Icehotel โ Rebuilt Every Winter from Arctic Ice
Since 1990, local Sami craftspeople and international artists have gathered in Swedish Lapland to sculpt the world's first ice hotel from 5,000 tonnes of river ice. Each of the 15+ art suites is unique, never repeated. You sleep on a block of ice at -5ยฐC, snug in Arctic sleeping bags. Warm suites are also available.
Free Spirit Spheres โ Hand-Crafted Hanging Orbs
Three wooden spheres โ Eve, Eryn and Melody โ are suspended 6m above the forest floor in a coastal temperate rainforest, connected by rope bridges and spiral staircases. They sway gently, creak with the trees and lull you to sleep. Each sphere has a bed, sink, and skylight for stargazing.
The Manta Resort โ Underwater Bedroom in the Indian Ocean
A floating structure anchored in a secluded lagoon. The top deck is for sunbathing, the middle for lounging, and the bedroom descends below the ocean surface. Panoramic windows reveal the teeming reef life of the Indian Ocean โ octopus, lobster, reef sharks and hundreds of tropical fish put on a show all night.
Skylodge โ Transparent Capsules Bolted to a 400ft Cliff
Three aerospace-aluminium and polycarbonate capsules cling to a sheer cliff face above Peru's Sacred Valley. You reach them by climbing the cliff face (via ferrata) or zip-lining across the canyon. Inside, gourmet dinners are prepared by local chefs and brought up by rope. At night, the entire Milky Way fills your transparent ceiling.
Sala Silvermine โ The World's Deepest Hotel Room at 155m
Carved into a 16th-century silver mine, this suite sits 155 metres underground in a constant 1.8ยฐC chill. The room is furnished with antique beds, candelabras and Persian rugs. Guests arrive via mine shaft and spend the night in absolute silence. The deepest and quietest hotel room on Earth โ it's officially registered in the Guinness Book of Records.
Kokopelli's Cave B&B โ Real Cave Dwelling, 70ft Underground
A retired geologist blasted and carved a 1,650 sq ft apartment into a sandstone cliff face. You sleep underground in a furnished cave complete with a waterfall shower, kitchen and stunning views of the La Plata Mountains through the cliff-face entrance. Indigenous artefacts are embedded in the walls. Entirely self-contained and utterly surreal.
Null Stern Hotel โ Zero Walls, Zero Roof, Just the Alps
Provocatively rated "zero stars" because it has no walls, no roof and no ceiling โ just a double bed placed directly in an Alpine meadow at 1,800 metres. A personal butler brings breakfast. The "hotel room" has been placed in a new Alpine location each summer since 2009. Rain policy: there is none. Bring a raincoat โ or don't.
Dog Bark Park Inn โ Sleep Inside a 12-Metre Wooden Dog
Two chainsaw artists spent years carving "Sweet Willy" โ the world's largest beagle sculpture โ out of wood, then made it into a B&B. You sleep in the dog's belly, with extra sleeping space in the snout. It's absurdist, adorable and surprisingly cosy. The grounds are full of chainsaw-carved dogs. Possibly the most American thing that exists.
The Mirrorcube โ An Invisible Treehouse in Arctic Sweden
A silver cube clad entirely in reflective glass, suspended 4m above the ground among birch trees. From outside, it's nearly invisible โ the forest reflects perfectly in every panel. Inside is a double room with a bridge connecting to the nearby treetop walkway and rooftop terrace. Part of the legendary Treehotel resort.
Giraffe Manor โ Rothschild Giraffes at Your Breakfast Table
The most photographed hotel in Africa. A 1930s Scottish hunting lodge where a resident herd of endangered Rothschild giraffes poke their long necks through the upstairs windows at breakfast time. Each of the 12 rooms is unique, the food is exceptional, and the giraffes are absolutely unreal. One of Africa's most bucket-list experiences.
Das Park Hotel โ Sleep in a Repurposed Sewage Pipe
Repurposed concrete drainage pipes, each 2.5m in diameter, are converted into tiny but comfortable sleeping pods on the banks of the Danube. Designed by artist Andreas Strauss as a pay-what-you-want concept hotel, each pod has a bed, storage and mood lighting. This is minimalist travel at its most extreme โ and most beautiful.
Winvian Farm โ Sleep Inside a Real 1968 Military Helicopter
Perched in the forest canopy on a purpose-built platform, a 1968 Sikorsky HH-52A helicopter has been converted into a luxury suite with a real king-sized bed, private deck and handsome Litchfield Hills woodland views. One of 18 unique cottage suites at the five-star Winvian Farm โ every single one is completely different.
The Woodsman's Treehouse โ A Five-Star Stay in the Canopy
Designed by award-winning architect Jonathan Tuckey, this extraordinary treehouse in a private Dorset woodland features a wood-fired sauna, hot tub, sunken bath and a kitchen stocked with local produce. Climb the spiral staircase to the stargazing platform. Featured in Condรฉ Nast Traveller's best treehouses in the world โ multiple years running.
Keemala โ Luxury Bird's Nest Villas in the Jungle Canopy
Inspired by the mythology of an ancient clan of sky dwellers, Keemala's Bird's Nest Pool Villas are woven cocoons suspended among the jungle canopy with their own private plunge pool and jungle terrace. The resort spans four distinct "clans" with different architectural styles, all connected by jungle walkways. Genuinely dreamy.
Sidi Driss Hotel โ Luke Skywalker's Underground Home
The exterior of the Lars Homestead โ where young Luke Skywalker grew up on Tatooine โ was filmed right here. The Sidi Driss hotel is a real Berber troglodyte cave dwelling carved into the desert rock, with traditional whitewashed chambers descending into underground courtyards. Star Wars memorabilia fills the halls.
Woodlyn Park Hobbit Motel โ A Real Hobbit Hole to Sleep In
Built into a hillside with round doors and windows, this authentic-feeling hobbit hole was built before Peter Jackson's Hobbiton โ making it the real original. Also on site: accommodation in a WWII patrol boat, a Boeing 747, and a Bristol Freighter aircraft. Owner Brian Doughty is a New Zealand national treasure.
Conrad Maldives Muraka โ Two-Storey Underwater Suite
The world's first two-storey underwater residence. The upper level sits above the Indian Ocean with an outdoor deck and private pool; the lower level descends beneath the surface with a 180-degree panoramic bedroom surrounded by coral reef and marine life. Personal chef, butler and a master bedroom that exists in both worlds at once.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort โ Sleep Under the Northern Lights
Finland's most famous glass igloo resort. Each thermal glass igloo has a panoramic ceiling designed for watching the Northern Lights from your bed. The resort offers igloo villages, log cabins and the world's largest smoke sauna. During winter, temperatures hit -30ยฐC โ making the aurora-lit skies even more otherworldly.
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