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The 10 most unusual hotels around the world

The choice on where to stay often dictates where you go. And competition gets tougher. There is a new breed of hotels that are becoming more adventurous, more peculiar and in more improbable locations.

And there is not shortage of travellers who have to see them to believe them. From Berlin’s Propeller Island, for example, a popular choice amongst artists, or Sri Lankan eco lodge Kumbuk Hotel that looks like a giant elephant, or the TreeHotel in Sweden featuring TreeRooms and a Tree Sauna.

I commend the creativity and when you can’t drag bricks and mortar, an architect, sometimes a hotelier will find a way to make it happen. From up in the trees, to deep underwater, its been a difficult list to edit, but we brought it down to our top 10.

1. Crane Hotel Faralda, Amsterdam, Netherlands

In the up-and-coming Amsterdam Noord, this three-suite property is housed in a converted crane with spectacular city views. Opulent and obscure in equal measure, it’s ideal if you’re looking for something alternative, but best avoided if you suffer from vertigo.

2. Palacio de Sal, Uyuni, Bolivia

The Palacio de Sal – ‘Salt Palace’ – on the salt flats of Uyuni, is completely constructed from salt, from the exterior and most of the furniture. There’s an impressive lobby, bar and 16 rooms with private bathrooms, central heating and electricity. But to eat? Get the salt chicken, it’s a speciality.

3. Ariau Amazon Towers, Manaus, Brazil

This eco-friendly retreat is surrounded by dazzling birds and screeching primates, set high among the Amazon tree tops. Rooms include private balconies from which to marvel at the world’s largest tropical forest. Enjoy treetop swimming pools, restaurants, bars and five miles of canopy-skimming walkways.

4. The Caves, Negril, Jamaica

Set in a stunning cliffside location in Negril. There are 12 variously configured, secluded cabins set in jungle-like gardens at the top of the cliffs. The caves themselves are used for private cande-lit dining — a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

5. Hurawalhi, Maldives

Hurawalhi is a circle of soft-sand beaches fringed by aquamarine waters, and it’s the astonishing underwater restaurant that sets this one apart. iPhones at the ready, you’ll want to get a snap as you sit here, surrounded by sea life over dinner.

6. Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver Island, Canada

Set among the trees of the west-coast rainforest on Vancouver Island are handcrafted, UFO-like spheres made from cedar, Sitka Spruce and fibreglass. Its really a childhood fantasy! The three globes are tethered to the trees with ropes, and sway gently in the breeze. Now you can gently be rocked to sleep.

7. Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya

One of Nairobi’s most iconic buildings, Giraffe Manor, harks back to the 1930s when European visitors first came here to enjoy safaris. The most fascinating thing about the elegant property is the herd of friendly resident Rothschild giraffe that live here: who regularly poke their long necks through windows, especially at meal times in search for a treat.

8. Kakslauttanen Hotel, Saariselkä, Finland

Hotel Kaklauttanen is home to incredible glass igloos, from which you can admire the northen lights and starry sky. The hotel is open during northern lights season, from the third week of August until the end of April.

9. The Lifeguard Hotel, Tel Aviv, Israel

The Brown Hotel Group took over the colourful tower, located on Frishman Beach, and turned it into a luxury pop-up hotel suite, complete with an elaborately decorated bedroom, a clawfoot bathtub, a lofted lounge, and, of course, sweeping views of the ocean, and a personal butler. It was only a pop-up, so watch this space for their new concept in Jerusalem’s Old City.

10. Null Stern Hotel, Switzerland

One open-air hotel eliminates the walls and roof altogether. Staying there is a lot like luxury camping. Located in the middle of the Swiss Alps, it only features a bed with linens. In German, the hotel’s name translates to “zero stars.” It’s only available seasonally, but it takes wild camping to a whole new level.

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