Hotels

Capsule hotels are in vogue right now. The German tour company Rotel has always been ahead of the game by providing capsule hotels on wheels since 1945. No matter how much you enjoy staying in a five-star hotel, you will always be stationary, trapped in one district. So, to feed …

The activities available to guests and groups at the Langholmen Hotel are all about pretending to be a prisoner and making your escape from the island. You will learn skills such as teamwork, climbing, and marksmanship. Has no one told the staff that Langholmen is no longer a prison? I …

This hotel is constructed from two twelve-story towers - one in the middle of the track and one in the marina with a spidery structure (grid shell) linking them. There are two rooftop swimming pools. In addition, there is an enormous roof with thousands of sparkling, ever-changing LED lights to …

This unique hotel is exclusive. It has only 98 rooms at its premier location on Passeig de Gràcia – the most expensive street in Spain and home to its most stunning architecture. So prepare to book early. Your room has been decorated to an individual style by acclaimed designer, Patricia …

‘And I sentence you to be taken from here to Oxford Castle Prison where you will be hung from the neck until dead’ - is what guests of the Oxford Castle Prison would have heard before arriving at this imposing building. You, however, are far more likely to hear the …

There’s something inherently thrilling about being in a cave. The environment is so different from what we usually experience. In your cave-room, no outside sounds penetrate the thick rock walls and a deep peace settles your soul as you take to your bed for the night. Rooms are decorated in …

Unchanged since Tsarist Russia, for 100 years this prison served to brutalize those who fell foul of the Tsar and Communist Party. The place is said to be haunted. Perhaps you feel brave enough to take their tour. Just don’t blame your captors… I mean hosts when you see a …

Burj-al Arab Hotel was the first to call itself ‘7 Star’. Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi is the second. It would take a whole book to describe this place in detail - there’s so much to do. There is a helipad, a jogging track, and a water park. The …

Sveti Stefan is a fortified village built on an island connected to the Montenegro mainland by a thin causeway. It was originally a Muslim settlement built in the 15th century. When it became Christian, the 12 families living there fortified the village to protect it from the expansionist Ottoman Empire. …

This hotel is great for seeing Barcelona, one of Europe’s most energetic cities. Centrally located, you will find yourself with easy access to all the sights and attractions. Your room is decorated in the neoclassical style, which was popular in the 19th Century when the building was first erected. For …

"Here's Johnny!" Well, your concierge, actually; make sure you tip him well as you are about to take a room in the gorgeous and ghoulish Timberline Lodge, the location for the classic horror film, The Shining. Joking aside, this incredible structure was built entirely by hand in the 1930s, and …

If you are going to stay at the STF Eco Lodge, I suggest you wrap up warm and practice swinging an axe because you will be chopping your own firewood – that’s one way of keeping warm and getting your daily work-out done. Sorted. And you will be rewarded with …

URBN is China’s first carbon-neutral hotel combining modern architecture and Chinese aesthetics. Using recycled materials and uber-efficient design, its energy usage is so much more efficient than equivalent establishments. The hotel is situated next to the historic French Concession area of the city known for its delights and high-class restaurants, …

This hotel was named the ‘number one hotel to get naked in’ by Opodo. And if you can push the thought of all the hanky-panky your bed has endured from your mind, you may well enjoy your stay at this premier establishment in the heart of historic Edinburgh. The ‘Glasshouse’ …

This hut is owned by the Swiss Alpine Authority and was designed by professors and students of architecture and eco-design from Lucerne University and ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology). The crystal-shaped building is designed to make sunlight spiral inside while redistributing thermal body heat from occupants to heat …

I love Amsterdam. With street names like PC Hoofdstraat and the Vondelpark, I can imagine only the Von Trapps and Clogs - happy times. This hotel is one for all you philosophy lovers. So, get your heads out of the clouds you dreamers! Unless, of course, you are staying in …

Situated on a 48ft cliff jutting out into the Caribbean Sea, Casa Kimball is situated on 3 acres of lush property perfectly placed to catch the cooling Atlantic breezes while drenching itself in welcoming tropical sunshine. It is a single villa that can hold up to 18 guests and allows …

Forget staying in a hotel by the sea. How about staying in one in the sea? Your room in this unique hotel is on a floating platform in the beautiful Swedish fjords. Each 2-story unit was built off-site and towed to Klädesholmen where each piece was permanently moored ready for …

The idea behind this trendy capsule hotel chain with locations in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi, Fukuoka, and Miyagi, is that you get to sleep for 9 hours. Of course, if sleeping for 9 hours is your idea of ultimate luxury, you work too hard. Anyway, the concept here is simplicity and …

Unusual? Yes. Unique? Possibly. Most hotels are made from bricks and cement or concrete and steel, this one is made from ice and snow. Skilled ice artisans (or should that be icetisans?) build the hotel every winter slightly differently each time. If you want to volunteer to help them, apply …