At a time when designer suitcases and standardized luxury hotels no longer inspire dreams, another form of luxury is emerging: the unique experience. Faced with growing weariness for the codes of material luxury, a generation of travelers in search of meaning and emotion are now looking for transformative, unexpected, and memorable stays. Luxury is no longer measured by the number of stars, but by the intensity of the adventure and the uniqueness of the place.
Sleeping suspended from a cliff in Peru, floating in a glass igloo in Lapland, or waking up face to face with a lioness in South Africa: these experiences, once reserved for a select few, are now becoming the new “Holy Grails” of travel. The hotel is no longer just a place to stay, it is becoming the destination. Faced with consumers who are saturated with standardized luxury, these extraordinary accommodations offer the promise of absolute escape—and genuine emotion.
This reversal of expectations can be explained by a need to disconnect and experience something rare. According to numerous studies on trends in high-end tourism, wealthy travelers are no longer necessarily looking for prestige, but for unique, shareable, and above all unforgettable moments. Comfort is still there, but wrapped up in a narrative, an immersion, a challenge. A night in an underwater lodge or a treehouse capsule is becoming more valuable than a stay in a classic suite in Dubai.
Dive with us into a carefully curated selection of 10 unusual hotels, where the imagination of the hoteliers is matched only by the thrill of the traveler. From Scandinavia to the far reaches of Africa, via the jungles of Central America and the Canadian prairies, these places defy convention to redefine the art of hospitality.
The most polar: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort (Finland)
Located in the heart of Finnish Lapland, close to the Arctic Circle, the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort offers an extraordinary experience: sleeping under the Northern Lights in heated glass igloos. Designed for optimal comfort while observing the Arctic sky, these transparent domes offer breathtaking views of the snow-covered landscape. The resort also offers log cabins, sleigh safaris, and traditional Finnish saunas. Unusual, magical, and isolated, this is a place where luxury means total immersion in one of the last great white deserts in the world.
The most maritime: Manta Resort (Tanzania)
On Pemba Island, off the coast of Tanzania, The Manta Resort offers a hotel experience that is unique in the world: a floating underwater room suspended above the Indian Ocean. Isolated a few meters from the shore, this three-story structure allows guests to literally sleep in the heart of turquoise waters, surrounded by tropical fish. Day and night, the portholes offer total immersion in marine life. Unusual and exclusive, this refuge combines ecotourism, minimalist luxury, and complete disconnection in a preserved environment far from the traditional tourist circuit.
The most frozen: Icehotel (Sweden)
Located in Jukkasjärvi, north of the Arctic Circle, the Icehotel is the world’s first hotel entirely carved from ice and snow. Rebuilt every winter using ice from the Torne River, it offers temporary suites decorated by artists from around the world. The experience is sensory and extreme: sleeping at -5°C in a thermal sleeping bag, surrounded by ice sculptures. A permanent version, Icehotel 365, allows you to enjoy this experience all year round. There is also an ice bar for non-residents and an ice chapel where some people even get married! Unusual and artistic, this legendary place combines luxury with frosty nature and ephemeral creativity.
The highest: Skylodge Adventure Suites (Peru)
Suspended on the side of a cliff more than 400 meters above sea level in the Sacred Valley of the Incas near Cuzco, the Skylodge Adventure Suites offer the dizzying experience of sleeping in a transparent capsule attached to the rock and inspired by the aerospace industry. Accessible only by climbing or via ferrata (a route built into the rock face), each glass module offers breathtaking panoramic views of the Peruvian Andes. Inside, the decor is minimalist but tasteful, with comfortable bedding, and meals are served high above the ground. Unusual, extreme, and unforgettable, this aerial lodge is an adventure in itself, reserved for travelers seeking thrills and total disconnection.
The most forest-like: Free Spirit Spheres (Canada)
Nestled in a rainforest on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the Free Spirit Spheres — Eve, Eryn, and Melody — are spheres suspended between the trees, accessible by walkways and spiral staircases. Made of wood or fiberglass, these floating cabins offer a unique experience of reconnecting with nature, lulled by the wind and birdsong. The interior, compact but cozy, combines comfort and unusual design. This minimalist and poetic place offers an extraordinary sensory retreat, where you literally sleep in the air, in perfect harmony with the canopy. There is also the possibility of purchasing your own pre-built sphere.
The most caliente: Quinta Real Zacatecas (Mexico)
Set in the restored stands of a 19th-century bullring, the Quinta Real Zacatecas hotel transforms a place steeped in history into a charming address offering discreet luxury. The former Plaza de Toros San Pedro, closed in 1975, has been reinvented as a prestigious hotel, while retaining its colonial architecture and central arena, which has been converted into an interior courtyard. All rooms overlook the arena and stone stands, and the atmosphere blends Spanish heritage, Mexican elegance, and an unusual atmosphere. The bar is located in the enclosure where the bulls used to stand, highlighting the hotel’s past. Combining heritage, refinement, and originality, this hotel offers a rare immersion in the living memory of Zacatecas.
The most magic: The Montana Magica (Chile)
Nestled in the heart of the Huilo Huilo Biological Reserve in Chilean Patagonia, the Montana Mágica Lodge Hotel looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. Originally created for friends who came to hunt and fish in the flourishing reserve, the Montana Mágica hotel owes its name to one of the owners’ favorite books (The Magic Mountain, the famous novel by Thomas Mann). Built in the shape of a mountain covered with vegetation, this unusual hotel has a waterfall cascading from its summit, evoking an enchanted volcano. Made from local wood and stone, it blends into the lush surrounding nature. Inside, the atmosphere is warm, combining traditional craftsmanship and rustic comfort. Accessible via a suspension bridge, this magical retreat invites you to immerse yourself in the forest, where you can sleep in a setting worthy of a fairy tale.
The most unlikely: Villa Cheminée (France)
Located in Cordemais, near Nantes, La Villa Cheminée is an unusual creation by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi. Perched 15 meters high atop a fake industrial chimney, this small yellow and red house, surrounded by a hanging garden, faithfully reproduces a typical 1970s suburban villa… in the sky. Accessible by elevator, it offers all the comforts of a cottage, with breathtaking views of the Loire estuary. Halfway between contemporary art and offbeat accommodation, this one-of-a-kind villa challenges conventional norms and transforms a night’s stay into a truly poetic and surreal experience.
The most wine-oriented: Marqués de Riscal by Frank O. Gehry (Spain)
Located in the heart of Spain’s Rioja wine region, the Marqués de Riscal hotel is a spectacular work by architect Frank O. Gehry. Recognizable by its undulating structure in pink, silver, and gold titanium, this futuristic building contrasts with the surrounding vineyards and the medieval village of Elciego. The interior blends contemporary design and wine-making traditions, with luxurious rooms, a Caudalie wine therapy spa and a Michelin-starred restaurant. More than just a hotel, it is an icon of wine tourism: unusual, daring and sensory, this address combines art, architecture and wine for a unique experience.
The rockiest: Desert Rock Resort (Saudi Arabia)
The Desert Rock Resort, perched in the mountains of The Red Sea project in Saudi Arabia, offers a unique immersion: 64 keys integrated into the rock (54 villas and 10 suites), dug out or suspended in the granite massif. Designed according to the philosophy of “build with the land, not on it,” its architecture by Chad Oppenheim blends into the landscape and minimizes environmental impact (LEED, local materials, regenerated wadi). It offers all the luxury you would expect: private pools, a spa, perched restaurants, and a variety of activities (hiking, via ferrata, buggy rides, stargazing).
BONUS, the most railway-oriented: The Kruger Shalati (South Africa)
Suspended above the Sabie River in Kruger National Park, the Kruger Shalati transforms a former colonial train into a luxury hotel frozen on a historic railway bridge. Each of the 24 renovated carriages offers a glass-walled suite with panoramic views of the surrounding savannah and wildlife. A suspended swimming pool even allows guests to observe elephants, crocodiles, and hippos from above. Combining railway history and contemporary design, this unusual lodge offers a rare immersion in South African nature, combining adventure, elegance, and history. It’s a unique and spectacular way to experience a safari, at the crossroads of stationary travel and a waking dream.
Read also > Cruises: the most beautiful safaris in Southern Africa
Featured photo: © Jason Zhao – Giraffe Manor
