Nature Vive Skylodge, Sacred Valley, Peru via naturavive.com
1. Natura Vive Skylodge, Sacred Valley, Peru (prices & photos)
Welcome to Natura Vive Skylodge, offering some of the most jaw-dropping views on earth from what may be the most terrifyingly thrilling hotel rooms ever constructed. Adrenaline-seekers can sleep in the transparent glass pods that cling to one of the highest peaks in Peru’s Sacred Valley. If you’re brave enough to endure a night, you’ll soak up majestic views across the heartland of the Inca Empire, with a package that includes breakfast and a gourmet dinner, complete with wine.
If you think you’ve got the courage to stay the night, you probably need to know that there is a catch. To get to your room, you’ll have to climb a 400-foot cliff face. Guests can climb using a Via Ferrata, or hike an intrepid trail through zip-lines. There are three capsule suites to choose from which can sleep a total of eight. Constructed from aerospace aluminum and weather resistant polycarbonate, each suite comes complete with four beds, all with high quality mattresses and cotton sheets, quilts and down pillows. There is also a dining area and a private bathroom with an ecological toilet and sink. If you’re worried about curious condors peeping in as they pass by, each one also has curtains for privacy.
2. Treehotel, Harads, Sweden (prices & photos)
Located in the pine forest near Harads, Sweden, the Treehotel offers six very unique “treerooms. These aren’t your usual treehouses, and each offers a very distinct look, like the lifelike Bird’s Nest and the mind-blowing reflective Mirrorcube that makes for an especially fabulous hideout among the trees, camouflaged by mirrored walls that reflect the surroundings. The UFO, pictured here, offers the chance to live your childhood dreams in a room reminiscent of the final scene in the film, “E.T.” It was cast in durable composite material that has a comfortable, modern interior built for five, complete with a double bed, three separate twin beds, a bathroom and living room.
Guests can also enjoy Britta’s Pensionat, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in an authentic 1950s setting. It includes a restaurant, bar, sauna and relaxation area with TV and internet.
3. No Man’s Fort, Solent, Portsmouth, England (prices & photos)
No Man’s Fort is one of the world’s most extreme hotels. This former Victorian-era fort was originally built between 1867 and 1880 to protect the city from an attack by Napoleon III at the request of Prime Minister Lord Palmerston. After an extensive renovation, the man-made island was transformed into a luxury hotel. The four-story structure contains 22 guest rooms, all appropriately decked out in nautical style with original iron ceilings and windows that were made from the former gun ports. At the top is a private lighthouse with a glass-floored penthouse suite. The unusual property also includes two helipads, a hot tub, a laser quest arena, a nightclub, wine bar and spa facilities with treatments that use salt sourced from the surrounding waters.
4. Hotel Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico (prices & photos)
Hotel Quinta Real Zacatecas was crafted from the grandstands of a 17th-century bullring which saw its last bullfight in 1975. Blending the luxury of a modern, all-suite hotel with the splendor of original colonial architecture, it faces the city’s ancient arched viaduct. Among the 49 accommodations, the most appealing are the high-end suites which offer views of the cobblestone-paved bullring. Beds are recessed under a stone or wooden arch. The hotel also provides a memorable setting for dining in La Plaza, its three-story restaurant, sitting in the sun stands with views of the ring, Cathedral of Fatima and aqueduct. The brick-walled Botarel bar in the old bull pen hosts live music on the weekend and wines from Mexico and across the globe.
5. Whitepod, Les Cerniers, Switzerland (prices & photos)
Accessible by shuttle, ski lift or snow bike, Whitepod offers a spectacular outdoor retreat in the Swiss Alps at an altitude of nearly 4,600 feet. Accommodations are in 15 pods designed to resemble igloos that are actually dome-shaped tents set up on raised wooden platforms surrounding a refurbished 19th-century alpine chalet. Each is well-insulated, heated by a wood-burning stove, and features a private front terrace that overlooks the valley. Guests can also enjoy a Swedish sauna, massage area and communal space where breakfast is served and evening drinks are sipped around the fireplace. Activities, in addition to just being mesmerized by the stunning snow-covered mountain views, include guided snowshoe tours, ski lessons, cross-country skiing and dog sledding.
