For seasoned travellers bored with the standard overnight setups, finding accommodation that stands out for all the right reasons can be difficult.
Discover the world’s coolest alternative hotels that are as impressive as the landscape that surrounds them.
Night at the Museum, Hotel Benesse House – Naoshima, Japan
Located on the island of Naoshima – Benesse House feels more like a gallery than a hotel, with its minimal design, natural light and scattered contemporary artworks. Remote and idyllic, the hotel sits among scattered shrines, rice fields and old wooden houses in a bid to revitalise its shrinking population. The minimal architecture, with expanses of concrete, glass and wood – created by respected architect Tadao Ando – is the perfect complement to the surrounding nature and artwork.
Temple Stay – Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
A Japanese temple stay offers a peaceful and tranquil stay, giving the opportunity to enjoy slow travel. Shukubo, or temple stays, began centuries ago when pilgrims were taken in by temples for a night or two. Honour tradition and stay at Akashiji Dainicihya Inn. Since the Taisho era, Dainicihya has been welcoming visitors to the nearby sacred site of Akashiki. The temple offers guests cultural experiences, such as a meditation exercise, sutra-copying, Buddha drawing and flower arranging, all designed to calm the spirit.
CASS winery – SLO CAL, California, USA
The GENESEO INN is a luxury boutique hotel nestled in the rolling hills of SLO CAL’s Paso Robles wine country. Built of industrial shipping crates perched above the vines on CASS Winery’s 145 acres of vineyard, the experience truly allows guests to ‘breathe in the vineyard views’. The winery has already been receiving awards and accolades from architectural magazines for this alternative accommodation.
Chocolate Village – Limbuš, Slovenia
Chocolate Village, just outside of Maribor, is a luxurious glamping site that’s perfect for chocoholics. Guests can stay in contemporary cabins, beautiful treehouses, or poolside houses that come complete with their own hot tub and fireplace, all whilst enjoying delicious, locally-made chocolate treats. Each room has chocolate bath products and travellers looking to really immerse themselves in the sweet stuff can enjoy a relaxing chocolate massage.
