Booking hotels may be the least exciting part of your holiday planning, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring to be there. People around the world have taken the idea of a hotel and accommodation for travellers and spiced it up. Some get creative, others get thematic and others push the limits of what counts as accommodation and what counts as art. Check out 10 of the most interesting hotels in the world, which are sure to grab the attention of any architecture fan.
Kakslauttanen, Finland
At the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort in Finland, you’ll have the opportunity to watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed. That’s right. You’ll be in an igloo in the middle of a wide open field, but this isn’t just any igloo—it’s a glass igloo that gives you unparalleled views of the sky where the Northern Light colours twist and dance in the night sky. If the glass igloos aren’t enough, you’ll also have your choice of authentic log cabins or igloos made of snow. The arched ceilings of these structures snuggle together, but during the days you’ll be able to enjoy the Lapland’s nature and culture that surrounds you. Visit this highly rated hotel to get to know the magic of the world’s most enchanting holiday resort.
Poseidon Underwater Resort, Fiji
As if sleeping and living underwater wasn’t cool enough for the Poseidon Underwater Resort, the underwater capsules are located on their own private island that’s available to guests to use and enjoy. At the end of tiring days, you can retire to your room and stay at the bottom of the ocean for the night—no joke. The Poseidon resort provides all the comforts, conveniences and opportunities of a five-star establishment and guarantees endless activities for adventurers who hope to explore the unimaginable, and the epitome of relaxation for those wanting to try their marine-focused spa treatments.
ICEHOTEL, Sweden
ICEHOTEL is the world’s first and largest hotel built of snow and ice and it is situated in Jukkasjärvi, a small village in Northern Sweden with 1,100 residents and 1,000 dogs. Thanks to the work of visiting artists and designers from around the world, it is always a unique attraction. The hotel is rebuilt every year from ice harvested around the Torne River and is built/designed by a team of 100 people and ice artists in November and the beginning of December. The hotel is then open from December through mid-April and then, after the ice melts away, the entire process begins again. With innovative and modern design, technical know-how and architecture, ICEHOTEL is a project with high ambitions that leaves no one indifferent.
Giraffe Manor, Kenya
Located in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya is an elegant and sophisticated manner that offers six-rooms for rent. Modelled after a Scottish hunting lodge, the building isn’t as unusual as others on this list. More so than the architectural draws, the other inhabitants of the land are the draw for this hotspot. Giraffes roam freely on the property and will often make a point of visiting you in the morning or evening to get a taste of what’s for breakfast or dinner. Also on the property is a conservation centre and an elephant orphanage where the owners of the Giraffe Manor continue to try and help the native wildlife from this part of the world.
Free Spirit Spheres, Canada
Set among the tall trees on the west coast of North America on Vancouver Island, you can experience tree houses for adults (you must be at least 16 to stay in the spheres). The spheres are available to reserve year-round and every season will give guests a different viewpoint of the space and the environment this hotel is located in. Each sphere was handcrafted and they are suspended like pendants with the help of a web of ropes. Stay in the Free Spirit Spheres for an enchanted coastal rainforest experience in a comfortable, gently swaying and restful sphere nestled high up in the forest.
Once you find your dream accommodation—whether you are an architect nut or not—hurry up and book your rooms and then consider travel insurance for protection against any cancellation fees. You never know what will happen before you depart for your trip and in the off-chance, you need to cancel your trip, or you arrive and they don’t have your reservation, having a travel insurance policy with Cover-More will protect you from unwarranted financial stresses