.
The one hundred years old Ship In The Ice will make you feel like you’re a daring traveler on the polar expedition. Except without all the hardship and danger and with an added joy of husky sledding and five-course meals.
Houshi Onsen is a stunning wooden ryokan (Japanese inn) that was built in 1875 at the source of a hot spring. Furnished in traditional Japanese style, it feels like stepping back in time.
These bizarre concrete houses are the 1960s vision for future homes: cheap, functional, and aesthetic. But arguably, Museumotel with its psychedelic 50s and 60s inspired interiors is more of a throwback to the past.
The Boot in New Zealand looks like taken straight out of a nursery rhyme. Everything about it is cozy, welcoming, and sweet.
If you want to get a glimpse of the future on your holiday, Japan is certainly the right destination. At Henn-Na Hotel, you’ll be served by robots and you’ll open your room with facial recognition instead of a conventional key card.
If you’re a Beatles fan, this one will get you twisting and shouting. Yellow Sub is a faithful recreation of the famous album cover submarine and it’s filled with Beatles memorabilia.
For most of us, the famous Atomium building in Brussels is only accessible as a museum and exhibition space. However, lucky primary schoolers can actually spend a night in one of the glass spheres as part of the educational experience.
If you like luxury with a quirky twist, The G Hotel will really hit the spot. With a style that can be described as futuristic baroque, this hotel is a sight to behold.
The shape of Espejo De Luna was inspired by the long seafaring tradition of Chiloe and resembles a wooden ship washed ashore. Inside you’ll find a reception and a two-story restaurant while the lodgings are spread out on the property.
Hotel Everland was an art project by Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann that ran between 2006 and 2009. Guests could book only one night and the location was constantly changing as the hotel toured Europe.
What makes Icehotel so unique is that it’s built from scratch every year! Each winter, artists, and designers from around the world are invited to pitch their ideas for creative art suites entirely carved out of ice. No matter how many times you visit this place, it will be different every time.
With the width of only 2.5 meters, Eh'häusl has a strong claim to the title of the world’s smallest hotel. It was built in the 18th century when couples needed to own a house in order to get married. The bride and groom would buy it right before tying the knot and sell it on to the next couple right after!
If this isn’t recycling at its best (and weirdest), then I don’t know what is. Das Park Hotel has rooms inside sewer pipes that offer little more than a bed (seriously, not even bathrooms) and come under a pay-as-you-wish model.
From arriving by helicopter to the hyper-luxurious interiors, everything about this former sea fort feels like a spy movie. Spitbank Hotel is really pushing the limits of architecture makeovers with its insanely indulgent revamp.