A Mecca of igloos near the Northern lights
Be it for fun, for adventure or for enjoying the natural beauty, travelling has always been about being outdoors. Hotels have been synonymous with luxury and a tight sleep after a long day of adventures. But for someone who has been travelling for a while, every hotel begins to look the same – unless, that is, one has booked an unusual place to stay.
For those who are bored with the standard overnight setup, here are six unique hotels in different parts of the world that can turn even a lazy evening of sloughing on the bed into an unforgettable experience.
Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
A social experience with some very unique guests
Giraffe Manor is a boutique hotel located on 12 acres of land right by Ngong forest – one of hidden charms of the Kenyan capital Nairobi. An iconic building in pristine surroundings, the uniqueness of the manor is underscored by its resident Rothschild giraffe population, who roam the grounds freely and make for excellent hosts.
In fact, these humble herbivores will even share your breakfast with you, if that’s your thing. A throwback to the exploratory days of Danish adventurer and author, Karen Blixen, Giraffe Manor is located close to her former home (now turned museum) in the eponymous Karen area of Nairobi.
Pioneertown Motel, California, USA
Going back to the wild ways of Butch Cassidy and Billy the Kid
California’s Pioneertown was founded in 1946 by Hollywood actors Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Theirs was a dream to create a film location that mirrored a town from the Wild West while doubling as a lodging for Western movie stars.
Pioneertown contains a classic salon, jail and horse tethering spaces outside its quaint boutiques. Whilst the heyday of the settlement may be long gone (it was the location for the shooting of numerous films and series in the late 1940s and 50s), there is still plenty of Western culture to indulge in here. Treat yourself to a generous portion of spareribs as you enjoy live music in the desert sun and round off your experience with a night at the local motel, designed in the old western style.
Knights’ Glamping, Chelmsford, United Kingdom
Live like a knight for a night at Leeds Castle
Knight’s Glamping is a journey back to The Middle Ages – an immersive experience that omits modern conveniences in favour of feasts over open fire pits and tented accommodation. Located by Leeds Castle, tourists live here like the knights of yesteryears did – minus the shining armour and warhorse.
Knights didn’t take showers but tourists can – in walking distance from the campsite. They also have free access to Leeds Castle and its grounds during the entire duration of their stay. Explore its maze, underground grotto and halls at will as you retrace the steps of Henry VIII.
Henn na Hotel, Nagasaki, Japan
Experience the future in Nagasaki
Welcome to a future run by robots -sans the cumbersome errors of mankind. Of course, all of this takes place in Japan, a hub of technological development for years now. Everything from the check-in to getting bags carried to one’s room, is administered robotically, with facial recognition replacing key cards and room keys. In fact, robot hosts can do just about everything, including providing guests with weather updates or even detecting emotions through voice and comforting them through a conversation.
But there’s more – the two wings of Nagasaki’s Henn na Hotel flaunt a blend of impeccable design and high-tech internal climate solutions that combine excitement with comfort -each in its own unique way.
Hotel Costa Verde, Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Peaceful sleep inside a plane that doesn’t take off
Never been able to sleep on a plane? Travellers won’t be able to say that any longer after staying at Costa Rica’s Hotel Costa Verde, set up inside an aircraft that to belonged to Avianca Airlines. Guests can spend the night in a retrofitted Boeing 727 of 1965 vintage that’s been turned into a two-bedroom luxury guesthouse.
While the distinctive fuselage shape is intact, the interior is completely panelled with local teak. Windows offer jungle and ocean views throughout the plane, which rests on 50-foot-tall supports and covered patios extend over the wings. The bedrooms have air-conditioning and each has its own bathroom. Have dinner in the kitchenette, or enjoy local fare and drinks at El Avión, Hotel Costa Verde’s restaurant and pub housed in a C-123 Fairchild cargo plane that played a part in the Iran-Contra Affair of the 1980s.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Lapland, Finland
The coruscating dance of the Northern lights against the night sky is a spectacle to behold. At Lapland’s Hotel Kakslauttanen, guests can appreciate their mystical qualities all night long from the warmth of their glass cabin, shaped in the form of an igloo. One can easily get immersed in the glass igloos, miraculous northern lights or even the midnight sun at this world-renowned spot.
The cabins act as a warm and cosy hideaway amid the cold and wilderness. The hotel advises that autumn is the best season to stare at the lights, the majestic surroundings or even to pierce through the snowy Arctic jungles. When one is tired of stargazing, they can venture out into the Arctic wilderness on a reindeer safari, visit Santa’s busy office or tear through the snow on a snowmobile.
