Polski
What if, during your vacation this year, you spent the night in an authentic ice igloo; in the cockpit of a real Jumbo Jet or almost three kilometers above sea level in a capsule overlooking the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif? Original, surprising unusual hotels and other types of accommodation in Europe offer such opportunities and much more. These are places where you pay not for the number of stars, but for the experience.
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Unusual hotels in Europe: Masseria Cervarolo – Ostani, Italy
In a traditional Italian masseria, the…
Masseria Cervalo offers accommodation in Ostani, Puglia (on. Puglia) in a traditional Italian land estate(trulli) from the 16th century – a stone building built of lime without mortar on a circular plan with a conical roof. It used to be a prosperous country manor and farmstead, where grain was grown and animals were raised. Today, at Masseria Cervalo, you can indeed experience the atmosphere of tranquility and feel the spirit of the old days. It’s a place full of antiques, restored with period-specific materials.
During their stay at Masseria Cervarolo, guests can feel all their senses being stimulated: the sight of white stone walls contrasts with the cobalt sky; the earth smells of Mediterranean herbs; the bark of the olive trees is rough to the touch. The sounds of nature can be heard in the garden, and the cuisine based on local ingredients tastes delicious. As was customary in many masserias in the region, there is a charming chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Unusual hotels in Europe: Les Alicourts Resort Treehouses – France
An overnight stay in a treehouse? Why not!
Playing in a tree house is a dream for many children. For those of us who fancy a sentimental trip back to our childhood days, an interesting suggestion would be to stay at Les Alicourts Resort in the Loire Valley. It is a 30-acre resort located in a forest area that offers beautifully constructed, natural wood cottages nestled in the treetops. Staying in such a cottage is an amazing experience and adventure for the whole family.
Depending on your needs, you can choose to book a 2-bed, 4-bed or 6-bed cottage. The individual cottages are suspended 3.5 to 7 meters above the ground, have eco-friendly toilets and have been equipped with garden furniture. There is no electricity – guests are given candles and flashlights at their disposal, and can use the bathrooms in the main building. A delicious breakfast in picnic baskets is delivered to the cabins each morning.
Unusual hotels in Europe: Kakslauttanen Hotel and Igloo Village – Finland
Accommodation in a real igloo
The Kakslauttenen Hotel and Igloo Village in Finland will be an ideal choice for those who dream of admiring the aurora borealis, but don’t want to sacrifice comfort. This is a unique place: a one-of-a-kind village offering luxury igloo accommodations. Depending on your preference, you can choose an igloo made of ice or glass.
An overnight stay in an ice igloo is a very unique, authentic experience. There is absolute silence all around. Lights placed in the snow illuminate the walls, and guests feel warm and comfortable falling asleep in their sleeping bags. The glass igloo allows you to admire millions of stars in the night sky, and from August to April, a breathtaking spectacle during theaurora borealis. An overnight stay in a glass igloo during a snowstorm can also be an exciting experience.
In winter (from December to April), an ice village operates in the immediate vicinity of the Kaklauttenen Hotel: it includes 20 ice igloos for guests, a bar made of ice, an ice chapel, which is favored by young couples as a nuptial site, and a large restaurant. Each of the glass igloos includes a sauna.
Unusual hotels in Europe: Jumbo Stay – Sweden
Comfortable accommodations aboard a real Jumbo Jet
Another exciting option is to book a stay at the Jumbo Stay property in Arlanda, Sweden. This is a real treat for aviation enthusiasts. Guest rooms have been organized inside a real c1976 Jumbo Jet, which has been decommissioned and converted into a hotel. Guests can choose to stay overnight in one of the engines or in the cockpit, among other things. Importantly, rooms at Jumbo Stay range from budget to luxury. There is also a cafe in the former airplane (on the wing) that is also available to non-hotel guests. It is worth a visit not only to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, but also to see a place usually inaccessible to anyone but aircraft engineers.
Unusual hotels in Europe: Bivacco Gervasutti – Italy
Overnight on the slope of a glacier in the Mont Blanc massif
Bivacco Gervasutti offers accommodations in a capsule suspended 2835 meters above sea level on the slope of the Frebouze glacier in the Mont Blanc massif on the Italian side of Europe’s highest peak. The facility was named after Italian mountaineer Giusto Gervasutti and replaced the one built at the site in 1948. To his memory, a wooden hut. The high-mountain landscape visible from the window of the capsule is truly majestic: the Bivacco Gervasutti is one of the highest and most inaccessible “refuges” in Europe.
The capsule has a living room, dining room and two bedrooms with accommodations for a total of twelve people. The furnishings are very modern, the capsule gets its electricity from solar energy, so guests can enjoy Internet access. Bivacco Gervasutti is an ideal place for climbers who are able to reach the site on foot from Val Ferret.
Unusual accommodations in Europe: Null Stern Hotel – Switzerland
“Hotel” without stars
Name of “facility” – Null Stern Hotel – From German, it means a hotel without stars. The Null Stern Hotel advertises itself with the slogan: “The only star is you!” In reality, it’s a picturesque place in the mountains, on the site of a former nuclear shelter, which not only offers no access to swimming pools or restaurants, but doesn’t even have walls or a roof, and the nearest toilets are remote public cabins a 10-minute walk away.
Guests instead can sleep in a large comfortable double bed under the open sky, surrounded by nature, having their own butler. The project is a kind of art installation that aims to show the idea of going back to one’s roots at a time when the global economy is changing rapidly. The offer is only available for a limited time during the summer season, it is advisable to check the weather forecast before booking.
And can we also find exceptional hotels and accommodations in Poland?
It is not at all necessary to go abroad to plan an extraordinary vacation. In our country you will also find one-of-a-kind, unusual hotels and uncommon accommodations. In recent years, new trends can be observed in Polish tourism, such as glamping – or camping in luxury.
While in previous decades a rush toward exotic travel was evident and new hotel-molodels were springing up like mushrooms, the pandemic forced some reevaluation. Poles are increasingly looking for facilities that are designed to meet opposing needs: to allow them to be as close to nature as possible while guaranteeing a comfortable stay; to provide freedom and privacy with ample availability of attractions; and to be run with respect for the environment and local residents.
The most unique accommodations in Poland can be found in luxurious agritourisms, traditional Mongolian yurts equipped with all possible amenities, historic lighthouses and water towers, and cottages on the water. Noteworthy, among others, are the luxurious spherical tents under the Tatra Mountains – Tatra Glamp; the Szuflandia apartments with suspended bedrooms and large glass walls overlooking the Beskid forest or the HT Houseboats floating cottages in Mielno.
