Most lists of the world’s craziest hotels are really just pretty Pinterest slideshows you daydream over for a minute. This article digs a lot deeper, straight into real reviews, and shows you the unique accommodations that actually wowed guests, what genuinely annoyed them, and what the whole thing really costs. Because that gorgeous ice room is in reality minus five degrees, and the luxury underwater suite might not even open in bad weather.
I want to show you places you’ll remember for the rest of your life, but at the same time I want to be honest with you about their downsides. Not every night under the stars means a guaranteed shot at the northern lights, and not every design gem sparkles like new, even when you pay serious money for it.
And the main reason you should read all the way to the end? The last section is dedicated to glamping you could realistically book for next weekend. I’ll show you amazing spots in Central Europe and Slovenia you can easily reach by car, so your dream travel bucket list doesn’t necessarily have to begin with an expensive flight to the other side of the world.
TL;DR
- Best rated: Panorama Glass Lodge in Iceland and Jurty Beskydy in Czechia, both with an almost perfect score.
- Most expensive: The Muraka in the Maldives, where the official rack rate climbs into astronomical territory.
- Easiest for a short European road trip: Tiché místo Glamping at Slapy, practically just around the corner from major Central European hubs.
- Hardest to book: Giraffe Manor in Kenya, where the most sought-after dates vanish a year in advance.
- Strangest: Null Stern Hotel in Switzerland, which offers you a bed in the Alps with no walls and no roof.
- Coldest: ICEHOTEL in Sweden and the underground Sala Silvermine, where temperatures stay well below freezing.
- Most accessible for a first try: GLAMPINO near Český Krumlov, ideal for your very first glamping experience.
1) Ice hotels and rooms made of snow
If you’re craving a frosty adventure, be prepared for the fact that ice rooms are commonly kept at minus five to minus eight degrees Celsius. You sleep in a special thermal sleeping bag on a layer of reindeer hides, while the bathrooms and toilets are always in a separate heated building. Almost nobody sleeps here two nights in a row, because the standard is to spend one night in the ice and the second in the warmth.
What’s more, these hotels are rebuilt from scratch every winter and simply melt away in spring, so every season is a complete one-off. It takes enormous dedication and hundreds of hours of work by artists who turn blocks of ice into fleeting architectural masterpieces.
1. ICEHOTEL, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
This famous complex boasts a rating of 4.6 from more than five thousand reviews and is an absolute legend of the entire north. It’s the oldest ice hotel in the world and the only one with a year-round section called Icehotel 365, cleverly cooled by solar energy through the short Nordic summer. The winter rooms are carved every season by sculptors and artists from around the world, so the design never repeats and a brand-new work of art always awaits you. Beyond the overnight stay itself, the hotel also has its famous ice bar, and you can even try fun ice-carving courses right in the ice.
Many reviews make it crystal clear that guests rave about the generous breakfast and the very helpful staff. The most common disappointment ironically comes down to the weather, which nobody can control. Overcast skies are fairly common here in the winter months, and no one can promise you the northern lights in advance, which frustrates plenty of travelers after they’ve paid a hefty sum.
💡 Tip: If you want to save money while still enjoying a bit of comfort, book the warm rooms, which work out significantly cheaper. While a basic ice room runs from around €300, the luxury Art Suite starts at €700 and the Deluxe versions climb toward €1,000 for a single night. A warm room, by contrast, can be had in deals from around €90. check prices and availability
2. Hôtel de Glace, Valcartier near Québec, Canada
This Canadian architectural wonder has a great rating of 4.6 from nearly four thousand reviews and is the only ice hotel in all of North America. Just like its famous Swedish counterpart, it’s rebuilt with great fanfare every winter and usually opens from January to March, when frosty Québec has the right climate. Inside you’ll find a stunning ice chapel where romantic weddings are held regularly, and for a bit of fun there’s even a giant slide carved entirely from ice.
It’s a breathtaking piece of work that radiates magical winter atmosphere at every turn and fascinates with its precise details. The whole complex is designed to captivate even people who don’t plan to sleep here at all, which makes it a huge draw for the entire region. You can stroll through long illuminated corridors and admire sculptures that will vanish forever in spring.
💡 Tip: This place works beautifully as a day visit without an overnight stay. It’s a far cheaper option, and it’s what the vast majority of ordinary visitors ultimately choose, wanting to take home beautiful photos but not brave enough for a frosty night in a sleeping bag. check prices and availability
3. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, Alta, Norway
This Norwegian ice palace reached a fantastic 4.7 stars from just under a thousand reviews, making it the best-rated ice hotel in our entire selection. It sits in the scenic Finnmark region right on the banks of the Alta River, deep above the Arctic Circle in genuinely wild, untamed nature. The whole concept smartly combines a gorgeous ice hotel with a cozy year-round wooden lodge.
That means you can effortlessly alternate a frosty ice night with a stay in perfect warmth, which is exactly what your body will need after a night in sub-zero temperatures. It all happens within one integrated complex, so there’s no complicated lugging of suitcases between hotels. The surrounding Norwegian scenery is also incredibly photogenic and offers plenty of ways to spend the short winter days.
💡 Tip: Set aside enough time for the surrounding outdoor activities. Local operators right by the hotel offer dog-sledding rides and long snowmobile trips, taking your Nordic experience up another level. check prices and availability
4. Snow Resort Kirkenes, Kirkenes, Norway
This all-round Nordic gem has long held an excellent rating of 4.6 from more than fifteen hundred reviews. It’s the northernmost spot of this whole quartet, sitting just a short distance from the Russian border. Alongside classic ice rooms, its huge grounds also hold beautiful glass igloos and cozy wooden cabins, making it incredibly versatile.
Thanks to this huge variety, you can combine an adrenaline night in the ice with a comfortable view of the night sky from a heated bed, all within a single resort. It’s a huge advantage for travelers who want to experience all the classic Nordic styles of staying during one holiday and don’t want to waste precious time driving around. The resort also runs completely professionally, and the staff are used to fulfilling even the most demanding wishes.
💡 Tip: A big and much sought-after specialty of this area is the local king crab safari on the frozen fjord, which you reach by snowmobile. Just nearby, the famous Hurtigruten coastal express ships dock in the port.
2) Glass igloos and sleeping under the stars
The appeal of this category is obvious: you lie in a heated bed with the entire night sky arching above you. The reality tends to be a bit more complicated, though, and it’s worth approaching with sensible expectations so you’re not disappointed.
Remember above all that nobody ever guarantees you the northern lights, and in December or January it’s dark almost all day above the Arctic Circle. On a truly clear night the outside temperature drops so low that the huge glass surfaces of the igloos have to be constantly electrically heated to stay transparent and not frost over. Your best shot at the colorful sky show is usually from late September through the end of March. check prices and availability
5. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Saariselkä, Finland
This huge Finnish complex hides the most famous glass igloos in the world and holds a rating of 4.1 from nearly fifteen hundred reviews. It was a single viral photo from here that kicked off this whole global travel trend years ago. The resort is split into an East and a West village, and besides the igloos it offers massive Kelo log cabins, traditional saunas and popular husky safaris or snowmobile rides. Newer igloo models thankfully now even have their own bathroom and private sauna.
And yet this iconic resort has the lowest rating in our entire section. While the enthusiastic reviews talk about a once-in-a-lifetime experience, the critical ones make it pretty clear that for that astronomical price guests simply expected far more, and the overall upkeep lags behind. The rooms often don’t match the price tag you pay for them.
💡 Tip: Just accept that you’re paying for a famous legend, not for the best value for money. If it’s your lifelong dream, absolutely go, but keep very realistic expectations about the luxury and flawless service. check prices and availability
6. Levin Iglut, Levi, Finland
Another beautiful Finnish jewel, rated 4.3 from hundreds of reviews, offers stunning glass igloos built right on a steep slope with a breathtaking view over a deep valley, rather than tucked away somewhere flat in the forest. Thanks to this fantastic strategic location, both the dramatic sunset and any northern lights photograph incredibly well, with no trees getting in the way of the shot.
Part of this popular seasonal resort is the excellent Utsu restaurant, which has long earned huge praise for its local gastronomy. Overall it’s a slightly more intimate and quieter experience than the giant commercial resorts, where hundreds of tourists roam every day. Operations here are strictly seasonal, though, so you need to keep a close eye on your dates.
💡 Tip: Your best chance of seeing the northern lights is generally from late September to the end of March. Outside this main winter season the whole resort often isn’t in full operation, so check availability well in advance. check prices and availability
7. Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, Rovaniemi, Finland
This Nordic design gem has a nice rating of 4.4 and offers luxury wooden cabins perched on pillars among the treetops with a huge glass front wall. It sits very strategically right next to the renowned Santa Park in Rovaniemi and perfectly combines a stunning view of the night sky with all the comfort of a top-tier modern hotel. The complex is rounded out by the very popular Rakas restaurant using local ingredients.
But if you dig a little deeper into the Google reviews, you’ll hit one surprising snag. Among the ratings there’s some fairly harsh, recurring criticism of hygiene and cleaning, so not everything here works as flawlessly as the pretty Instagram photos might suggest at first glance. At premium prices, it’s good to factor in this possible shortcoming ahead of time.
💡 Tip: This stay is absolutely ideal for families with kids who want to visit the nearby famous Santa Claus village but also appreciate clean, modern Nordic design and don’t want to stay in a run-of-the-mill hotel. check prices and availability
8. Panorama Glass Lodge, Hella, Iceland
This fantastic lodge is by far the best-rated accommodation in the whole article, boasting an incredible score of 4.9 from more than five hundred reviews. These are stand-alone, largely glass-walled cabins scattered across the rugged landscape of southern Iceland, offering complete, undisturbed privacy.
Each individual cabin comes with its own outdoor hot tub under the open sky, which takes the experience of an evening soak under the stars to a whole other level. The entire concept is polished to the very last detail, and guests’ enthusiastic reviews from around the world constantly confirm it. It’s a place where you’ll truly rest and merge with the breathtaking Nordic nature.
💡 Tip: The cabins lie very close to the famous Golden Circle, so they pair perfectly with the classic Icelandic sightseeing route without any big detours. They make an ideal base for exploring the southern part of the island. check prices and availability
9. Attrap’Rêves, Allauch near Marseille, France
This intriguing project, rated 4.7, offers completely transparent inflatable bubbles tucked away in a scenic Provençal forest. It nicely proves that luxury sleeping under the stars is by no means the sole domain of frosty Nordic countries, and you don’t have to freeze for it. This is a warm, fragrant and pleasant alternative surrounded by French nature.
A big plus is that this place is reachable in a single day’s drive for anyone road-tripping through Europe. All the bubbles are also cleverly spaced across the terrain so that guests can’t see into each other’s beds and have plenty of privacy. It’s a great compromise for everyone who loves nature but needs warmth.
💡 Tip: If you genuinely can’t stand the cold and packing down jackets, but still want to sleep surrounded by trees with a view of the night sky, this is your very best European choice, and one I definitely recommend trying.
3) Sleeping among the animals
For true lovers of the wilderness, there are places where no thick glass or security fence separates you from the animals at all. These are profound experiences that will be etched into your memory forever, but they require a truly enormous amount of logistical planning.
Getting into these exclusive resorts often means booking a specific date many months in advance and accepting that you’ll find yourself in the middle of absolutely nowhere, wholly and unconditionally reliant on the services and prices of one single operator. check prices and availability
10. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
This historic manor house from the 1930s is probably the most photographed hotel in all of Africa and holds a rating of 4.6. It’s famous above all for the endangered Rothschild’s giraffes from the adjacent sanctuary that regularly and happily poke their heads through the large windows of its breakfast room, letting guests feed them special pellets right from the table.
As for prices, brace yourself for huge sums starting from $1,413 per person per night on an all-inclusive basis. Children pay just under a thousand and solo travelers even around $2,218. Surprisingly, though, the main problem here isn’t the high price but the availability itself. The twelve unique rooms sell out reliably a whole year ahead, and the best ones in the original building are preferentially held for guests who also book a safari camp run by the same operator.
💡 Tip: Reservations officially open twelve months in advance and the best dates vanish within a few days. If you’re not that quick, it pays to keep a close eye on freed-up rooms roughly four weeks before your dream date, when some guests unexpectedly cancel their plans. check prices and availability
11. Chalkley Treehouse, Lion Sands, Sabi Sand, South Africa
This utterly unique project with a perfect five-star rating isn’t really a classic hotel at all, but a single enormous wooden platform. Here you’ll find a luxurious, comfortable bed set high in the branches of a majestic 500-year-old fig tree, completely without walls or windows, right in the middle of an African reserve bordering the famous Kruger National Park.
It works roughly like this: the staff cheerfully drive you here for a wonderful candlelit dinner, set everything up, then drive away, and you’re left completely alone in the middle of the wild African bush. You’re protected only by a thin mosquito net and, for emergencies, equipped with a safety radio. It’s pure adrenaline and romance in one package.
💡 Tip: This wild African adventure is booked exclusively as a great add-on to your standard stay at the main Lion Sands lodge, never as stand-alone accommodation for a whole holiday.
4) Below the surface
Sleeping deep underwater is an enormous architectural miracle that demands extreme engineering solutions and a matching budget. These fascinating projects balance right on the edge of what’s technically possible and of nature’s raw power.
At the same time, you always have to reckon with the fact that the sea is incredibly unpredictable. Even if you pay an astronomical sum in advance, strong waves and bad weather can shut down the underwater part at any moment for strict safety reasons. check prices and availability
12. The Muraka, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Maldives
This fascinating, breathtaking residence represents the absolute pinnacle of world luxury (the whole resort is rated 4.8). It’s the world’s first glass underwater suite, ceremonially opened in 2018. Its stunning main bedroom sits a full five meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean in a massive acrylic tunnel, from which you watch sharks and rays gliding by.
This exclusive two-story residence comfortably sleeps up to nine people and, of course, comes with its own personal butler to fulfill every wish. The official list price, the so-called rack rate, comes to an utterly unbelievable $50,000 for a single night. In reality, though, package deals go from around $10,000 a night upward, and you’ll commonly come across offers between nineteen and forty-two thousand. On top of all that, the resort strictly requires a minimum stay of four full nights, so it’s definitely not a long-weekend trip.
💡 Tip: If you’d rather not shell out a fortune to sleep underwater, you can at least visit the famous underwater restaurant Ithaa in the same resort, which offers a very similar visual experience of the seabed for a mere fraction of the suite’s price. check prices and availability
13. The Manta Resort, Pemba, Zanzibar, Tanzania
This Zanzibar resort, rated 4.6, offers a slightly different but no less amazing concept. It’s a floating underwater room that anchors fairly safely on the open sea a way off the African mainland. Up top you’ll find a sunny rooftop terrace perfect for stargazing, in the middle there’s a spacious living area, and down below a bedroom awaits you with large windows looking straight into the colorful coral reef.
Overall it’s a far more affordable underwater option than the pricey Maldives, and the resort also runs on a very practical all-inclusive basis. Even so, there’s one fairly big risk here. Among the findable reviews there’s a very sharp complaint from a guest who, after paying a huge deposit up front, ultimately wasn’t given the underwater room for operational reasons. The ocean simply dictates the rules.
💡 Tip: If you’re coming here with this big dream, always have the underwater room assignment strictly confirmed in writing in advance, and reckon with a big risk that in strong wind and big waves the bedroom may not be accessible for safety reasons.
5) Up in the treetops
Treehouse hotels no longer look like the rickety, creaky sheds we cobbled together as kids. These days they’re often top-tier, award-winning works of design that blend very sensitively into forest ecosystems and offer completely unexpected comfort.
Despite the luxury fittings and high prices, though, you’re still up high in nature. In some places the wind really howls, elsewhere the branches sway, and occasionally you’ll run into fairly major logistical compromises, such as shared showers and bathrooms safely anchored down on the ground. check prices and availability
14. Treehotel, Harads, Sweden
This famous Swedish project, rated 4.6, is a genuine architectural icon offering seven utterly unique and visually stunning rooms scattered through the forest by the Lule River. Among the most famous are the mirrored Mirrorcube, which is almost invisible thanks to the perfect reflections of the surrounding forest, the huge Bird’s Nest and the completely unexpected silver UFO that looks like something out of a B-movie. Also striking is the Biosphere room wrapped in hundreds of real bird boxes, or the 7th Room with a taut net terrace stretched high above the pine tops.
15. Free Spirit Spheres, Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, Canada
This wild Canadian project with a fantastic rating of 4.9 looks like it’s from another world entirely. They’re wonderful wooden and fiberglass spheres suspended in the crowns of huge trees by a clever system of sturdy ropes, so they sway ever so gently with your every movement or gust of wind. This is one of the standout unique accommodations on Vancouver Island.
There are three of these magical spheres in the forest, bearing the women’s names Eve, Eryn and Melody. It’s an incredibly romantic and quiet place meant strictly for two adults. You have to accept in advance, though, that all the facilities and the warm bathroom are shared and located down on solid ground, which you have to climb down to via steps.
💡 Tip: This particular stay is definitely not meant for noisy families with children, and for safety reasons they aren’t allowed here anyway. It’s a peaceful retreat just for adults looking for rest in the middle of the wild forest. check prices and availability
16. Montaña Mágica Lodge, Neltume, Chile
This stunning South American structure, rated 4.5, looks like it was cut straight out of Lord of the Rings. It’s a large, rugged lodge built in the shape of a giant volcano in the middle of dense rainforest in the protected Huilo Huilo reserve. From its very peak, water even continuously trickles down the stone facade overgrown with moss and ferns.
You approach it very stylishly across a long, swaying suspension bridge, which only heightens the sense of adventure. Although it’s a visual masterpiece par excellence, the reviews are fairly unforgiving in revealing the downsides of this project too. Guests very often and repeatedly mention a significant language barrier with the restaurant staff and very confusing signage on the surrounding hiking trails.
💡 Tip: Approach this place more as an enormous rainforest adventure than a flawless premium hotel with perfect five-star service, and you won’t be disappointed by the minor shortcomings.
6) Views you can’t buy anywhere else
Sometimes you’re not really paying for the luxury room itself, but for what you gaze at from it when you wake up. There are places where you just lazily draw back the curtains and a scene lies before you that other tourists jostle for in long queues.
For such an enormous privilege you’ll pay handsomely at the checkout, of course. These famous hotels know full well how priceless their location is, and rooms with a view often make up a completely different, far more expensive category than those facing a dull inner courtyard. check prices and availability
17. Shangri-La Paris, Paris, France
This extremely luxurious palace, rated 4.7, sits in the stunning building of the former private residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte. It’s easily the most famous address in Paris for a room with an iconic view of the Eiffel Tower.
Some of the rooms and lavish suites have the huge iron tower right in the window at your fingertips, and in a few special types you can even gaze at it straight from a bathtub full of fragrant foam. It’s simply the absolute pinnacle of Parisian romance, but you have to be very careful right when booking online.
💡 Tip: Rooms facing the tower always cost significantly more than those looking onto an ordinary courtyard. So watch the exact room category name carefully when booking, so you’re not bitterly disappointed at check-in. check prices and availability
🔗 Where next: If you’re planning a trip to France, read our article on what to see in Paris.
18. Armani Hotel Dubai, Burj Khalifa, UAE
This prestigious Dubai hotel, rated 4.6, offers an entirely different kind of city experience. It’s a design hotel located right inside the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and all its dark, strictly minimalist interiors were designed by the famous Giorgio Armani himself.
While millions of sweaty tourists cram into the square outside to photograph the giant skyscraper from the very base, you actually live inside it in peace and enjoy the breathtaking views of pulsing downtown Dubai right from your suite window. It’s the definition of modern urban luxury.
💡 Tip: Make use of your exclusive hotel access and arrange a visit to the upper observation decks in the early morning hours, to avoid the very biggest and worst crowds of tourists.
🔗 Where next: Find out more about what a holiday in Dubai is like. check prices and availability
19. Hotel Everest View, Khumjung, Nepal
This utterly unique mountain project, rated 4.4, holds an amazing record as one of the highest-altitude hotels in the world, standing at an incredible 3,880 meters above sea level. Its main and really only asset is the crystal-clear panorama of Mount Everest, which opens up in all its glory right from the spacious stone terrace.
Although it sounds tempting for mountain lovers, one crucial health warning comes up again and again in the reviews. At this extreme altitude the thinner air means you sleep very poorly and restlessly, and staying here more than one night is definitely not for every ordinary tourist. Headaches are no exception here.
💡 Tip: Most sensible people come here as part of their acclimatization hike from nearby Namche Bazaar just for an afternoon tea and a photo with the view. It’s a perfectly legitimate and far healthier option than sleeping here. check prices and availability
20. Museum Hotel, Uçhisar, Cappadocia, Turkey
This magical Turkish hotel, rated 4.5, is a gorgeous cave complex intricately carved right into the soft tuff. It has a beautiful heated outdoor pool perched high above the valley, from which guests watch dozens of hot-air balloons drifting up at dawn.
Besides the incredible view that circled all of Instagram, the interior itself is striking. The whole complex includes an extensive collection of valuable historic antiquities, which is how this unusual hotel got its name. You literally stay in the middle of a museum.
💡 Tip: If you want the best photos, get up really early. The pool shots with balloons in the background are amazing, but that ideal magical light lasts only a very short while just after sunrise and then it’s gone. check prices and availability
21. Longitude 131°, Yulara, Uluru, Australia
This Australian desert resort with a superb rating of 4.8 takes the notion of luxury in the harsh wilderness to a whole other level. It offers beautiful, spacious tented pavilions built with a direct, unobstructed view of sacred Uluru.
There are just sixteen exclusive tents here in total, and each has a huge bed strategically turned to face the giant red monolith. So you can comfortably watch from your fragrant duvet as the rock in the distance magically changes color during sunrise and sunset. It’s an intensely intimate and visually powerful experience.
💡 Tip: This is a very hot desert region, so the best time to visit is clearly during the Australian winter (from May to September), when daytime temperatures are bearable and you can actually breathe.
7) “Are they serious?”
In this crazy category you’ll find places that gleefully demolish every received idea of what a hotel is even supposed to look like. Often they’re mad architectural experiments or extreme ideas that, surprisingly, caught on and are thriving.
Be prepared, though, that these bizarre experiences often demand a huge step out of your personal comfort zone, whether it’s the total absence of walls, the physical effort required just to get there, or simply the lack of the basic amenities you’re used to. check prices and availability
22. Skylodge Adventure Suites, Sacred Valley, Peru
This purely adrenaline-fueled project, rated 4.8, consists of completely transparent polycarbonate capsules stuck high on a sheer cliff face. They’re accessible only via a secured via ferrata or a fast zipline. First you have to climb 400 meters up bare rock under your own steam, then you sleep suspended above the abyss of the Sacred Valley, and in the morning you slide back down on a rope. Surprisingly, the price of this madness even includes a gourmet dinner and a generous breakfast.
One reassuring thing is clear from many reviews, though. Guests manage the rock climb comfortably even with teenage kids, but the single scariest and worst part of the whole trip for most of them is the swaying rope bridge you have to cross along the way. It’s an experience for people who aren’t afraid of heights.
💡 Tip: You don’t need to fear cruel cold or awkward morning hygiene at all — each suspended capsule has its own little toilet and it’s surprisingly pleasantly warm inside. check prices and availability
23. Null Stern Hotel, Switzerland (changes location)
The concept of the so-called “zero-star hotel” pushes artistic minimalism to the absolute extreme. This project is really just a plain double bed, two nightstands and two glowing lamps set up in the middle of the Alpine landscape, completely without walls and with no roof overhead. For around €350 a night you get beautifully made-up bedding, good food, a welcome drink and even a personal butler in white gloves to look after you.
You’d hunt in vain for a bathroom or toilet out on the meadow, though. It’s always tucked away in the nearest mountain hut, which usually means a few minutes’ brisk walk across the grass. The whole thing works as an enormous art installation that you can actually move into for one night and become a part of.
💡 Tip: Watch out for one absolutely crucial thing — this project’s location changes every season and bookings only open for the summer part of the year. Always carefully verify the current exact spot on their official website, so you’re not hunting for a bed on last year’s meadow. check prices and availability
24. Sala Silvermine, Sala, Sweden
This Swedish underground complex, rated 4.5, offers a very dark experience for those who definitely don’t suffer from claustrophobia. Hidden here is a unique suite built a full 155 meters underground in an old, decommissioned silver mine. You descend in the original mine elevator, and the trip down takes a while.
Down below, absolute, impenetrable silence reigns, the constant ambient temperature holds at just two degrees Celsius, and of course there’s absolutely no phone signal. While the mine’s ordinary tourist tours only go down to 60 meters, this single suite lies far deeper inside the rock, and you’ll be completely alone.
💡 Tip: The surrounding mine corridors really are freezing cold, but the suite itself is cleverly heated to a pleasant 18 degrees and the large bed also comes with extra-thick duvets, so you won’t freeze. check prices and availability
25. Kolarbyn Eco Lodge, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
If you’re after an absolute, uncompromising escape from civilization, this Swedish camp, rated 4.6, rightly calls itself “Sweden’s wildest hotel.” It’s a cluster of twelve small huts built of earth and turf that have no electricity or running water at all. Inside you’ll find only a little wood stove and hard beds covered with sheepskins.
You have to fetch your own water for cooking and drinking from a nearby forest spring, and the morning bath happens fairly harshly straight in the lake or in a wood-fired heated tub that you have to fire up yourself. In the surrounding deep forests you can also head out on an organized expedition to spot wild wolves and moose, which only heightens the wilderness experience.
💡 Tip: This rugged stay is easily managed even by older children, for whom the evening wood-chopping, fire-lighting and lighting the way with plain candles is an absolutely huge adventure. check prices and availability
26. Faralda Crane Hotel, Amsterdam, Netherlands
This wild city project, rated 4.3, consists of just three luxurious design suites built into a real giant harbor crane. You’ll find it in Amsterdam’s creative, heavily industrial NDSM district, right in the middle of the old shipyards, where history is in the air.
It’s probably the smallest hotel in our entire hefty article. At the very top of this tall crane there’s also an exclusive outdoor hot tub with a fantastic, unobstructed view over the whole city. The architects did an incredible job turning a piece of old iron into a premium hotel.
💡 Tip: In terms of quick reach for European travelers, it’s probably the best ratio of bizarreness to distance, because Amsterdam is a short flight away and you don’t need a whole week of holiday. check prices and availability
27. Hotel Costa Verde, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
This famous Costa Rican hotel, rated 4.6, became renowned for its unique suite built right inside the fuselage of a decommissioned Boeing 727, firmly mounted on tall pillars above lush rainforest. This particular rescued aircraft flew for years for South African Airways and Avianca before it found its new home in the jungle.
Today it holds two very comfortable bedrooms and a spacious wooden terrace built incredibly right on the wing, around which wild monkeys and curious iguanas commonly wander. Even though the reviews hugely praise the view and the lovely service, some guests warn of noticeably worn interiors, where the passage of time and the humid climate are starting to show.
💡 Tip: Just accept the fact that you’re paying for a huge, unusual experience in an airplane, not for a brand-new luxury build with the latest flawless fittings. check prices and availability
28. Hotel Palacio de Sal, Uyuni, Bolivia
This Bolivian one-off, rated 4.5, is a fascinating building constructed entirely from salt bricks at the edge of the world’s largest salt flat. The walls, floor, much of the furniture and the beautiful decorative sculptures in the lobby are all made of salt. Although it sounds pretty funny, the strict ban on licking the walls is meant absolutely seriously, because salt simply dissolves quickly and the building wouldn’t last long.
If you ever head here, watch out for one unpleasant detail. In the reviews there are constant, repeated complaints that the room category assigned on arrival often didn’t match what people had actually booked and paid for. Organizational chaos is unfortunately fairly common here.
💡 Tip: To be completely safe, always print out your booking confirmation with the room type clearly stated, and don’t hesitate to speak up at reception if they try to put you in a cheaper option.
8) Glamping — a bucket list you can tick off in a weekend
💡 Glamping is the only category on this list you can realistically book for next weekend. If the Central European tips sell out, compare accommodation options in Bled — Slovenia is the nearest country where glamping has a real tradition.
Now we come to the most important part of all. Glamping simply means luxury camping, where you have a huge, soft bed, electricity, your own warm bathroom, and often even a private sauna or a hot soaking tub. And yet you still sleep under the canvas of a big tent or in a small wooden cabin in the middle of beautiful nature.
It’s also the one and only category in our whole article that in many cases you can have within a two-hour drive of home. What’s more, the average ratings of these glamping spots in real reviews are often far better than those of some famous, overpriced world icons we wrote about above. You don’t have to fly across an ocean to experience something exceptional. check prices and availability
29. Whitepod, Les Cerniers, Switzerland
This famous Swiss project, rated 4.4, has long been considered an absolute icon and pioneer of European glamping. It’s made up of wonderful geodesic domes scattered right across a steep Alpine slope, which in winter even have their own smaller lifts and fantastic private ski runs with no crowds of skiers. It looks like an absolutely perfect winter fairy tale straight out of a catalog.
But when you dig into the ratings, the reviews point to one very important, recurring fact. Guests often complain that the domes tend to be noticeably chilly despite the constantly burning stoves, especially in deep winter when temperatures outside plunge well below freezing. Tending the stove also demands your active attention.
💡 Tip: Don’t forget that it’s still just a tent, however incredibly luxurious and expensive, and pack plenty of warm clothes accordingly for both sleeping and evenings outside. check prices and availability
30. Garden Village Bled, Bled, Slovenia
This gorgeous Slovenian eco resort with a high rating of 4.7 offers magical wooden treehouses, large family glamping tents, and very popular small tents pitched right over a babbling stream. It lies just a short distance from the famous Lake Bled and is a beautiful, green oasis of calm. It’s one of the closest genuine, large European-level glamping resorts for travelers in Central Europe.
It’s an absolutely ideal choice when you want to try this format of stay with the family for the first time and don’t feel like flying somewhere far away. The grounds are laced with wooden walkways, water flows everywhere, and the restaurant cooks with produce from its own garden. It’s a wonderfully executed concept that you and your kids will fall in love with.
💡 Tip: This spacious resort is very welcoming to children and offers great, safe nature activities, which is by no means a given at many design glampings that focus solely on couples. check prices and availability
31. Colony Glamping, Hutě pod Třemšínem, Brdy
This amazing local project, rated 4.8, is currently the best-rated larger glamping site in all of Czechia. Here you’ll find beautiful, spacious luxury tents set at the edge of the protected Brdy landscape area, surrounded by deep forests. Beyond the beautiful, comfortable sleeping under canvas, guests also have access to a forest sauna, a hot soaking tub and a carefully prepared fire pit for evening grilling and romance under the stars.
The whole site is designed with an enormous eye for detail and respect for the surrounding nature. It’s a textbook example that even in Central Europe we can create accommodation that easily rivals the best resorts in the world, and it’s just a short drive from major regional hubs too.
💡 Tip: Brdy is renowned far and wide for its deep forests and endless cycle trails, so definitely don’t forget to pack a bike or good trekking shoes, so you can explore the surroundings properly. check prices and availability
32. Jurty Beskydy, Ropice near Třinec
The absolute local top of this category boasts an utterly perfect score of five point zero from more than a hundred and thirty reviews. It’s two traditional-looking yurts that are cleverly fitted inside with electricity, modern air conditioning and their own luxury bathroom, so you won’t lack for anything out here in nature. This project wonderfully combines a nomadic style of living with the comfort of a five-star hotel.
On top of all that, there’s also a beautiful private wellness zone with a Finnish sauna and a heated soaking tub that’s all yours. Reaching a clean five stars from that many ratings is an exceptional achievement, testament to the incredible care of the owners. Every detail here is thought through to the last dot, so guests can rest to the max and not have to worry about a thing.
💡 Tip: This place is made for a romantic weekend for two, where you want complete, undisturbed privacy and premium service with a light touch of Asian exotica, without ever having to board a plane. check prices and availability
33. Tiché místo Glamping, Slapy
Another five-star jewel on the Czech map consists of two beautiful, spacious tents just a two-minute walk from the Slapy reservoir. Each tent comes with a luxury private outdoor hot tub where you can relax undisturbed with a bottle of wine, and guests can also use a great shared outdoor sauna. It’s an absolutely perfect blend of camping in nature with elements of a premium wellness stay.
Logistically it’s easily the closest glamping retreat for anyone driving out from major Central European cities, so you can comfortably make it here without any stress even on a Friday evening after a demanding day’s work. You don’t have to spend long hours in the car — just a short drive and suddenly you’re in a completely different world, far from the city bustle and endless traffic jams.
💡 Tip: Although the spot is fairly close to civilization and the popular reservoir, the very clever placement of the tents amid dense greenery means it offers a huge sense of complete calm and the isolation you crave. You get the best of both worlds. check prices and availability
34. GLAMPINO, Český Krumlov
This very popular South Bohemian project, rated a superb 4.9, sits literally within sight of the historic center of Český Krumlov. So the beautiful, luxuriously furnished tents with their large wooden terraces pair absolutely perfectly with an afternoon visit to the castle complex and exploring the local cafés. It offers a wonderful contrast between a morning wake-up on the meadow and an evening stroll through the ancient lanes inscribed on the World Heritage list.
It’s an exceptionally good choice for your very first glamping ever, especially if you’re not yet a hundred percent sure whether sleeping under a tent is your thing. You don’t have to worry at all about getting stranded somewhere deep in the forest, far from civilization with no way to grab a good dinner or buy a morning coffee. Everything is surprisingly close and within reach.
💡 Tip: If the weather happens to be against you over the weekend, you can simply pack up and go admire museums and the town in the dry, which just isn’t so easy to do at isolated glampings deep in the forests. check prices and availability
35. Hidden Retreat, Lipnice nad Sázavou, Vysočina
Our very last tip, with an excellent rating of 4.9, is a beautiful modern hideaway tucked away in the picturesque hills of the Vysočina region, not far from Lipnice nad Sázavou. This unique concept places absolute maximum emphasis on total guest privacy, the healing surrounding silence and perfect fusion with nature. You won’t find any distracting elements here, just beautiful Nordic design, huge comfort and an unobstructed view into greenery that instantly calms the mind.
It’s a retreat designed primarily for couples in love who want to genuinely switch off their phones for the weekend, throw away all their work worries and enjoy just each other in a minimalist yet very luxurious setting. In today’s hectic world, the chance to be completely off-line for a while and not hear the constant ping of notifications is a huge luxury this place can deliver a hundred percent.
💡 Tip: Don’t expect any big resort services, organized entertainment or restaurants right under your nose here. The whole enormous magic of this place lies precisely in its complete isolation and the calm that reigns here all year round.
How to choose the right stay
Deciding on one specific experience can be pretty hard given the huge choice and the high prices. That’s why I always recommend asking yourself a few basic questions before booking, which will make the choice easier and save you potential disappointment.
- Want to see the northern lights? Go from late September to March, but reckon with the fact that nobody guarantees them. Two nights in an igloo boost your chances of success far more than a single quick stop when it might just happen to be overcast.
- Want to try an ice hotel? One frosty night in the ice is plenty for a powerful experience — always book the second in the classic warmth of the adjacent heated building, just to be safe.
- Want to sleep among wild animals? Arm yourself with enormous patience and book the popular Giraffe Manor a year in advance, or look for African experiences like the Chalkley Treehouse straight as an add-on to your main safari.
- Want to head below the sea? Reckon with a minimum stay of several nights and with the fact that stormy weather can temporarily close the underwater room completely. Always have any underwater-room assignment confirmed strictly in writing.
- Terrified of heights? Then to be safe, skip the glass Skylodge capsules in Peru and the daring 7th Room at Sweden’s Treehotel, where you walk on a transparent net.
- Traveling with younger children? Sweden’s wild Kolarbyn, Slovenia’s Garden Village Bled and the Czech glampings will thrill them a hundred percent. The swaying Free Spirit Spheres, the climbing Skylodge or the Alpine Null Stern, on the other hand, aren’t suitable for them at all.
- Want a big experience within a month and without an expensive flight? You don’t have to fly across an ocean at all — pick an amazing glamping close to home or take an easy weekend road trip to Slovenia’s Bled.
What it really costs
Prices for these unique experiences naturally vary a lot depending on the specific season and current demand, but for a rough idea we can start from the official verified figures so you know roughly what to expect. Sweden’s ICEHOTEL starts from around €300 for one night in the most basic ice room. For the Swiss artistic extreme under the stars called Null Stern you’ll pay around €350 a night.
If you’re more drawn to the Swedish treetops, the renowned Treehotel will run you roughly 6,000 to 6,900 Swedish kronor, which is a hefty sum when converted. Breakfast with the giraffes at Africa’s Giraffe Manor starts from about $1,413 per person for a single all-inclusive night. And the biggest financial extreme of all? The underwater residence The Muraka in the Maldives has an official rack rate set at an incredible $50,000 for a single night, although in reality, with the mandatory four-night minimum, you can with a bit of luck snag a package from around $10,000. Luxury simply costs something.
Where next
If you’re interested in more travel inspiration and tips, we’ve prepared other articles to help you plan your next dream trips. If luxury and the exotic appeal to you, be sure to read our guide to the Maldives. For lovers of African atmosphere and beautiful riads, we’ve written up tips on what to see in Marrakech. If you’re more after European romance, check out our article on what to see in Vienna, or draw inspiration from our pick for the charming Croatian town of Rovinj. And for those heading across the ocean, we have an extensive list of 50 things to see in New York ready. check prices and availability
Frequently asked questions
What is glamping and who is it suitable for?
Glamping is short for glamorous camping. It means you sleep in the middle of wild nature in a tent, yurt, or wooden cabin, but you have an incredibly comfortable large bed, electrical outlets, and most importantly your own bathroom. It’s suitable for all travelers who want to experience true romance in the forest, but at the same time don’t want to give up standard hotel comfort, soft bedding, and a hot shower after a full day of excursions.
When is the best time to visit glass igloos?
If your main goal is to see the magical Northern Lights, you have the best chance from late September to the end of March. Keep in mind, however, that the sky must be completely clear and unfortunately no one can guarantee you’ll see the aurora 100%, it’s simply nature. During December and January, there’s also a long polar night above the Arctic Circle, so definitely be prepared for quite a long period of darkness throughout the day.
What is the actual temperature in an ice hotel?
The temperature inside ice rooms stays fairly stable between minus five and minus eight degrees Celsius, and surprisingly even when the outdoor frost drops much lower to minus thirty. This is the temperature at which ice no longer starts to melt, but at which you can still reasonably sleep. To keep warm, guests are always given special expedition sleeping bags and sleep on a thick layer of reindeer skins.
Can I manage to sleep in an ice room for multiple nights in a row?
Theoretically you can certainly manage it, but the vast majority of guests choose just a single night in the ice to be safe. It’s a huge and unforgettable experience, but your body needs to properly rest and most importantly warm up. That’s why the Nordic hotels themselves commonly recommend spending the second night in a standard heated room, which fortunately is usually part of the same accommodation complex, so you don’t have to move far away.
Are tree-house hotels suitable for young children?
This really depends a lot on the specific location, because some properties are exclusively for adults for safety reasons. For example, the swaying Free Spirit Spheres in Canada don’t accept families at all, whereas the rugged Swedish Kolarbyn or the Slovenian family glamping Garden Village Bled are absolutely fantastic for adventurous kids. So always carefully read the terms and conditions of the specific accommodation on their website in advance.
Can I book the underwater suite in the Maldives just for a weekend?
Unfortunately that’s not possible at all, since the luxury resort The Muraka strictly requires a minimum stay of four full nights. So it’s not something for a quick weekend trip from Europe, but a huge financial and time investment. Moreover, you need to plan ahead that in very bad weather the underwater bedroom may not be accessible at all for safety reasons.
How far in advance do I need to book the giraffe hotel in Kenya?
The famous African hotel Giraffe Manor is hopelessly sold out even a full year in advance, because it has only twelve beautiful rooms available. Reservations for peak season disappear literally within a few days of dates opening up. If you don’t have dates that far ahead, it’s worth carefully monitoring cancellations about four weeks before departure, when some guests cancel their dream trips at the last minute.
What happens to ice hotels during spring?
These enormous and beautiful structures simply are allowed to melt freely in spring and the water naturally flows back into the surrounding rivers. Each winter thus means a completely new construction from the very foundations, on which talented artists from around the world work throughout. The only exception is part of the Swedish ICEHOTEL 365 complex, which is specially cooled during summer using ingenious solar energy.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
