In the mood for a vacation that’s unique, strange or a even a bit bizarre? Check out these not-to-missed options: 
Perched near the Arctic Circle in Sweden, the Ice Hotel is, as you might guess, a hotel made of ice. Several room options are available, from “cold room” options that include sleeping on actual blocks of ice (brr!) or reindeer skins to the “warm room” options with designs that look like they’re ripped out of an IKEA catalog. Choose the cold room and you’ll be warmed in the morning by a delivery of hot lingonberry juice, welcome respite after the 5 degree night.
White Cliffs Hotel
White Cliffs in New South Wales will put you up in an underground hotel carved out as opal mines. The room rental includes a free tour of the mine and an unforgettable stay in Australia’s outback. Photo courtesy Gourmettraveler.
Cappadocia Cave Suites
Weird but also wonderful are the Cappadocia Cave Suites in Turkey, carved during Hittite, Byzantine and Roman days, but now used as lodging. Your ancient room, nestled among caves used as places of worship, includes wifi and an espresso machine.
Dog Bark Park Inn
Right here in the USA in Cottonwood, Idaho, is the Dog Bark Park Inn which is in the shape of a gigantic beagle. Enter the body of the dog through a private deck, then check out your spacious room, which comes with homemade pastries and granola. The hotel’s website includes this incredible quote from former guests: “Our girls had a fabulous time in the dog’s head.”
Tree House Lodge in Costa Rica
In case you like a more aerie like environment we recommend a tree house in Costa Rica.
Skye Lighthouse is now a hotel
Some prefer the sound of crashing waves and beach access. In that case check into the Skye Lighthouse, in Scotland. Photo courtesy of Jon & Allison.
Luxor Hotel, Las Vegas
If you prefer more action, nightlife and well, gambling then Las Vegas offers all sorts of strange hotels, with the most wierd and my favorite– the Luxor. It is so American to think we can replicate the pyramids.
Genting Highlands Hotel in Kuala Lumpur
Or if you just want more than just a little local color, go to Kuala Lumpur for a rainbow-like stay. I think it looks like a child’s painting, full of whimsy. Photo courtesy of CLF.
Marques de Riscal
I also love the flowing lines this luxury Starwood Resort in Elciego, Spain. The architect is of course, Frank O. Gehry. He is never dull. Photo courtesy of whomsie.
Underwater Hotel in Itanbul, Turkey (under construction)
And finally, we return to the sea, with an underwater hotel, slated to be finished in 2010, but don’t hold your breath.
Want even more weird hotels? Read the “More Weird Hotels” follow-up post.
23 Responses
What a great collection!
Alaska guy sez: The ice hotel looks like my house if someone leaves the door open!
Very cool stuff here. I’ve stumbled and will put up on Twitter!
George
Tumblemooses last blog post..Write like you’re dying
Can’t make my mind up my favourites would either be the Cappadocia Cave Suites in Turkey, or the Underwater Hotel in Turkey when that is completed of course.
The ice hotel does look great! I’d stay there if I could sub in hot chocolate instead of hot lingonberry juice.
I love these weird hotels. I will try them if I have chance.
But I even more like hotels with interesting history, Or with interesting theme. Of course, Weird hotels are a kind of theme hotels too.
iWalks last blog post..How Can We Find Fantastic Christmas & New Year Gifts
iwalk–what hotel with an interesting history do you like best?
As someone who is continually cold, the ice hotel sounds like a night in hell. However, the treehouse hotel in Costa Rica would be awesome!!
Lunchbox Obsesseds last blog post..Lunchbox Banana Saver
Great post!! I think any of those places would be fun to stay at for a night.
surfer Jerrys last blog post..Old Exorcism Kit
interesting hotels and pictures. thanks for posting!
I think that the costarica tree houses are actually from Turkey
I’ve been to the Skye lighthouse and they neglect to mention the 400-500 feet stairs, and 3/4-1 mile walk from the bottom of the stairs to the lighthouse. However it is a very very beautiful location.
I’m missing the Desert Cave Hotel - a hotel in an old opal mine, Coober Peady, Australia. It surely belongs to the list…
http://www.desertcave.com.au/
Flemming Mahlers last blog post..Security can be easy
I would throw in Crazy House, in Dalat, Vietnam. Probably the cheapest of them all and it makes you feel like you just stepped into Wonderland.
http://community.iexplore.com/planning/journalEntryAccommodation.asp?JournalID=43581&EntryID=18236&n=Crazy+House
Ottawa Canada has a hostel in an old prison where you sleep in the cells. It has an execution room in the top floor.
I absolutely love the underwater hotel in Turkey. I am looking into places to go on my honeymoon and I think I have found exactly where I want to go. I just hope no one swims by my room!
[...] response to our last post on weird hotels around the world, we got a few suggestions we thought we should include. Crazy [...]
We use the Dog Bark Park hotel for some of family clients. The kids laugh it up! It is near some great white water rafting and Huckleberry picking. We were shocked to see others know about it! Idaho has lots of zany and fun places to stay. We have teepees too
the underwater hotel is awsome
WOW, nice post, that tree hotel is sick….
i m really really surprise because i never thing this type of natural things are in this earth
thanks for post
That ice hotel looks…cool. Get it? Cool? Great collection of weird hotels here,
Many of these places look like so much fun! Would love to hit some of these one day…just for the adventure of it.
[...] Ice Hotel, one our favorite Weird Hotels Around the World, announced that they’re working with Virgin Galactic to send paying travelers into [...]
i wana bang on the underwater hotels bed it would be pretty sweet!!!!!!! :}