Building a posh hotel? That’s easy. What’s challenging is making ones that are unusual or original, without being schticks or too wacky (you can find plenty of those on Airbnb) – that requires a bit more creativity. Like Las Vegas hotels, the following accommodations required a bit of imagination during the conception process, but they offer something unique that’s only theirs. But more importantly, they are actually awesome and comfortable (well, perhaps not the one made of ice) places to check into. If you’re looking for a room that is one-of-a-kind, here are the more interesting options.
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is every first-time visitor’s must-visit Parisian landmark, but instead of seeing it, why not stay there overnight? No, La Tour Eiffel is not being converted into a hotel, but vacation rental site, HomeAway, is building temporary lodging at what is arguable Paris’ most iconic structure.
The Eiffel Tower Apartment, at the first-level of the tower, was thought up by the agency, Saatchi & Saatchi. The apartment, to be revealed in June, is designed by French interior designer, Benoit Leleu, and timed with the UEFA Euro 2016 soccer championships, June 10 to July 20 (HomeAway is the tournament’s “official fan accommodations provider”).
So, how does one get to stay there? You won’t find it listed on HomeAway, unfortunately. Instead, you’ll need to enter the #EiffelTowerAllYours contest and, in a nod to the Twittersphere, explain why you want to stay there, in 140 characters or less. Four winners will be chosen to stay in the apartment on June 23, June 28, July 4, or July 8, and each can bring up to five guests. It’s a full vacation package, as meals are provided, as well as airfare and three additional nights in a HomeAway vacation rental in Paris.
According to Adweek, making the idea possible wasn’t easy, as it required various permits to build a structure within the historic monument. Although officials approved it, we don’t expect this to happen again anytime soon.
“The sleepovers that we are offering are a money can’t buy opportunity,” Saatchi & Saatchi account director, Amy Wright, told Adweek. “Only Gustav Eiffel ever used the tower as his own.”
Burj Khalifa
Being in Dubai is weird in itself, as it’s the setting of more than a few crazy architecture. While more awe-inspiring than strange, staying at the Burj Khalifa is unlike any other hotel in that, at 154 floors, it’s the world’s tallest skyscraper – so tall, it pierces the clouds. But it isn’t just home to corporations: The record-breaking, mixed-use building also has residential apartments and a luxury hotel, and there is the world’s highest observation deck that provides an expansive view of Dubai; A Tellscope system that combines a digital telescope with augmented reality, to display information about what you’re seeing. When the heat becomes unbearable, jump into the various swimming pools, including one on the 76th floor.
JumboStay Hotel Arlanda
A hotel built out of a modified aircraft isn’t actually as novel as it seems, as there are several around the world to choose, from a Sikorsky helicopter to a 1950s military cargo transporter. Our favorite is the JumboStay in Stockholm, Sweden, because it satisfies our love for travel and planes – specifically, an iconic Boeing 747 that once flew for Singapore Airlines and Pan Am. It’s wacky, but, as a hotel, it’s well designed. Situated at the Arlanda International Airport, your room options range from suites to hostel-esque dorms – including one in the cockpit. There’s Wi-Fi and cable TV, naturally, and not the terribly slow kind you get while in flight, either.
Henn-Na Hotel
Wonder what living with robots in the future feels like? Check into Japan’s (where else?) Henn-Na hotel, which is staffed by artificial intelligence. We’ve written about this place before, but the weirdness deserves another visit. After checking in with the virtual reception desk, a robotic arm takes your luggage and stores it for you before you enter your room by way of facial recognition. There are limited actual humans on staff, which gives the place that sci-fi feel.
As cool (or creepy) as it seems, it’s a real test for Japan’s future. With both a declining overall population and a large aging one, the country is looking to robots to aid humans. Henn-Na might be
Icehotel
While blankets are provided, we wouldn’t recommend staying at Sweden’s Icehotel if you get cold easily at night. The first of its kind when erected in 1990 (there are now many similar “buildings” around the world, including one in Quebec City, Canada), what makes it interesting is that it gets rebuilt year after year, with water taken from a nearby river. The 80-room igloo also has a church and bar. We’re not sure why it offers these amenities, possibly to allow people to pray they don’t wet themselves from drinking too much – there are no bathrooms inside the ice structure. Naturally, the Icehotel only takes reservations for the winter months.
SeaVentures
Oil rigs aren’t the first places that come to mind when looking for accommodations, but one in Malaysia sits above a coral reef, which makes it spectacular for divers. In addition to the rooms, which range from suites to bunks, SeaVentures offers diving courses and reef explorations.
Disneyland Dream Suite
Walt Disney had planned an exclusive apartment for entertaining important guests at Disneyland, in the 1960s, but he died before he could use it. Located in the New Orleans square section, above the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the project was put aside until 2008, when it was resurrected as the Dream Suite. Being this is Disney, the room looks like a luxury setting straight out of a classic Disney animated film. Indeed, a dream for any Disney fan, but over-the-top for everyone else. Alas, Disneyland makes the space available as a prize to contest winners. Disney also has a similar special accommodation at Walt Disney World, but inside Cinderella Castle, which was originally built for Walt Disney as a private apartment (again, he died before he could use it).
