The Manta Resort, Pemba Island, Tanzania
Check in to the Underwater Room at Tanzania’s Manta Resort and you’ll find yourself sleeping with the fishes – literally. The private floating “island” features a bedroom set four meters below the surface of the ocean, which means you can drift off while gazing at all manner of colourful reef fish gliding by. Above water there’s a rooftop lounge, where you can stare at the stars when night falls.
themantaresort.com
Costa Verde, Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
While many people come here for ecotourism and adventure activities – the hotel is on the edge of Costa Rica’s famed Manuel Antonio National Park, not to mention a beautiful beach – one of the biggest appeals of this jungle retreat is its suite set in a remodelled airplane. Bizarrely, one room at Costa Verde occupies a 1965 Boeing 727 that once transported globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines. When you’re not in your room, make the most of three cliffside pools and four restaurants, which come with views over the lush forest.
costaverde.com
The Boot, Nelson, New Zealand
A fully equipped standalone cottage, The Boot is a quirky taste of New Zealand’s beautiful South Island. Located in Nelson, at the northern tip of the island, the bed and breakfast comes with an open fire, kitchenette and upper-floor bedroom, replete with a Juliet balcony offering views over the garden. The region is known for its arts scene, and local creatives were called upon to give the accommodation a sense of place with their work.
jesterhouse.co.nz/accomodation-stay-in-the-boot
Treehotel, Harads, Sweden
Just 50 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, this hotel features a series of architecturally conceived rooms stilted over the forest. Conceptualised by some of Scandinavia’s top designers, the “treerooms” are suspended four to six meters above ground – all with spectacular views of the Lule River. While extremely comfortable, the accommodations were created with a goal of having minimal environmental impact, and the resort’s owners are dedicated to minimising its footprint through sustainable construction and a number of green energy solutions.
treehotel.se
No Man’s Fort, Solent, Portsmouth
Built in 1859 as a result of England’s Royal Commission, this sea fort has been transformed into a luxurious hotel boasting 22 rooms and suites. Around two kilometres off the coast of the Isle of Wight, the secluded property is the ideal base for travellers looking to get away from it all. Book the Lighthouse Suite for floor to ceiling windows offering an unrivalled panoramic view of the fierce beauty and dramatic seascape outside.
solentforts.com/no-mans-fort
Das Park Hotel, Linz, Austria
A giant concrete sewage pipe may not be the most obvious setting for a hotel, but that’s exactly what owner Andreas Strauss used to create Das Park in Austria. While “rooms” are basic, they are very comfortable thanks to double wide Eurofoam mattress, plush pillows and fine linens – local artists were also called upon to create custom works on the walls in each space. So popular are the accommodations that a second outlet has just opened, not far from the German border.
dasparkhotel.net