7 Unique Hotels Around the World - Full-Time Travel

7 Unique Hotels Around the World

7 Unique Hotels Around the World

Hotel Designs That Surprise and Delight

Forget the columned entryway, the stately pillars and the rooftop pool. These hotels are twisting and turning, curving and swerving everything we’ve come to expect from traditional architecture. The result? A series of mind-bending design experiences which promise to make your next trip a memorable one.

Magic Mountain Hotel, Chile


Thanks to its volcano-like shape and flora-covered exterior, the Magic Mountain Hotel is virtually camouflaged in Patagonia’s Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve, a 247,000 acre private nature retreat offering visitors adventurous outdoor activities and pristine wilderness in the Chilean Andes. The hotel’s distinctive fairytale feel continues indoors, where nine rooms are clad in blonde wood with beamed ceilings and rustic furnishings. Cozy up in an armchair next to the window and listen for the sound of rushing water; Magic Mountain has its own waterfall which spouts from the top of the building and cascades to the forest floor.

Shipwreck Lodge, Namibia

Shipwreck Lodge offers an intriguing architectural addition to Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. These desolate, windswept beaches face notoriously difficult-to-navigate seas, which have historically led to more than 1,000 shipwrecks in the area. Today, that legacy has inspired a series of 20 luxury lodges, with whale-bone-like beams curving around each of the angled structures. Each cabin overlooks the rugged Atlantic coastline, while within, wood-burning stoves and plush bedding keep things cozy. The hotel is located within the Skeleton Coast National Park, where inland riverbeds attract lions, giraffes and black rhinoceros.

Courtesy of Juvet Landscape Hotel

Juvet Landscape Hotel, Norway


Juvet Landscape Hotel lets Norway’s awe-inducing vistas take center stage. Situated in a remote village of Valdal, an hour from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Geirangerfjord, the hotel is designed to seamlessly integrate with its natural surroundings without imposing on them. In the award-winning cube-shaped Landscape Rooms, guests can soak up views of the valley and roaring river below via floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Each room, which hovers above the forest floor on stilts, is oriented slightly differently, offering a unique snapshot of the seasonally-evolving landscape along with complete privacy.

THEKRANE, Copenhagen


TheKRANE elevates the hotel experience to a new level of post-industrial cool. This former coal crane in Copenhagen’s booming North Harbour has been transformed into a one-room, charcoal-hued retreat, complete with ground floor reception area, glass-enclosed meeting room and top floor penthouse with wrap-around harbor views. There's even a spa offering on-theme charcoal facials, twin soaking tubs and floor-to-ceiling glass walls looking onto the sea.

Hotel Marqués de Riscal, Spain

Among the rolling hills and medieval villages of Spain’s Basque Country, the Hotel Marqués de Riscal looks as if it’s beamed in from another dimension. An attention-demanding metallic ribboned roof, slanted walls and cathedral-height ceilings bear the telltale stamp of the building’s designer, famed architect Frank Gehry, and create the impression you’re staying inside a giant art installation. Besides its inimitable design, the hotel is also renowned for being the oldest vineyard in the Rioja-making region of Spain, a legacy that lives on via a food and wine program overseen by Michelin-starred Chef Francis Paniego, vineyard tours and grape-themed treatments at the hotel’s SPA Vinothérapie®.

Kosmos, South Korea


Known for its spectacular scenery, South Korea’s Ulleungdo island boasts jagged mountains, untamed seas and dramatic cliffs — and is now home to a hotel worthy of its improbable topography. Kosmos hugs its cliffside perch with exaggerated curves, its stark white walls a contrast to its forest context. Architect Kim Chan Jung says he conceived the space as a “celestial tool that can contemplate and feel the natural phenomenon of the universe and the Earth.” It's from this magnificent location that former El Bulli chef Sunjin Hwang makes her culinary magic happen, with creations that include lots of local ingredients (cuttlefish, shrimp, beef) that are elevated El Bulli-style to works of art.

UFO treehouse | By Kent Lindfall

Treehotel, Sweden

Situated in the tiny Swedish town of Harads, on the banks of the Lule River, the Treehotel aims to help guests destress and immerse themselves in nature. Eight unique “treerooms” designed by Scandinavia's leading architects are suspended 4-6 meters above the forest floor, each offering a different aesthetic experience and perspective of its natural surroundings. Pick from rooms including the Biosphere (which is covered in 350 bird boxes to support the local bird population), The Mirrorcube (a square structure with mirrored glass walls that blend into the trees), and the UFO (an unexpectedly conspicuous alien spacecraft with room for five guests).

There's more to Greece than the white and blue buildings and the surrounding Mediterranean Sea. If you're planning a visit, check out these places below!

📍Kokkinopilos. Preveza
📍Verliga Dragon lake, Thessaly
📍Ithaca island, lonian Sea
📍Aoos springs lake, Epirus
📍Lake Prespes, Macedonia
📍Balda di Stringa waterfalls, Epirus
📍Meteora, Thessaly
📍Pelion, Thessaly
📍Lake Zorika, Epirus
📍Mt Lakmos
📍Crete island, Aegean Sea
📍Gistova Dragon lake, Macedonia

Reel: @farawayfarers
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Swim or kayak through the limestone cliffs of the Twin Lagoon, a must-visit destination for those traveling to Coron, Palawan, Philippines. It is called "twin" lagoon because it consists of two lagoons separated by a limestone cliff, with one lagoon on top of the other. The water in the inner lagoon is warm and clear, with a stunning turquoise color that makes it popular for swimming and snorkeling.

Reel: @travelifejournal
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Take a dip in a series of seven saltwater lagoons located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The Lagoons of Baltinache are known for their beautiful turquoise waters and unique geological formations. The high concentration of minerals in the water gives it a unique buoyancy that makes swimming in the lagoons a unique experience.

Reel: @everchanginghorizon
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Watching the sun rise above the clouds at Haleakalā National Park is one of the most memorable experiences you could have. Haleakalā is a Hawaiian name that means “House of the Sun” and is an awesome place to watch the clear night sky and stars fade away as the sun lights up the sky and the earth.

Reel: @girlchill_sunset
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Just 1 hour from Shanghai by train, Cherry Blossom Valley is a popular tourist destination, particularly in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. The valley is named after the thousands of cherry blossom trees that cover the area and create a stunning display of pink and white flowers. The trees were originally planted in the 1980s by a group of Japanese experts who were invited to China to help with reforestation efforts. The best time to visit is typically in late March or early April. Get there early to beat the crowds!

Reel: @cyncynti
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New Zealand is unbelievable. See it for yourself:

1. Fiordland National Park
2. A classic backcountry hut trip
3. Blue Pools walk
4. Hooker Lake
5. Milford Sound
6. Lake Pukaki

Reel: @kylekotajarvi
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Surrounded by lush greenery, towering karst mountains, and the river flowing through, the Detian Waterfall is a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of the close relationship between China and Vietnam. It is the largest waterfall in Asia and the fourth largest cross-border waterfall in the world.

Reel: @sophoebelous
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Escape to a serene and peaceful oasis away from the bustling city of Marrakech at Le Jardin Secret—a beautiful and historic garden where visitors can escape the noise and chaos and enjoy the beauty of nature. The garden was originally built in the 16th century and is home to many different species of plants, including exotic flowers, citrus trees, and palm trees.

Reel: @hypermiggzz
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For a magical moment and bucket list travel experience, visit the end point of the annual monarch butterfly migration. Starting in August, the monarchs travel 2,800 miles south from Canada, making a temporary home amid the towering trees of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, where the two most popular sanctuaries to view them are el Rosario in the state of Michoacan and Piedra Herrada in Estado de México. Standing in silence while thousands of delicate wings beat in unison is something you'll never forget.

Reel: @juliiathompson
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There's just something beautiful about snow covered landscapes like this popular attraction in southwestern Utah. Known for its unique geology, @brycecanyonnps_gov consists of a series of natural amphitheaters, called "hoodoos," formed by erosion of the rock layers.

Photo: @nathanleeallen
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As we experience a couple more weeks of winter, we can't help but dream of tropical destinations like Hawaii. The warm water, sunny skies, and consistent waves make it an ideal destination for surfers. Hawaii has a vibrant surf culture and community and is also a beautiful place to explore outside of the water, with lush green mountains, stunning beaches, and unique cultural experiences.

Reel: @christopherballadarez
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5 PLACES IN THE U.S. THAT FEEL LIKE ANOTHER PLANET:
1. @sequoiakingsnps, California
2. @canyonlandsnps, Utah
3. @olympic_nps, Washington
4. @whitesandsnps, New Mexico
5. Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
6. Knik Glacier, Alaska

Reel: @nathanleeallen
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Imagine getting caught in the rain while kayaking at one of the most beautiful and popular destinations in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Known for its stunning turquoise-colored lake, surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains, Lake Louise is home to diverse wildlife, including grizzly bears, elk, and moose.

Reel: @reneeroaming
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