Traveling doesn’t have to be boring. Some travel writers wouldn’t dream of staying at a Hostel because you share a room with a few (sometimes quite a few) other people, and share the bathroom with the opposite sex.
And yet some great travel writing has come out of such trips, as they tend to give you more interesting experiences.
The next time you plan a trip, consider “amping up” the likelihood of coming home with more interesting stories to tell by staying somewhere that is outside of your normal comfort zone. It can really improve your travel writing!
For example, there are some weird hotels that are worth checking into.
One of the most notable weird hotels is the Ice Hotel, located near the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Although there are several Ice Hotels in other places around the world — Canada, Norway, Finland, and Romania, the oldest (considered the original, and by many ice hotel snobs, the best of all of them) is the one located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. Rebuilt each winter entirely of snow and ice, ice hotels typically have a short annual lifespan, and must be torn down in late spring when warming temps render them unusable.
Most have several options available such as a “cold room” made entirely of snow and ice, including the beds (although for comfort’s sake you sleep inside a sleeping bag on top of reindeer skins), or you can opt for a “warm room” which is much like a typical hotel room, sometimes in a different building. Either way, you’ll have a cool time in this “hot” type of very weird hotel!
If you’re headed down under to Australia, consider a stay at the White Cliffs Motel in New South Wales. This underground hotel (really more of a B&B) was carved out as opal mines. Room rental includes a free tour of the mine along with a spectacular stay in Australia’s outback. But be warned — it can be a great adventure, and produce wonderful travel writing, but this near-ghost-town is not for those travel writers seeking a multitude of acitivies, glamorous nightlife, or even other people. As weird hotels go, it’s weird but quiet.
Travel writers who are also dog lovers will appreciate the Dog Bark Inn located in Cottonwood, Idaho. This hotel is in the shape of a gigantic beagle. You enter the body of this lovable-but-weird hotel through a private deck, and your spacious room comes with homemade pastries and granola.
The most extravagant weird hotel is one slated to open in 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. The seven-star, seven floor hotel is being built on a former tobacco factory, and is completely underwater. Guests will have sea facing rooms, dine at the hotel’s restaurants, and explore the exhibition halls. Although it definitely belongs in the Weird Hotels club, it’s not entirely unique. The $500 million Poseidon Hotel is being built off of Fiji, and will also be underwater. The difference between the Poseidon Hotel and the hotel in Istanbul is that the Istanbul hotel is being built under the city center. This will make for a very interesting ‘weird hotels’ experience.
Not only is staying at any of these weird hotels one way to get out of your comfort zone, it will make for a great travel writing article. We’ve all read the standard reviews of hotels and the only difference is our personal experiences. Staying at a hotel that is a little off beat will make for an interesting travel article. How exciting would it be for readers to hear about your weird hotel adventures?
~Rebecca
What weird hotels have you stayed at while traveling?
Interesting post. I’ve heard about the Ice Hotel and wonder what it would be like to stay there. It sure would be staying at the Holiday Inn or Best Western.
I can imagine that staying at a “weird hotel” would be a lot of fun and a great change from the usual hotel. I just think about the cost; I like to be frugal when I travel. Then again, it could be a once in a lifetime experience to stay in a hotel shaped like a Beagle :)
Nice article. Hosteling International operates a few hostels from insidethe walls of centuries old castles. The HI hostel-castle in Bacharach, Germany is an extraordinary place with a great view of the Rhine. Also the HI hostel in Finale Marina is located in a smaller castle, but the view of the Mediterranean from this place is also quite remarkable, for it sits on a perch about 500 feet above the great sea. There is a stairway that goes from the castle straight down to the water.
Wow – I love the idea of a hostel inside a castle! I will definitely check out Hosteling International on my next trip.
Hosteling International sounds like a cool hostel. I wouldn’t mind staying in a hostel that’s “inside the walls of centuries old castles.” The only hostel I stayed in was Budget Backpackers in Scotland. I’ll check out HI to see what they in the UK.
One of the Weirdest places I’ve ever been was “Holla Rockets” in Brugge, a biker’s place great to drink beer and play billiards.
Sounds interesting…