Kiwi Curated
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
by Eva ZhuWe scour the globe for the best places to stay and this includes the most unique hotels in the most enchanting locations. From tree hotels to cave dwellings, these extraordinary stays are impossible to forget.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
If you’ve dreamed of living in a treehouse, then Treehotel’s elevated suites can temporarily make that come true. These are not the slapdash play houses of your childhood, rather modern dwellings that scream Swedish sensibility and cozy sophistication. Check-in takes place in the village of Harads, overlooking the Lule River valley, and a short stroll takes you into a pine forest. Each designed by a leading Scandinavian architect, every treeroom is creatively unique with a name to match, such as the Bird’s Nest, UFO and Mirror Cube. Here, hearty meals take place in the village and nature activities abound, but most guests choose to simply enjoy nature’s stillness from their treetop home.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
Hotel Unique sits as an architectural landmark in Sao Paulo’s upscale Jardins neighborhood. Architect Ruy Ohtake’s inverted arch, adorned with circular windows, evokes the feeling of being on a spaceship or majestic ocean liner. Inside, designer João Armentano’s cozy, modern interiors are perfectly choreographed to the curve of the rooms and impressive public spaces. The most popular feature however is on the top deck—the crimson rooftop pool comes with an underwater sound system, which you can enjoy with far-reaching views of the city skyline.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
An old mining ghost town converted into an all-inclusive nature retreat, Dunton Hot Springs lies deep in the San Juan Mountains of the Colorado Rockies. Original log cabins and luxury tents make up the accommodations, while the former town saloon now serves as the communal dining hall, complete with an upgraded menu of gourmet farm-to-table fare. As the name suggests, natural hot springs surround the area, which can be enjoyed in one of the restored bathhouses or outdoors under the stars, but if adventure is what you’re after, there’s also fly fishing, horseback riding and guided trekking.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
With shades of Alice in Wonderland and Cocteau-esque theatrics, Sanderson hotel in London’s West End holds a Philippe Starck-created fantasy world behind its doors. Opera curtains and custom furniture set the stage in the lobby, while Starck’s quirky style is peppered throughout. Inside this dream, every space presents a different world—from the Billiard Room modeled after an African hunting lodge to the tranquil Courtyard inspired by Japanese zen gardens.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tivoli Palácio de Seteais allows you to experience the enchantment of living in an 18th-century palace during the Age of Enlightenment. A triumphant arch links the two wings of the palace—itself a brilliant example of neoclassical architecture—and perfectly frames the Moorish Castle and Pena Palace in the distance. Outside, manicured gardens and the Sintra Mountains are in view, while inside, restored furnishings and 2,000 art pieces add to the authentic period setting.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort is not only a hotel but also a sanctuary and rescue center for the gentlest, most giant pachyderm. Designed as a traditional mahout village, this retreat perched on a hill in northern Thailand lets you get up close with the elephants. You can walk and bathe them, do yoga in a rice paddy sala as they graze the land, or take them along to a secluded picnic with views of the Golden Triangle. And if romance is the goal, your tusked friends will help by greeting you during sunset canapes or a candlelit dinner.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
JW Marriott El Convento Cusco stands at the crossroad between ancient history and modern luxury. This former 16th-century convent lovingly restored into a five-star hotel boasts a range of amenities, including marble bathtubs and oxygen-enriched rooms. Guests can walk beneath the original arches of the courtyard and sleep within Incan-carved stone walls. To fully experience the historic significance of the region, visit one of two on-site exhibition halls filled with Peruvian artifacts, or enjoy a centuries-old Incan healing treatment at the spa.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul stands majestically over the Bosphorus as the only Ottoman Imperial Palace on the riverfront. This former home of Sultans has seen many transformations from the 17th through 19th centuries. Today, the estate is comprised of many different buildings, from the waterside summer villa to the marble palace. Since its restoration and opening as a hotel in 1991, it has welcomed a rotation of notable figures, including the King of Saudi Arabia, U2 and Oprah Winfrey.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
Designer Anouska Hempel meticulously curated every room and suite at Blakes Hotel London, each inspired by travel and culture. Take for example, the Parisian Rooms styled in the romance and minimalistic chic of the City of Light, the Dorian Grey Suite draped in moody shades of gray or the Library Suite outfitted like a fine gentlemen’s club. Wandering outside the guestrooms will take you to the public spaces where Hempel’s vision extends, with a restaurant design inspired by the golden era of steamship travel and a courtyard akin to a bohemian oasis.
10 Utterly Unique Hotels
In the Old Uçhisar Village of Anatolia, surrounded by fairy chimneys, fortresses and Mount Erciyes in the distance, stands the ancient monastery-turned-luxury-hotel argos in Cappadocia. The arid land of Cappadocia is connected by underground tunnels and this extends to the hotel, which is comprised of subterranean tunnels and caves that now house the wine cellar and unique accommodations. The rooms here span seven mansions, with some suites offering private cave pools. When you emerge from your dwelling, sun-soaked terraces are there for lounging and, at sunrise, offer an enchanting view of hot-air balloons.