Blog Marco

Hopefully one day I will get the chance to plan to visit and stay at one of these top ten quirky hotels:

1. Ice Hotel, Quebec Canada
A breathtaking hotel made of ice, features an ice chapel, theme suites, an ice bar, and an art gallery - with ice sculptures, of course. Activities include cross-country skiing, ice fishing, archery, snow-mobiling, snow tubing and dogsled driving. One traveller said: "It's like sleeping in a 5-star igloo."
The "icetablishment" is only open from January to April.

2. Malmaison Oxford Castle, England
Everything about the Malmaison Oxford Castle is authentic enough to make you feel as if you are in an actual prison, but with better company.

3. Fantasyland Hotel & Resort, Edmonton, Alberta
It's a shock to the senses but is a "perfect escape" especially for families, according to one guest. It boasts - all indoors - a 20,000sq-m water park, ice rink, golf course and roller coaster ride.

Why all the indoor activities? Remember this isn't Hawaii or the Riviera - Edmonton is in northern Alberta where temperatures can fall to 35 below zero in the snowy winter and it's snow and ice from October to April.

4. Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel, Manaus, Brazil
About 22m up into the treetops of the Amazon, this hotel has catwalks connecting the entire complex and activities including a jungle walk, swimming with dolphins and even piranha fishing.

Don't be surprised to see a wide variety of flora and fauna in this authentic jungle environment, where it's okay to hand-feed the monkeys and parrots.

5. Al Maha Desert Resort, Dubai
Set in the middle of the Dubai Desert, the resort is an oasis with luxurious accommodations, including private pools and an authentic "Bedouin" encampment design.

What to do: there's driving over the sand dunes, falconry and camel trekking, and the panoramic views of the Hajar Mountains are magnificent. Oryx and gazelles are known to come around the rooms at night and drink.

6. Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, Arizona
On historic Route 66, the Wigwams are actually teepee-style, cement tents. The bargain motel features the authentic feel of a 50s desert town-from the furniture, to the vintage cars in the parking lot and the sounds of the old locomotive passing through town.

The rates are also a blast from the past, with the average room costing about $US45 ($A59) a night.

7. Imperial Boat House, Ko Samui, Thailand
With 34 authentic teakwood rice barges converted into land-locked luxury suites, the Imperial Boat House on the beach is nautical nirvana. Lavish outdoor pools are surrounded by a lush and lovely garden.

A final touch: the beach-front, boat-shaped pool features cannons- no doubt, to keep pirates at bay.

8. Yunak Evleri, Urgup, Turkey
Carved out of a stunning mountain-side cliff, the honeycombed hotel includes six cave houses with rooms connected by narrow, maze-like passageways and stone stairways.

Decorated in Ottoman style, Yunek Evleri provides private patios offering dramatic views, outdoor archeological and what one visitors said was "the best baklava ever."

9. Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
The hotel is built around a 17th-century bullfighting ring - no longer operational, so leave the red cape at home - and has the feel of Old Mexico with its colonial architecture.

It faces Zacatecas's ancient arched aqueduct and the local village's quaint shops complete the unique experience. Be sure to enjoy the comfy robes which you can buy to take home.

10. Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California
A garish but charming, chalet-style inn, the hotel has 45 rooms with varying themes and colour schemes. To many travellers, it's a unique experience, especially with a famous waterfall urinal in the men's room.

Travel | Random Stuff | Marco's blog | bookmark | reddit | cosmos»