Kemi, Finland
The Snow Castle of Kemi opens every winter in Kemi, Finland. It's the largest snow fort in the world, and it has to be rebuilt every year. But instead of complaining, they take the opportunity for an annual remodel with a new theme every season they open. The Snow Hotel uses sleeping bags to keep guests warm on a "good bed," presumably meaning it's not made of ice like a lot of ice hotels. There's also a Snow Restaurant and Ice Bar. Bring warm clothes, and you can have a stay like no other.
Belmopan, Belize
Owned by the Coppola family—yes, Francis Ford and Sophia and that Coppola family—this resort can be reached by a puddle-jumper. Otherwise, it's a bit out of the way. Amenities include a waterfall spa—that's a spa in a waterfall—with a pool heated by the hydroelectric power, as well as a staff trained at the Sacred Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok. If you want to get out and about, then you're in luck because the Blancaneaux Lodge is surrounded by gorgeous beaches and rainforests.
(image via uniquehotels)
Sisimiut, Greenland
This sprawling hotel is located right next to the Arctic Circle. From river fishing to dogsledding to guided sightseeing, Hotel Sisimiut is the best place to start exploring the icy wilderness. Its amenities are also nice—not spa-and-casino nice but more than comfortable—and the gourmet restaurant is a local favorite. It really is like a trip to another world, but you're going to have to spend several hours trekking across the snow to get there.
(image via greenlandtravel, CC)
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Volcanoes hold a certain fascination for those who appreciate the dangerous and otherworldly beauty they possess. But while plenty of volcanoes welcome tourists, there aren't many that'll let you live it up on the volcano Bond-villain style. That's where Volcano House comes in. From atop the rim of the Kilauea caldera, Volcano House is the only hotel inside Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park with a view of Halema'uma'u Crater right from their dining room.
(image via Hawaii On the Move)
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok Tree House is all about harmony with nature, to the point that "rooms" include a floating bed on a river and an open-air canopy bed overlooking the forest. Of course, if you want something more like a regular hotel room, they have that, too. Or, you can check out any of the other tree house hotels that we love.
(image via ingiio0)
The Solent, United Kingdom
Floating in the Solent off the Isle of Wight, No Man's Fort started life in the Victorian era as a naval defense, but now it's found a second life as a high-end hotel. With 22 guest rooms, including a penthouse in a lighthouse, No Man's fort is pretty exclusive. Visitors can enjoy water sports, a nightclub, laser tag, all kinds of games, and a driving range with biodegradable golf balls on top of the fort. There's also a wine bar and a spa.
(image via Facebook)
Key Largo, Florida
If you read that last entry and thought, "That's cool, but I'd trade the laser tag to be able to sleep underwater instead of on it," then Jules' Undersea Lodge is for you. You have to scuba dive 21 feet to enter the lodge, which was originally an undersea lab before it was converted into a hotel room. They'll train you so you're scuba certified before you go down, and they'll even deliver you pizza.
(image via datenighttour)
Chiang Saen, Thailand
The Four Seasons Golden Triangle resort is also an elephant sanctuary, so if you've got a soft spot for elephants, you're in the right place. Most of the accommodations are open-air tents, but they're incredibly large, luxurious tents with hardwood-and-leather furniture. After checking out the elephants, you can relax with a 90-minute massage or explore the wine cellar.
(image via Facebook)
Ottensheim, Austria
"Sewer Hotel" might not be something the average traveler rushes to try, but Das Park Hotel, near the banks of the Danube, is actually quite remarkable. The rooms are built from 9.5-ton segments of giant concrete sewer pipe. Now, you'll want to go at a temperate time of year—there's not much in the way of air conditioning—but the hotel is really cool. A local artist has decorated the inside of the "rooms," and they're locked with an electronic keypad. Visitors pay a donation based on what they think their stay was worth.
(image via Facebook)
Berlin, Germany
Here we find the second hotel with a Jules Verne-inspired name. Lars Strorschen was just renting out rooms in his house to help pay the bills, but he got bored. To up the ante, he created four themed rooms—the Symbol room, Orange room, Castle room, and Mirrors room. The hotel grew and now has 30 rooms, each one artistically unique and some incredibly intense—there's a room with a suspended bed, one modeled after a padded cell, and even a Goth-inspired room with coffin beds and a labyrinth.
(image via Facebook)
Uyuni, Bolivia
That's, right—Salt Palace. This hotel has free Wi-Fi, a buffet breakfast, and oh yeah—it's made entirely of salt. The ceiling, walls, floor, and even the furniture are constructed out of over 1 million blocks of salt. The hotel sits just outside of Uyuni in Bolivia's salt flats.
(image via weekonla)
Parthenon, Arkansas
Beckham Creek Cave Lodge has five rooms underground in some of Arkansas' famous caves. The rooms include central heating, whirlpool tubs, and rooms so visually striking that they'd rival the best of any interior designer. Originally, these caves housed a cabin used by outlaws and bootleggers. The founder of Celestial Seasonings bought it to use as a bomb shelter, but subsequent owners have made it far more welcoming. Unfortunately, Beckham Creek Cave Haven seems to be remodeling at the moment, but when it's ready, it's more than worth checking out.
(image via Facebook)
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
There comes a point where opulence counts as oddball, right? Atlantis, The Palm is the sister hotel to a similar resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. This striking hotel isn't only notable for its expansive size and opulent architecture, it also has the distinction of being located on a man-made archipelago the reaches out into the Persian Gulf. From its perch at the apex of Palm Jumeirah, so named because the peninsula resembles a palm frond, Atlantis looks out toward the lavish skyline of Dubai.
