10 of the world’s weirdest hotels – From hamster dens to beds made of sand here is our guest writers choice for 10 of the world’s strangest hotels on the planet:
Jailhouse Accommodation, New Zealand
Some people travel for the sun, others for the cultural experience, but not many people spend their holidays in a prison. Not out of choice anyway… But thankfully, for those crazy enough to do so, prison hotels do exist -well, hostels do at least. The Jail House hostel in Christchurch New Zealand prides itself on its colourful history and it made it through all of the recent earthquakes intact.
- To book, check prices or availability for The Jail House
IKEA Sovhotell, Sweden
If you’ve spent a weary day shopping and fancy a quick nap, then the Ikea Sovhotell has the answer! The Sovhotell can be found in Swedish shopping mall and it’s the perfect solution to tired legs (and eyes!). Calming music will lull you to sleep while you sink into the comfy beds, and with a bridal suite also on offer, there truly is something for everyone.
Hotel Pozo Azul Tent Suites, Costa Rica
But if sleeping in shopping malls isn’t your style, then how about these tent suites in the mountains of Costa Rica? This isn’t traditional camping; these tents come complete with a direct dial telephone, wireless internet and a balcony. Nature and comfort, what more could you want?
- To book, check prices or availability for the Pozo Azul Tent Suites
Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finland
For our fourth hotel we have to head a little further north, all the way to the Arctic in fact. But if you’re looking for the perfect Christmas Lapland experience, then this may be the ideal place to go. In fact in winter you can even stay in a futuristic glass igloo and watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed. If it starts to get chilly you can always head over to the smoke sauna, and why not hang out at the snow chapel or the ice bar in the evening.
- To book, check prices or availability for Hotel Kakslauttanen
Winvian, USA
But if one strange hotel just isn’t enough, then why not head over to the Winvian for a truly bizarre getaway. With rooms shaped like the inside of a helicopter and a beaver’s den, it’s sure to be a very unique experience!
- To book, check prices or availability for Winvain
Rangali Islands Resort, Maldives
While this underwater room is a restaurant by day, as part of their wedding package you can stay underwater for your honeymoon night. But with their luxurious bedrooms rumoured to be priced around the $2000 mark, this is definitely one for those who like to splash their cash. With plans for an underwater hotel in Dubai also underway, perhaps sleeping above sea level has become overrated.
- To book, check prices or availability for Rangali Islands Resort
Propeller Island City Lodge, Germany
Just like the Winvian, this hotel can’t quite get enough of being strange. You can live out your lifelong dream of sleeping in a coffin, or wake-up in a room where everything is turned topsy turvy; their mirrored rooms are perfect if you’re always obsessing over your reflection, while the floating beds will quite literally allow you to drift away.
- Albrecht-Achilles-Straße 58, 10709 Berlin, Germany
Villa Hamster, France
The names of some hotels can’t always be taken literally, but this one most certainly can. The Villa Hamster in France is the perfect retreat if you’ve always dreamed of being a small rodent; you can sleep on a woodchip bed by day and run around on your person sized hamster wheel at night. There are no guarantees that you’ll get a peaceful night’s sleep, but surely that’s all part of the experience?
- To book, check prices or availability for Villa Hamster
Divorce Hotel, Netherlands
On first impressions the name of this hotel may seem like it’s bad for business, but in fact the divorce hotel has a rather clever way of drawing in customers. The hotel speeds up the divorce process over a single weekend, so that a husband and wife can arrive as a married couple, and then head off their separate ways. It’s a clever way of shortening what can often be a long and painful process and business is apparently booming!
- For more information contact info@divorcehotel.com
Sandcastle Hotel, UK
Many weird and wonderful hotels have appeared on this list, but the strangest of all can be found in the UK. In the summer of 2008 a sandcastle was built in Dorset, but not just any sand castle – a people sized one. For just £10 a night, you could lie on your own sandy bed; gazing up at the stars as you prayed that the tide didn’t wash you out to sea.
Written by guest writer Gavin Harvey.
14 Comments
Debbie
1 August, 2015 at 9:05 pmI’m always looking for cool, unique hotels to stay at. The crazier, the better! This gives me a ton of ideas 😉 Thanks!
Costa Rica Resorts
12 December, 2013 at 7:30 pmHave you ever been in Costa Rica? I think many hotels in Costa Rica should be on this list lol.
Rangali Islands Resort is an impressive place, I would like to visit it as soon as possible. Thanks for sharing your information, this list will be the dream vacation of many people.
C.K
22 May, 2013 at 10:12 pmMy first thought the coffin one makes my skin crawl. My second thought Vampires O__o that must be their hotel of choice! Just kidding. These are some pretty interesting hotels though it’d be cool to stay at one just to say I did.
Richard Thompson
2 May, 2013 at 8:29 pmThe divorce hotel is so interesting! Clearly they were on to something if it is so popular. This is an awesome list, for some reason I’m addicted to top 10’s. Love the site!
Tina
12 December, 2012 at 1:57 amRangali Islands Resort looks great, Nice place to visit.
Tonio
20 November, 2012 at 3:22 pmI spent two nights in the jail house in Christchurch last year. Not that I was especially attracted by jail but it wasn’t more expensive than others backpackers so why not…
Anyway I didnt really feel like to be in a old jail so I was a bit disappointed.
Kar
18 November, 2012 at 12:06 amHahah, A sand castle hotels? Okay, So I’ve only been to Dorset once..Next time I go I might pick the sandcastle hotel! Just hope it doesn’t rain…
Jennifer Cooper
17 November, 2012 at 4:08 amI can’t believe you can stay in a Jail House in Christchurch! Maybe I’ll try it when I’m over there in January and let you know how it was. If I start saving now maybe I’ll also get to stay in the under water hotel in the Maldives for my honeymoon…maybe….just maybe…
Jamie Rose
15 November, 2012 at 11:17 amAwesome post – a friend of mine actually stayed at the Jail House hostel in Christchurch. Said it was fantastic.
Graham
16 November, 2012 at 2:15 pmThanks Jamie, love how they’ve kept it almost to its original use.
Sofie - wonderfulwanderings.com
15 November, 2012 at 9:24 amSuch a cool post!
I’d love to cuddle up in a bed as a shopping break:D
Graham
15 November, 2012 at 4:29 pmThanks Sofie, I think they should have an Ikea Sovhotell in every shopping mall!
Lizzie
14 November, 2012 at 1:23 pmEeesh that coffin one is weird! So is the hamster one.. but it is also slightly intriguing. Makes you wonder who came up with these ideas! I definitely wouldn’t mind staying in the tents in Costa Rica though 😀
Graham
16 November, 2012 at 2:16 pmThere’s definitely some crazy hotels around, makes life much more interesting!