20 Best Strangest Hotels in the World

You can choose to spend your holidays at an all-inclusive resort without surprises, or you can indulge in an unforgettable and unusual stay at one of these unique and extravagant hotels.

Liberty Hotel, Boston

Formerly the Charles Street Jail, the Liberty Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, is an authentic prison-turned-hotel that housed some famous inmates, including Malcolm X and one of Boston’s former mayors, James Curley.

This luxurious establishment has retained traces of its prison past in the names of the rooms and dining areas. For example, one restaurant is named The Clink (La Taule) and the hotel’s cocktail bar is called The Alibi (L’Alibi), which is located in the former drunk tank of the prison.

The rooms offer all modern amenities: air conditioning, a safe, a minibar, evening shoe shine service, and concierge service. We bet the prisoners’ cells weren’t so welcoming.

Hotel Hackspett, Sweden

Hotell Hackspett—meaning “woodpecker” in Swedish—was created in 1998 by artist Mikael Genberg in Västerås, Sweden. It consists of a single chamber suspended by cables at a height of 13 meters above the ground, nestled in the branches of a 130-year-old oak tree. (Rest assured, no nails were used to secure the structure.)

Guests are hoisted to their place of stay using a system of pulleys and harnesses. The room offers a spectacular view of the public park where it is located, as well as Lake Mälaren. Since the comfort is rudimentary, with dry toilets and no electricity or heating, accommodation is only offered in summer.

Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finland

Do you dream of a sublime view of the Northern Lights combined with the comfort of a cozy bed in an igloo? The Kakslauttanen Hotel, located in Arctic Finland, offers many glass igloos. Couples and groups of friends can admire the dance of the Northern Lights from the warmth of their beds in the freezing Arctic night sky.

The glass igloos are available only during the Northern Lights season, from late August to late April. The Kakslauttanen Hotel also offers its guests traditional log cabins or ice igloos, allowing them to compare a night in the warmth of a sleeping bag with a night in an ice cave.

You can also take advantage of the hotel’s spa treatments, thanks to the steam baths and hot tubs located throughout the estate.

SiloStay, New Zealand

Dreaming of sleeping inside a silo? SiloStay could meet your expectations!

This complex, located in Christchurch amid farmland, includes nine individual silos designed for two people. The upper floor of each unit features a large bed and a bathroom with a shower, while a spiral staircase leads down to the ground floor, which houses the kitchen and dining area. Some units can even accommodate families. (If you suffer from claustrophobia, rest assured, there are windows.)

Designed by Stuart Wright-Stow and his “F3” design team, each silo is both environmentally friendly and innovative. The complex’s energy is provided by a wood pellet boiler, which can be seen from each unit.

Aurora Express, Alaska

Guests at the Aurora Express Bed & Breakfast are welcomed aboard Alaska Railroad cars that have been converted into a hotel and renovated in the style of the early 19th-century settlement of the state. You can also opt for a stay in one of the luxury cars, called “Golden Nellie,” “National Emblem,” “Gold Mine,” and “Maison Close.”

Regardless of where you are on the train, you and your fellow passengers will enjoy breathtaking views of the Greater Fairbanks area, the Tanana Valley, and the Alaska Range.

Crane Faralda Hotel, Netherlands

Located on Amsterdam’s waterfront, the Crane Hotel Faralda offers three luxury suites housed inside an old construction crane used on the docks. The lowest suite, the ‘Free Spirit,’ is suspended nearly 35 meters high, while the ‘Secret’ is 40 meters above the ground, and the ‘Mystique’ suite rises to almost 45 meters.

The three five-star suites include a living room and private bathroom on the first floor, with a bedroom on the second. At the top, guests can enjoy a jacuzzi, a bungee jumping platform, and a spectacular view of the docks below. At 15 meters above the ground, visitors can also have a drink at the panoramic lounge bar, Sky High.

No Man’s Fort, Portsmouth, England

Built 160 years ago off Portsmouth, No Man’s Fort (Fort Solent) is a former naval fortification from the Victorian era. Originally constructed to deter the French fleet, it provided proud service during both world wars.

After being decommissioned in 1956, the fort was transformed in 2009 into a four-star luxury hotel. The establishment now offers 23 luxurious suites, complete with jacuzzis, lounge bars, and casual or fine dining. Accessible by boat or helicopter, the structure boasts spectacular views of the English and French coasts.

Free Spirit Spheres, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia

This Canadian hotel stands out for several reasons: it’s adults-only, and the rooms are wooden spheres suspended from trees in a lush rainforest.

Located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, this arboreal resort is open year-round and offers unparalleled tranquility within three differently sized spheres, affectionately named Eve, Eryn, and Melody. At Free Spirit Spheres, guests have access to bathrooms and composting toilets on the ground floor, welcome snacks, freshly changed linens, a sauna, a BBQ, and a communal kitchen. Additionally, each sphere is equipped with integrated speakers and, most importantly, Internet access.

Auberge Dog Bark Park, Idaho

If you can’t live without man’s best friend, sleeping in a dog’s belly might be the perfect experience for you. Located in Cottonwood, the Dog Bark Park Inn is considered “the biggest beagle in the world,” as the building resembles a giant beagle!

A one-night stay includes a continental buffet breakfast, and guests can enjoy comfortable rooms that accommodate four and are equipped with full bathrooms, air conditioning, and a selection of books, games, and puzzles. There is no telephone or television, but internet access is available. To quote the hostel’s website, “At Dog Bark Park Inn, spending a dog’s night has a positive meaning!”

Hotel Costa Verde, Costa Rica

Can’t sleep a wink on a plane? In this one, it might be different. This old Boeing 727, transformed and converted into a luxurious two-bedroom suite, is grounded in the tropical jungle between Manuel Antonio National Park and the Pacific Ocean in Costa Rica.

Guests can enjoy everything Hotel Costa Verde has to offer: cliffside pools, sunbathing terraces, and a bar inside the aircraft fuselage. And there’s no queue for boarding; you are already at your destination!

Hilton Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Maldives

The Hilton Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is a spectacular and luxurious resort in the Maldives, an island state situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The resort offers open-air bungalows with transparent floors beneath your feet, allowing you to admire the depths of the ocean. If you want to sleep and dine among the fish (literally), there are also rooms and restaurants located underwater.

Hotel Magic Mountain, Chile

Nestled in the heart of Chile’s Huilo Huilo Nature Reserve, the Magic Mountain Hotel is an oddity worth checking out. The establishment, which is accessible only by a wooden bridge, is built in the shape of a giant volcano, its sides covered in green moss. A waterfall cascades from its summit, surrounded by lush rainforest, picturesque lakes and lagoons, pleasant hot springs, and towering mountain ranges.

Hang Guest House, Da Lat, Vietnam

Nicknamed “the Crazy House,” this one-of-a-kind hotel was designed and constructed by Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga in Da Lat, Vietnam. Its shape is reminiscent of a tree, and each room features an animal theme expressed through sculpted elements.

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai

The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is the fifth highest hotel in the world, with non-habitable areas comprising 39% of its height. It is a 7-star hotel shaped like a sail.

Its opulent interiors include an underwater restaurant-aquarium, a $23,000-a-night royal suite, and the iconic Skyview bar.

Lake Bâlea Ice Hotel, Romania

Located near Lake Bâlea in the Făgăraș Mountains, the famous Romanian Ice Hotel is rebuilt every year using 1.2-meter ice “bricks” harvested from the nearby lake.

It is unique in the truest sense, as it is given a different design each year. Considered one of the main tourist attractions in Transylvania, it also features a lounge bar and an ice cream bar-restaurant, in addition to igloos.

Vina Vik Hotel in Millahue, Chile

This 22-suite hotel and spa is situated atop a hill surrounded by Chile’s most prestigious vineyards. Each room has floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offer panoramic views of either the vineyards or the snow-capped peaks of the Andes.

Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico

What makes this breathtaking luxury hotel so exceptional is that it is built around a restored 19th-century bullring (the last bullfight took place in 1975). Today, the hotel’s restaurant overlooks the vast former bullring, while the bar occupies what was once the ring itself.

Skylodge Adventure Suites, Sacred Valley, Peru

Clinging to a granite slope overlooking the Urubamba Valley, these aluminum and polycarbonate capsules allow you to sleep in the sky within luxurious transparent cocoons. However, this experience must be earned: to stay at the Skylodge, you must climb 400 meters up the rock face via a ferrata or reach it via a steep hiking trail with ziplines.

Hotel Marques de Riscal, La Rioja, Spain

Architect Frank Gehry’s first (and only) hotel project, the Marqués de Riscal, is nestled in the heart of Spain’s renowned Rioja wine region. Massive ribbons of titanium complete the impressive avant-garde structure, following methods previously used by Gehry at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

El Cosmico, Marfa, Texas

Self-proclaimed as a “nomadic hotel,” El Cosmico offers different types of accommodations for those with a taste for adventure. Guests can choose to sleep in vintage caravans, safari tents, Sioux-style teepees, yurts, or camping tents.

Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, Huzhou, China

Also nicknamed “Le Donut,” the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring was designed by architect Ma Yansong. Located on Lake Taihu between Nanjing and Shanghai, this arched skyscraper consists of 27 floors above the water and two below, creating a complete oval structure.

Inntel Amsterdam Zaandam, Amsterdam

The façade of this hotel consists of nearly 70 superimposed houses, paying tribute to the traditional habitats of Amsterdam, from workers’ houses to townhouses. The establishment is located in the heart of the city and features rooms decorated to reflect local history. Additionally, there is a Turkish bath and a Finnish sauna.

Capsulevalue Kanda, Tokyo

This capsule hotel is a concept that originated in Osaka and has become popular throughout Japan. The “bedrooms” consist of berths aligned horizontally and vertically to maximize space. As the place offers limited amenities, guests primarily come here to get a good night’s sleep, freshen up, and move on!

Jumbo Stay, Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden

This former Jumbo Jet from the 1970s provides a unique accommodation experience. The plane has been completely converted into a hotel, offering something for all budgets—from rooms with adjoining bathrooms to budget dormitories, or luxurious rooms paired with the cockpit suite featuring panoramic views.

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

With a 360° view of the city of Udaipur, this stunning hotel resembles a white boat floating on the waters of Lake Pichola. The original palace, built in 1746, served as a vacation spot for the young prince, Maharana Jagat Singh II of Udaipur, and was frequented by the ‘zenana’ (women’s apartments).