Environmental escape: Escape Pod Hotel
Everyone’s seen pictures of UFO’s, but ever wondered what it would be like to stay in one? This might be exactly the answer to your search.Like something out of Star Wars, environmental designer Denis Oudendijk has begun creation of a hotel floating in the Free Architecture Surf Terrain (FAST) in Den Haag.
Built from recycled oil rig escape pods, each orange bubble just big enough for three people to sleep right at water level, this hotel has managed to turn oil rig waste into something that’s, well, cool.
And they’re safer than anywhere else you can stay—they’re designed to withstand explosions.
Tipping point: The Balancing Barn
Almost exactly what it sounds like, this little hotel is fantastically playful. Gleaming, this futuristic barn extends precariously over the lip of the hill, allowing half the structure to float in midair.Its perch and panoramic windows gives guests a unique view of the lush Suffolk landscape between the historic towns of Walberswick and Aldeburgh, while its architecture and furnishing keeps guests utterly comfortable.
Ingeniously designed by the Dutch architecture firm, MDRDV, this 8 person hotel is at the cutting edge of construction, comfort and ingenuity.
Under a lake: Utter Inn
If you’re looking to get away from the world, this little Swedish cabin is for you. Half-floating, half-submerged 3m underwater in a lake near Stockholm, Utter Inn is a quirky little project by Mikael Genberg.Quite the opposite of his other treehouse cabin design, Utter Inn sets you floating in the middle of the lake, with an underwater bedroom surrounded by 360 degree windows.
It’s simple inside, containing only twin beds and a table, but the views are like no others and a stay here is guaranteed to be memorable.
Claustraphobe cave: La Claustra Hotel
Hotels on mountains are extraordinarily popular these days, but have you ever thought about one in a mountain?Designer Jean Odermatt certainly has. Transforming the collection of caverns that were once a Swiss army base into a fantastic luxury hotel, conference centre and laboratory, La Claustra made history as the only underground hotel in Europe.
With 17 rooms, dining facilities and even a luxury spa fed by the mountain springs, a stay here is definitely an experience to tell your friends about.
And don’t worry, there are plenty of windows onto the Swiss Alps to keep you from getting claustrophobic
Swiss Venice: Hôtel Palafitte
For something unique and yet still utterly luxurious, try the Hôtel Palafitte, Europe’s only five-star hotel built on water. Standing on piles sunk into the bottom of the lake of Neuchâtel, this luxury hotel in Switzerland is absolutely one-of-a-kind.Forty deluxe pavilions sit out over the lake, affording breathtaking views of the surrounding Swiss Alps and utter tranquility.
Of course, the rooms are large each have a private terrace, and there’s a five-star restaurant where you can continue to enjoy the spectacular location and design.
