100 Unique Hotels in East Asia

Rising above the fluffy clouds of South Korea's largest metropolis, home to ten million people, Lotte World Tower is an architectural icon of the city. It's the country's tallest tower and 6th tallest in the world, with its peak scratching the sky at a staggering 556 meters (1,823 ft) height. …

With soaring property prices in Japan's capital, hotels are forced to innovate and squeeze out the most of each square foot of space. While traditional hostels might scare away the more conservative crowd, MyCUBE does not compromise essential privacy. Their fully enclosable capsules are spacious and well equipped. The unique …

J Hotel Shanghai, which opened in mid-2021, became China's top spot to spend the night. The hotel is hosted atop of Shanghai Tower – China's tallest and the world's third tallest skyscraper at 632 meters (2073 feet) – and it claims the title of the highest hotel in the world. …

Woah, Intercontinental has gone all out on this one! Looking at the visuals of InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, you might be forgiven for thinking that these are stills from a futuristic blockbuster movie and not actual photos! But this place is real, and you can book a stay in the resort …

Marriott group's launch of the Moxy brand in Japan signifies a new era in sleek and funky accommodation. Moxy hotels are geared towards fun-loving travelers with their playground-like interiors. The cooperation with the local-based studio Wise Labo resulted in a complete revamp of an 11-story warehouse and showroom in a …

Nagasaki Prefecture's Hirado Castle opened Japan's first "shirohaku" castle stay. It's located in the historic hilltop castle from the 18th century with panoramic views across the Hirado Strait. In 1599, Matsura Shigenobu, a local warlord, constructed a castle called Hinotake-jō on this site. He then burned it down in 1613. …

The first capsule hotel in the world, Capsule Inn Osaka (New Japan Umeda), opened in 1979 and has been enticing guests ever since. The capsule concept was the brainchild of Kisho Kurokawa. In 1972, he designed a residence called "Capsule House K". It was an early conceptualization of a revolutionary …

Alila's third and newest hotel in China is located in the historic town of Wuzhen that's often referred to as the Venice of the East. It lies between three megacities - Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Shanghai – each has a population of over 10 million. The scenic town is famous for …

Concept cars tend to look so futuristic and progressive that they never make it into production in the shape they were showcased at car shows. Shiki-Shima train is the concept car of trains, but somehow it managed to get approved by the East Japan Railway Company, and now anyone can …

Maebashi, the city of water, greenery, and poets, has seen a remarkable transformation from silk manufacturing to pioneer Japan's modernization. Shiroiya Hotel has seen a similar metamorphosis from a Japanese ryokan (inn) with 300 years of history into an inspirational contemporary creation. The original inn's rough concrete walls remind its …

Morpheus Hotel is straight out of Matrix. The Zaha Hadid-designed building part of the City of Dreams casino complex strikes as a machine-generated dream world. Exposed exoskeleton mesh structure facade, high-speed panoramic elevators zooming up and down, welcome to the futuristic vision of Macau! Luckily you won't have to choose …

Tokyo Kiba Hotel differs from most capsule hotels because it offers double rooms and couples' accommodation. It also provides the unusual experience of buying fresh underwear from a vending machine… which is a novelty if you are a Westerner. Also uncommon for foreigners is that bathing suits are banned from …

Built in 1979 under the name of Galaxy Hotel, the RedDot Hotel in Taiwan was refurbished in 2014 with a creative and playful ambiance. And boy does it impress! This hotel has a slide for those who wish to have their childhood dreams come true. You can choose your rooms …

The exquisite Art Paradiso Boutique Hotel is in the Jung District of Incheon, right next to the Incheon International Airport. It's part of the massive Paradise City art and entertainment complex. The uniqueness starts with the way of getting there. You will travel between the airport and the hotel on …

The recently opened Hotel Zen Tokyo has taken the popular capsule-style accommodation from Japan and brought it to a new level. Located in Nihonbashi Ningyocho, or "Doll town" as the locals call it, it's one of the most traditional parts of Tokyo, and it's got a great connection with the …

Located on the boardwalk in Gangneung, South Korea, the Haslla Art World Museum Hotel was created to be a piece of artwork itself. The architecture and design represent a harmonious balance between art and nature. There are 24 unique guestrooms inside. The areas in the front of the hotel feature …

Most tourists leave Hong Kong with an impression of a fascinating but overcrowded and hectic metropolis. While this is true of some districts — Mong Kok is one of the most densely populated places in the world, for example — that’s just one side of the city. Venture a little …

Housed in an ex-Russian aircraft carrier, the Kiev, this ship-turned-hotel offers 148 guest rooms for travelers looking for a unique stay. The luxury hotel is part of Binhai Aircraft, an 861,113 square feet (80,000 square meters) military theme park that opened in 2004 in east Tianjin, China. The interiors are …

Park Hyatt Tokyo combines the chain's signature luxury with a local flavor. Despite being in the chaotic Shinjuku district, full of locals and travelers, the hotel offers a soothing, calm atmosphere. The hotel became internationally famous after Sofia Coppola's cult movie Lost in Translation was shown in cinemas in 2003. …

Located in China’s Yongding County, the Tulou Fuyulou Changdi Inn is known as an “earth building.” The Hakka people built China's tulou, a Han subgroup that ventured into southern China about 2,000 years ago. Between the 12th and 20th centuries, these communal earthen buildings housed large families, providing protection from …