Unusual Restaurants,Bars and Hotels

The Library Hotel Manhattan, New York

2012-02-23T23:49:00.002-08:00

For those with a love of books and learning, the Library Hotel is for you. The floors are set according to the 10 main categories of the Dewey Decimal Classification system. They have arts, religion, philosophy, math and more. Included in the rooms are books from the theme of each floor.

The Giraffe Manor Nairobi, Kenya

2012-02-23T02:52:00.000-08:00

The Giraffe Manor was built in 1932, by Sir David Duncan, and modeled after a Scottish hunting lodge. Located in Nairobi, with a view of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Ngong Hills, it is located on 115 acres. The manor was opened, in 1984, as a hotel. The Rothschild giraffes were moved onto the property after the loss of their natural habitat, and now they thrive there. Staying at this giraffe sanctuary will allow you the opportunity of having the giraffes come right to your window, where you can hand-feed them and take pictures.

JUMBO STAY, STF/ HI Stockholm, SWEDEN

2012-02-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Can’t get enough of trying to sleep on planes? Well check in to Jumbo Stay. The converted Boeing 747-200 Jumbo Jet is just a 10-minute walk from the Arlanda Airport check-in desks. Book yourself into the cockpit suite for the private ensuite bathroom.

Magic Mountain Hotel, Panguipulli, Region X, Chile

2012-01-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

Or how about a stay underneath a cascading waterfall on a fairytale mountain that, legend has it, can grant you wishes? An aerial ropeway takes you between tree-tops in the surrounding forest canopy.

The Hobbit Motel, Woodlyn Park, Waitomo, New Zealand

2012-01-21T15:33:00.000-08:00

The Hobbit Motel, Woodlyn Park, Waitomo, New Zealand

Put aside your preconceptions of the soulless motel – these Lord of The Rings-inspired rooms invoke homely charms suitable for the most discerning of hobbits.

Upside Down - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

2012-01-19T10:15:00.000-08:00

The rooms are created by German artist Lars Stroschen with the aim of altering guests' perceptions, something this "upside-down" room certainly achieves.

The Marmara Antalya, Turkey

2012-01-15T16:06:00.000-08:00

This revolving hotel is a feat of engineering. The 2750-ton building floats in a tank of water, allowing smooth rotation and giving guests constantly changing views of the Mediterranean.

Quinta Real Zacatecas, Mexico

2012-01-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Rooms at this hotel overlook a beautifully-restored bullfighting arena in the central Mexican city of Zacatecas

Legoland Resort Hotel, Windsor, UK

2011-12-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

One to keep the kids happy, the Legoland Resort Hotel opens its doors in March, with rooms decorated in either pirate, adventure or royal themes. From the entrance, guarded by dragons, to the interactive Lego features in the pool area and the rooms, this is a child's dream of a hotel. Play areas and daily entertainment shows all add to the fun - although parents may need a weekend away afterwards to recover.

Upside Down - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

2011-12-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

The rooms are created by German artist Lars Stroschen with the aim of altering guests' perceptions, something this "upside-down" room certainly achieves.

Two Lions - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

2011-12-11T14:04:00.000-08:00

The hotel offers themed abodes ranging from the tame to the extreme. The Two Lions room, complete with cages, has a two-way mirror into the next room for real exhibitionists.

Gruft - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

2011-11-22T11:00:00.001-08:00

Deep sleepers should perhaps avoid the Gothic beds at this unique hotel in Berlin – or just opt for a less terrifying bed in the "labyrinth" part of the room below.

Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia

2011-11-20T04:29:00.000-08:00

Travellers who want jailtime without compromising their sense of style should also check out the clean lines (well, there are lots of bars) at this converted prison in Slovenia.

The Old Jail, Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia

2011-11-19T02:23:00.000-08:00

Independently minded travellers who yawn in the face of "bright, airy and spacious" should check out this budget hostel.

Das Park Hotel, Linz, Austria

2011-11-18T01:26:00.001-08:00

Who would have thought concrete could be comfy? These renovated sewage pipes are, thankfully, clean and functional and sit on the banks of the Danube, making them a perfect post-industrial bolt hole.

The Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA

2011-11-17T01:31:00.000-08:00

Sleeping in the doghouse is no bad thing at this bed & breakfast, imaginatively set inside a 12ft beagle. Created by a pair of "chainsaw artists", the lodgings benefit from a cozy alcove in the dog's muzzle.

The Mirror Room - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

2011-10-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

Hotel de Rome - Berlin

2011-10-09T01:30:00.000-07:00

Located on Bebel Square, this antique building was constructed in 1889. From the rooftop terrace, guests can look out over the German capital’s centre, from the cathedral to the television tower.

lebua at State Tower - Bangkok

2011-10-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

On the banks of the Chao Phraya River, this is the second largest building in the Thai capital. The Sirocco restaurant is based on the 63rd floor and at the bar, there is a protruding balcony where guests can seemingly float above the city.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel - Dubai

2011-10-05T02:40:00.000-07:00

The Jumeirah Beach Hotel is a luxurious lifestyle and beach hotel in Dubai. Two roof terraces offer guests amazing vistas. From the 360 Bar on the roof of the Marina Restaurant, guests overlook the coast of the Persian Gulf while enjoying a shisha pipes and light lounge music. A similarly spectacular sight awaits the guests visiting the elegant Uptown Bar on the 24th floor.

Is this the weirdest hotel room in the world? The £380-a-night suite... 500ft below ground!

2011-09-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

Forget the penthouse suite, one unusual hotel is sending its most important guests 500ft below ground to sleep.
The Sala Silvermine Hotel, in Vdstmanland County, Sweden, has created a room so far beneath the earth's surface that it can only be accessed through a mine lift shaft - which sends guests 509ft into the ground in a matter of seconds.
The bizarre bedroom, which costs £380 a night, comes complete with a luxurious double bed, silver furnishings and champagne platter.

Home from home? The decor in the bedroom is certainly minimalistic

But anyone who lives by their phone would be best off staying in one of the hotel's 14 ground-level rooms as there is certainly no mobile signal down there.
In fact, the only way visitors can communicate with the outside world is through the dedicated personal intercom connected to reception on the surface.
And guests are warned to bring warm clothing as temperatures have been known to drop to a chilly two degrees celsius at the bottom of the cavernous mine.
But don't worry, the room itself is actually located in a warm air pocket, with relatively balmy temperatures of 18 degrees.

Down but not out: Visitors access the suite through a lift which plunges them 509ft below the earth's surface

Despite its shortcomings, the mine suite is so popular with those looking for an alternative stay that it is fully booked Friday-Sunday all year round.
The hotel's director of marketing, Sofie Andersson, said: 'We haven't heard of any other venues with such a unique location, especially none so far under ground.

'People may think that a hotel suite in a mine will be cold and dark, but the mine suite is located in one of our warm halls where the temperature is 18 degrees.

'We have also used chandelier-like lamps and candle holders to illuminate the room in a way that lights up the silvery surfaces to get the right glow.
'Silver can feel very cold or warm depending on the lighting, so that was really important.
'It is easily the most extraordinary place to stay in the world in our opinion. And the environment is real and not artificial like many hotels.'

VIP treatment: The secluded luxury afforded by the hotel room has made it a popular choice for people looking for unusual accommodation

The silver mine in the town of Sala was originally dug by miners who carried the silver ore out by hand.
They each painstakingly slaved away, chipping at the mine's face at a rate of just one metre a month.
It took nearly 10 years just to carve out the bedroom, thanks to the slow mining method employed at the time, called fire-setting. It involves burning wood, which is used to heat up and crack the silver, allowing it to be chipped away more easily.
But the end result has visitors raving about the unusual accommodation.

As it was: The silver mine wasn't always so welcoming

One guest from Denmark said: 'The night was brilliant - but be aware of warm clothing in order to visit the toilet as the caves are two degrees at night.
'I can only recommend this experience to everybody who is looking for the unusual.'
Another, from Ireland, excitedly proclaimed: 'It definitely has the wow factor.'
For at least 400 years the mine was Sweden's largest and most important silver producer, and today the area has also been developed into a venue for events and adventures.
Ms Andersson added: 'Since the mine shut down the underground hotel experience has become the new silver and is what makes people from far away visit Sala once again.
'We connect the past with life today and have created a room that will be interesting and feel right in the future too.'

Resort to feature underwater rooms

2011-09-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

Visitors to the Amphibious 1000 resort, which is not built yet, can stay in underwater rooms and check out a sea life centre in the lobby.
It’s the latest barmy tourist project to get the go-ahead in (where else?) Qatar, and it will cost a cool £310million to develop.
Italian architecture firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group dreamt up the crazy plans, designed to look like a giant octopus.
The vast complex is actually four linked hotels that resemble yachts, and will be built in the middle of a marine reserve.

The resort will also feature an ‘aquarium lounge’ and ‘jellyfish suites’ - pods with rooms, lounges and an underwater observatory.
Giancarlo Zema is famed for his underwater designs. He said: “We believe that the future of architecture is on the water and that shortly man will be more and more inclined towards living a floating experience.”
We’re sure his latest venture will earn wave reviews…

The world's first 'space hotel'

2011-09-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

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These are the jaw-dropping plans for Russia’s first ‘space hotel’ – called the Commercial Space Station.
Orbital Technologies are behind the project, which will float 217 miles above the earth and apparently open in 2016.
It has room for only seven guests in its four cabins, but their stay promises to be comfortable.

Staff will serve tasty meals, like braised veal cheeks with wild mushrooms, which are made on Earth and sent up to be reheated in microwaves. Iced tea will also be available.
Visitors can sleep on vertical or horizontal beds and enjoy specially sealed showers. The overall experience, according to Orbital Technologies, will be ‘far more comfortable’ than the International Space Station.
We should hope so too, as the price tag is, err, astronomical. According to reports, a five-day stay could cost £100,000, on top of £500,000 for the journey - a two-day ride in a Soyuz rocket.
Scientists and researchers are also being encouraged to use the facility.
Sergei Kostenko, chief executive of Orbital Technologies, told RIA Novosti: “A hotel should be comfortable inside, and it will be possible to look at the Earth through large portholes.
“The hotel will be aimed at wealthy individuals and people working for private companies who want to do research in space.”
It will follow the same orbit as the International Space Station.
An American company, Bigelow Aerospace, is also planning a private space station that uses an innovative inflatable design, but will not be geared towards tourism.

Airy, Woven Beauty With a Japanese-Themed Interior

2011-09-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

With its bi-layer steel lattice exterior offering a practical yet highly dynamic way to repurpose what was previously an old house, Tori Tori Restaurant – located in Mexico City – is the exciting result of a collaboration between industrial designer Hector Esrawe and Rojkind Arquitectos. Filtered light streams through its open air pattern and into the perimeter of the very successful Japanese eatery, creating what seems to be an organic yet structured representation of the surrounding ivy-covered walls. This is one of those stop-and-stare structures that easily demonstrates that the days of cookie cutter box designs are fortunately over and done with

Yellow Treehouse

2011-09-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

Standing 12 feet tall and spanning an equally impressive 10 feet in width, New Zealand’s plantation poplar-constructed Yellow Treehouse restaurant – nestled on the forest edge and accessible via a meandering 60 meter pathway – accommodates 18 diners in seriously lofty style. With its chrysalis-like vibe that spirals upward toward an open ended top, the organic design employs structural timber trusses which work in tandem with its central Redwood tree base to support the entire restaurant. Overall, the final look is one of an enchanting childhood fantasy come to life.