10 Most Unusual Hotels in the World

Hotels compete to make their guests' stay as comfortable as possible. But even softer beds, even more spacious bathrooms, and even more expensive finishes ultimately create roughly the same impression. The hotels on this list are a different story. Their entire appeal is built on the adventures associated with visiting them. A hotel in an airplane fuselage or one built entirely of ice? Give me both!

Deep Sleep, Wales

How about sleeping in a former slate mine? That's exactly the experience Deep Sleep offers in North Wales. The attraction is definitely not for claustrophobes: you'll have to descend to a depth of 419 meters. There are only three rooms: two standard with twin beds and one suite with a double bed.

Overall, staying here is more like an overnight excursion. First, you'll need to meet a guide and ascend into the mountains. Then guests will be given all the necessary equipment, including a headlamp and boots. Next, it will be time to say goodbye to the outside world and venture inside the world's largest and deepest abandoned slate mine. The route down through the old workings is steep and challenging. There are ancient miners' ladders, crumbling bridges, and various obstacles to overcome. At the end, a reward awaits you – dinner included in the price, and a night in a private cabin. In the morning, wake up at 8 o'clock, a light breakfast, and a long journey back up.

Desert Rock Resort, Saudi Arabia

This hotel has several accommodation options, each better than the last. There are quite conventional desert villas, houses hanging on cliffs, and rooms carved into the rock itself. If the Fremen on the planet Arrakis were not harvesting spice but had organized a luxury resort, it would look something like this.

These rooms have all amenities and even private pools. Frankly, compared to their authentic appearance, even the Royal villa, hidden in a secluded part of the valley, seems too trivial. But for the cave ceilings above modern interiors and the feeling of being detached from the world, it's worth getting tickets to Saudi Arabia.

LeapRus, Russia

Russia also has plenty of unusual hotels, but the most unique (in our humble opinion) is the high-altitude refuge on the southern slope of Elbrus. 3912 meters above sea level, with comfort almost like home. There are two residential modules – “Vostok” (East) and “Zapad” (West), each with 12 sleeping places. There are two more: one serves as a living-dining room, the second is technical, with bathrooms and a room for drying clothes.

Actually, you should go to LeapRus specifically for skiing. The accommodation price includes a ski pass and free snowmobile transfer from the cable car's final station and back. In the evening, you can upload photos and message friends, as LeapRus also has Wi-Fi. The easiest way to get to the refuge is by plane, so you'll need flights Moscow – Mineralnye Vody or Moscow – Nalchik.

Skylodge Adventure Suites, Peru

Sleep like in a condor's nest. Literally. Because Skylodge rooms hang from a mountain peak in Peru's Sacred Valley. Guests of this exclusive hotel must ascend via a Via Ferrata route. For those who don't know, this is a climbing method, but with metal handrails in all the right places to make the path easier.

Each capsule suite (and there are only three) has four beds, a dining area, solar-powered lighting, and a bathroom. Special overnight packages include breakfast, a gourmet dinner with wine, transfers, and private guide services.

Arctic Bath, Sweden

It was hard to imagine that the duo behind Treehotel beyond the Arctic Circle could come up with something more fantastic than mirrored cubes hidden in trees and giant bird nests where people could stay. But then Arctic Bath appeared. It's hard to describe the central building of this hotel. It's as if an ice giant from Jotunheim dropped a bundle of brushwood he was carrying to a large bonfire.

Next to this unusual spa with a variety of treatments – from hot saunas to swimming in an icy river – there is a Sami cuisine restaurant, as well as floating cabins and stilted houses on the shore. Add to this meditations in the cold led by a coach, nature walks, and the Northern Lights, and you get an unforgettable wellness experience.

Faralda Crane Hotel, Netherlands

Three luxury suites and a view of the IJ river.