I happen to come across some of the most unique and eccentric hotels during my travels. And by unique, I don't mean luxurious or comfortable, but rather exceptional in the concept and the history behind it. Like spleeping on a ship, an ancient brewery, or an Andalusian Palace. Here are six of the most unique hotels I stayed in while traveling. And more in my bucket list. |
Located in the heart of Stockholm, just few minutes from the Gamla Stan 'Old Town, this ship was built in 1924 for a millionaire from New York. Back then, it was the largest diesel driven yacht. It was given away to the Royal English Navy. During the second world war the ship was anchored very shortly in Panama and later on moved to Norway where the ship was used as a training ship. In the 8os, the Mälardrottningen was reconstructed and anchored by Riddarfjärden in Gamla Stan,"Old Town".
It is a wonderful way to experience the marine atmosphere, sleeping in a cabin overlooking the sea, that keeps on wobbling all night while you contemplate the shining stars of a Scandinavian sky from a small window.
They serve a typical swedish breakfast with smoked herring and caviar (if you dare eating it at 8am), as well as delicious viennoiserie. While sipping your morning Swedish coffee, enjoy an outstanding view over Lake Mälaren and the City Hall (where the Nobel Prize Ceremony is held every year), on the dim light of a candlestick.
Their prices was quite cheap comparing to the over expensive hotels in Stockholm. A single room in 2010 cost 70 Euros.
Check more on their website: www.malardrottningen.se
As soon as you step into the this medieval building, just few meters from the Central Station, you can already smell the sweetness of the inhouse made beers.
The Hotel U Medvídků was a brewery founded in 1466, and converted into a three-star hotel . Situated in a 15th century house, the original historical components, such as Gothic trusses and painted timber ceilings, have been preserved in some rooms. Some vintages serve as a decoration, like old brewng equipment, an old style Bobbin sewing machine, and some nice beer glasses, among which one with an apprently old Arabic beer brand called El Batta (The Duck).
The rooms are spacious, with a wooden ceiling that gives you the impression of being in another century, or in an old house of the country side. Since the Hotel produces its own wide selections of beers, you can find a small elegant pack of malted barley in the room. The Hotel offers some unique beers which I never saw elsewhere: The Ice-Cream Beer and the Beer Brandy with 40% of Alcohol! Even better, the hotel gives you the opportunity to brewing your own beer.
So next time you are in Prague, make sure not to miss this unique experience: www.umedvidku.cz
Have you ever heard about Carrera Del Darro? That's by far one of the most beautiful and most romantic street in Europe. It's a tiny pedestrian street on the Darro river, with magnificent buildings like noble houses convents, churches, Moorish bath.And this just where the hotel Zaguán del Darro is located. But beside its perfect location, the hotel has also an interesting history on its own. It is an old palace from the 16th century, restaured in a reliable way tracing its historical period and keep wonderful masterpieces: a Renaissance fountain and a courtyard catalogued by the UNESCO. All the courtyard has got some marble and stone columns beside old carved wood work wich take us back to previous centuries.
Of course the hotel has very limited number of rooms (I guess only 9 or so), the space is a little bit squizzed by clean. Plus what would you need more that waking up watching the river flowing, with little cristalized raindrops on the squares of the window, while watching passing by all these lovers, all these couples wandering without a rush under the light rain of the first month of the Spring.
Enjoy this little Andalusian gem: www.hotelzaguan.com
I know the first thing you would say: Is there even a hotel in the Maldives which is not unique? That's absolutely true, the majority of the Maldivian resorts are paradisiac.
But while I was planning for my trip and searching for a hotel, what attracted me to Anantaria is its unique bathroom compared to the other. Yes, the bathroom is the most important feature of a hotel, isn't it? ;)
Regardless of the size, which was the same as the room itself, what made the bathroom so heavenly is being in an open air, in the void, with palm trees, the sound of the wild birds and sometimes heavy rains in the night that add even more charm to this peculiar atmosphere.
Indulge yourself with the chocolate and vanilla aroma of the special made, natural soaps, shower gels and shampoos specially made for the hotel.
The resort also has an exceptional spa, just by the ocean, a nice restaurant with exotic food everyday: between Malean, Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian and even more.
If you want to pamper yourself once in a while, that's the place to go: www.anantara.com/maldives
I have been several times to Amsterdam, and honestly I was never impressed by the standards of the hotels standard there, whether the cleanliness, services, and prices. During my last trip in 2011 with a couple of friends, we decided to rent an apartment, which proved to be much cheaper, more clean and gives you the opportunity to have an authentic experience to live like a Dutch.
Our lovely cosy two bedroom apartment overlooked a small garden just by one of the city charming canels, and from where you can see one of the numerous small bridges of Amsterdam.
So if you want to wake up and enjoy Amsterdam's early summer sunrise and magnificent view like the one in the photo above, check the following website which has a wide variety of accomodation and at reasonable prices: www.coolamsterdamapartments.com
Once you enter the hotel nicely decorated oriental hall, you might be walking on the footsteps of Windson Churchill, Agatha Christie, Richard Nixon or Charlie Chaplin. Considered as one of the most prestigious hotels in Cairo, the Mena House was built in the 19th century as a lounge for the Egyptian ruler at the time, Khedive Ismail, for his hunting trips.
During World War I the hotel was requisitioned by Australian troops and occupied again by the Australians in 1939. Toward the end of the war it was then converted to a hospital for wounded Australian troops.
With its astonishing view on the Pyramids, the hotel was visited by famous figures like Prince Albert Victor of Wales, King George V and Queen Mary, Frank Sinatra, Roger Moore, Charlton Heston and others.
The hotel is currently under renovation, but you might want to check this link for more updates: www.egoth.com.eg/en/index.php/hotels/mena-house-cairo-hotel.html
The Ice Hotel (Jukkasjärvi, Sweden): The hotel is the world’s first and largest hotel built of snow and ice and it is situated in Jukkasjärvi, a small village in Northern Sweden. It opens from December to April.