The World’s Most Unusual Hotels
When you are too accustomed to five-star travel, you inadvertently stop paying attention to the details. The designer architecture, artisan décor and first-class amenities become anticipated staples rather than thrilling novelties. But what about bedframes carved from ice? Or an outdoor bathtub overlooking crashing waves? Or even an underwater bedroom?
woman with drive shines the spotlight on six unusual hotels that represent the epitome of extraordinary luxury – not just in terms of style but also innovation and engineering.
Thalia Haven, Tasmania, Australia
If there were ever a right time and place to take a bath, it would be in Thalia Haven’s outdoor tub during a blazing Tasmanian sunset. The first sight takes your breath away – a lone pristine white tub against the backdrop of the Great Oyster Bay. But it is when you sink into a hot bath while throwing your gaze out to the phosphorescent ocean and the islands and rocks beyond, or to the starry sky above, that you find yourself truly breathless.
Image: Ray Joyce
Longitude 131°, Northern Territory, Australia
There is very little that can come close to the experience of waking up to a private view of the sun rising above Australia’s most sacred icon, the red rock of Uluru. From your luxury tent atop a red dune, revel in the beauty and stillness of the Australian outback or join the exclusively designed luxury wilderness tour to deepen your understanding of the land and its traditional custodians.
Anatolian Houses, Cappadocia, Turkey
Is living in a cave a huge step back in time? Not when you are laying your head down on the plush pillows in Anatolian Houses’ sprawling Cave Suites. Carved into the cave formations in Cappadocia is a unique luxury desert resort that brings to life the history of Anatolia through its fine architecture and carefully selected furniture. The Jacuzzi, hydro-massage cabin and Turkish bath, meanwhile, give it a firm footing in the present.
Palacio De Sal, Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
It makes perfect sense for the world’s first salt hotel to be built on the world’s largest salt surface, the Salar de Uyuni. The rooms, which are constructed from salt blocks, resemble igloos while the windows of the dining room look out onto the vast salt flat landscape that changes in colour throughout the day.
ICEHOTEL, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
Another world first, the ICEHOTEL plays the dual role of hotel and art gallery, both made of natural ice and snow from one of Europe’s last wild rivers. Pick one of the Cool Rooms that feature ice sculptures, an ice bedframe and a snow room. The hotel’s architecture and décor act as artists’ canvases and exhibit different work each year.
The Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Zanzibar
We have all experienced island life but what if your next beach vacation involves a private floating island with a bedroom four meters underwater? Bask in the sunlight or under the starlight on the deck while surrounded by miles of turquoise water. Then head down below and let the incredible tropical marine life lull you to sleep. When this resorts promises “magic beyond magic”, they deliver every fantastic detail of it.
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