Unusual Hotels

I came across this web site that has a list of unusual hotels. I am not sure what criteria they use. I always thought that the Madonna Inn would rate highly on a list like this. But it is pretty far down the list. Below I have shown a few of my favorites. If you go to the site, you can find many more and more elaborate descriptions of each hotel.


The Utter Inn in Vasteras, Sweden. The room is actually underwater; you enter the entryway (seen above) then descend 10 feet or so into the room. The whole thing floats in a lake.

The guests of Otter Inn arrive at the port of Vasteras and they are taken the 1 km out on the lake Malaren with an inflatable boat, they get instructions and are then left alone. If they have selected the deluxe version they will get a visit later with their supper. They have the opportunity to use an inflatable canoe to visit the closest uninhabited island. Most have enough courage to swim and sunbath and watch the fish (both upstairs and downstairs) at the hotel. There is a remarkable feeling to go to bed while the fish are surrounding and watching you carefully. You are in an aquarium - for fish to be beholders of man. Often boats come quite close to get a glance of the daring inhabitants. Swedish boatpeople are however always very polite and never takes more than two trips around your room!!!

Kokopelli's Cave in Farmington, New Mexico.

Kokopelli’s Cave Bed & Breakfast is a privately owned luxury cliff dwelling, being at one with the earth takes on new meaning at Kokopelli’s Cave Bed & Breakfast. The cave and cliff tops provide panoramic vistas of Shiprock and the Chuska Mountain of the Navajo reservation, as well as views of the Ute Mountains to the northwest, the Carrizo Mountains of Arizona, and the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

This 1,650 square foot, one-bedroom cave home carved from a 65-million year old sandstone formation 280 feet above the La Plata River is furnished with plush carpeting, Southwestern style furniture and accents, hot and cold running water, a well-appointed kitchen including microwave and washer/dryer, cascading waterfall-style shower, and a flagstone hot tub!

The cave is 70 foot below the surface... the equivalent of a 7 story building "If you are coming with luggage for an overnight, you can see it's an advantage to pack light because there are no elevators."

The entrance is located in the cliff face and is reached by walking down a sloping path and intermittent steps cut into the sandstone along the pathway. There is a short ladder at the bottom of the path with three wooden steps that land you on the flagstone porch and the front entrance to Kokopelli's "digs.

One for my wife. Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood, Idaho. This structure is a 2 story room.

With the two big dogs signaling your arrival to Dog Bark Park visitors may walk the grounds, browse the gift shop and artists' studio featuring the whimsical chainsaw artwork of husband/wife artists Dennis and Frances. Canine carvings are a specialty although visitors are apt to find fish, feline, bear, moose and Lewis & Clark themed carvings as well. At Dog Bark Park the artists enjoy sharing dog, travel and life stories as well as assisting visitors in planning their vacations.

• Sleeps four: Queen bed.
• Two twin foldout futon mattresses in loft.
• Full bath
• Microwave
• Small refrigerator
• Coffee maker
• Clock radio
• Hair dryer
• Books, games, puzzles
• Breakfast
• No phone or television

Woodlyn Park in Otorohanga, New Zealand. The picture above does not look nearly as impressive as the descriptions below:

Woodlyn Park has 3 amazing self catering options:

• A 1950’s Bristol Freighter Plane fully refurbished into 2 beautiful self contained motel units. This plane was one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam and is the only accommodation of its type in the world.
  
• "The Waitomo Express" is a 1950's Rail Carriage beautifully refurbished into a completely self contained motel unit. Having 3 separate rooms, the Waitomo Express sleeps up to 6 people with 1 Double Bed, 2 Single Beds and 1 Double Pullout Couch.
• Worlds First Hobbit Underground Motels with circular windows - straight out of middle earth!!! Built alongside the now well established Train Carriage and Aeroplane Motels, the Hobbits add yet another dimension to this unique complex.