Unusual Arrivals

This article first appeared on the Smith Travel Blog.

A dream destination is fabulous, but haven’t you ever heard that getting there is half the fun? Long or short, often the journey is where some of your best adventures can happen. This whimsical notion has not been lost as some of the world’s most beautiful boutique hotels have organised transfers that make what is often the mundane into an unforgettable part of your holiday experience.

With the help of our go-to travel source, Mr and Mrs Smith, woman with drive has journeyed far and wide to find you the best hotel transfers in the world.

Mule Train Trek to Verana, Jalisco

This jungle retreat on the coast of Mexico can only be accessed by sea and short trek through the lush wilderness on the back of a mule. From the airport you will be met on the beach by a private boat for a 30 minute ride along the stunning Pacific coastline. Upon reaching your destination, hotel staff will welcome you with an entourage of mules to take you and your luggage to the hotel. A true oasis of seclusion.

Paraglide into Six Senses Zighy Bay Oman

The grand scale of the barren mountainous setting of Six Senses Oman deserves an entrance of equally dramatic proportions. Guests can paraglide (with an instructor) from the surrounding mountains and glide down into the sparkling bay side resort. Congratulate yourself on being so adventurous with a traditional Moroccan Hammam and Arabian facial.

Ride with Huskies to Kirkenes Snowhotel, Norway

A truly magical experience, the Kirkenes Snowhotel is built every year from scratch out of ice and snow. The winter wonderland experience begins as soon as guests arrive as your very own sled team of huskies meets you at the airport. The scenic sled ride takes guests through majestic powdered forests before arriving at the hotel where you can enjoy a glass of Akvavit at the ice bar and watch the northern lights.

Land a Seaplane at Perantzada, Ithaca.

Perantzada is the super chic former naval college come luxury hotel on the secluded island of Ithaca, Greece. The hotel is perched above the stunning harbor town of Vathi where neoclassical architecture encircles the deep blue waters of a secluded bay. The town has no airstrip, but guests at Perantzada can charter a seaplane from the nearby port of Patra, just outside of Athens, or Corfu and make a glamorous entrance as you splash onto the bay.

Take a Cable Car to Vigilius Mountain Resort

This dramatic contemporary Dolomiti resort is set in a car-free area in South Tyrol, accessible only via the Vijiljoch cable car from the village of Lana near Merano. The hotel presides over jaw-dropping, pasture-lined mountainscapes, scented with larch and pine. The exhilarating cable-car ride gives you time to soak up your stunning surroundings.

Boutique agencies such as Mr and Mrs Smith can help you to organize an entrance with impact at your next dream destination. Visit: Mrs and Mrs Smith for more information.

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