Unique hotels

[Philagoofy]

What are some of the most unique, odd or interesting hotels/motels you've stayed at. What made them odd or interesting?

One unique, interesting place I stayed was the Curly Redwood Lodge in Crescent City, CA. It was built in the mid 1950's from one 18' curly redwood tree. The room was a pretty good size, clean & comfortable, with wood panelling and still looking like a 50's motel, inside & out. The location was good, close to the Pacific with it's wonderful vistas and nearby Redwood Parks.

 

[golfgal]

The two that I can think of is the Del Coronado in San Diego. It was the first hotel west of the Mississippi to have electricity. The building itself is amazing as is the decor. The other is the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It is modeled after a Scottish castle. It is just beautiful and the setting is amazing.

 

[JessicaR]

Years ago we stayed at The Red Caboose. Slept in a train caboose! We had a lot of fun and the kids loved it.

These two sites look to be very unique lodging.

http://www.fantasuite.com/

http://www.icehotel.com/

 

[live4christp1]

I think the Opryland hotel is very unique, technically I think it is now Gaylord Opryland but it's so much more than a hotel. It's like a good size city under a glass roof with shops, places to eat, fountains, paths, a boat ride, etc. It is especially beautiful at Christmas time.
http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-opryland/

The other place was a B&B we stayed at in Iverness Scotland.....but I can't remember the name. It was an old house but very beautiful. Was kind of freaked out though as the ladies husband was a big game hunter and there were huge taxidermy animals of all sorts everywhere. We walked down the little lane by the house and there was a field just full of deer......almost like a herd of cattle but deer. Oh, she also served haggis & black pudding for breakfast.

The Chattanooga Choo Choo has rooms "Victorian Train Cars" Have never stayed there though.
http://www.choochoo.com/traincars.php?dest=21

The Delta Queen Hotel - old paddle wheel boat that has been turned into a hotel.
http://www.deltaqueenhotel.com/

 

[DisneyBlonde]

I haven't yet, but these are on my "to do" list:

Jules Verne Undersea Hotel

Castle on the Hudson

 

[shortbun]

The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. All rooms have different themes and the decor is OVER THE TOP to make an understatement. I stayed in a hotel called The Ark at the Aberdares Country Club in Kenya. All night long, they would buzz your room when game was in view. We stayed up all night in this underground vault with our cameras on tripods so we could take photos in the dark. The host/manager was called(do I even need to tell you?) Noah. lol! I've also stayed in several tented camps and some huts in Africa. The tents were laid out like Ralph Lauren while the camps were run with English style. My favorites were Kichwa Tembo in the Masai Maara and Savuti South in Botswana. We also loved the Kwai River Lodge in Botswana - great bar!! My favorite hotel of all the world is in Paris. It's called The Meurice. At one time Salvador Dali lived on one of the floors with his bevy of tall women and his twin ocelots. The walls were padded silk and the bathrooms...well, let's just say that they were fit for a party.

 

[DawnCt1]

The two that I can think of is the Del Coronado in San Diego. It was the first hotel west of the Mississippi to have electricity. The building itself is amazing as is the decor. The other is the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada. It is modeled after a Scottish castle. It is just beautiful and the setting is amazing.

Absolutely the Del. Loved it. We also stayed at the Pelican Inn (I think) across from Moonstone Beach in Cambria. Lovely!

 

[shortbun]

Absolutely the Del. Loved it. We also stayed at the Pelican Inn (I think) across from Moonstone Beach in Cambria. Lovely!

Hey Dawn!!! It's the Pelican Cove Inn in Cambria. It's so gorgeous there. I liked the Del Coronado but to me it was somewhat normal due to their leaning toward large groups.

 

[jfoofj]

Adventure Suites in North Conway, NH (the White Mountains area).

http://www.adventuresuites.com/


We have never stayed here, but we did go tour some of the rooms the last time we were up there. We really want to stay in either the Cave or the Treehouse. It is a bit pricey, so I think we would do it for one night at the beginning or end of a trip up to the White Mountains.

J

 

[Micca]

I stayed at a place in Chicago (don't recall the name) where it was a typical hotel in appearance, but as an amenity you could have a live goldfish sent to your room

 

[bekkiz]

The Library Hotel is a really neat themed hotel in NYC, it's about a block from the big NY Public Library.

The floors/rooms are themed loosely based on the Dewey Decimal system. We stayed in the Ancient Languages room (4th floor because languages are in the 400s). The theme really only extends to the books and art in the room, but it was a really nice hotel, and I liked the theme quite a bit.

 

[maelstrom]

I want to stay at one of the wigwam hotels! There's ones in Holbrook, Arizona and Rialto, California, and one over in Kentucky or Tennessee.

 

[RN2003AZ]

The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. All rooms have different themes and the decor is OVER THE TOP to make an understatement. I stayed in a hotel called The Ark at the Aberdares Country Club in Kenya. All night long, they would buzz your room when game was in view. We stayed up all night in this underground vault with our cameras on tripods so we could take photos in the dark. The host/manager was called(do I even need to tell you?) Noah. lol! I've also stayed in several tented camps and some huts in Africa. The tents were laid out like Ralph Lauren while the camps were run with English style. My favorites were Kichwa Tembo in the Masai Maara and Savuti South in Botswana. We also loved the Kwai River Lodge in Botswana - great bar!! My favorite hotel of all the world is in Paris. It's called The Meurice. At one time Salvador Dali lived on one of the floors with his bevy of tall women and his twin ocelots. The walls were padded silk and the bathrooms...well, let's just say that they were fit for a party.

I've also stayed at The Ark and a tented camp in the Masai Maara! Kinda cool to find someone else on here who can share that once in a lifetime experience with me!

 

[RN2003AZ]

Adventure Suites in North Conway, NH (the White Mountains area).

http://www.adventuresuites.com/


We have never stayed here, but we did go tour some of the rooms the last time we were up there. We really want to stay in either the Cave or the Treehouse. It is a bit pricey, so I think we would do it for one night at the beginning or end of a trip up to the White Mountains.

J

That place was my DH's way of spending our anniversary one year! We stayed in the Treehouse. Definitly a very different type of romantic get-a-way!

 

[Cantw8]

I haven't been but this is on my list Also, I understand an underwater resort (Poseidon Hotel) is being built in the Bahamas..that sounds pretty romantic also

http://www.costaverde.com/727.html

 

[Handbag Lady]

I second the Madonna Inn in SLO.

Even if we are not staying there, we have to stop so that Husband can pee in the waterfall.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I haven't been but this is on my list Also, I understand an underwater resort (Poseidon Hotel) is being built in the Bahamas..that sounds pretty romantic also

http://www.costaverde.com/727.html

What if there is a leak?

 

[AshleyW]

My favorite hotel to stay at for awhile was The Abbey in Bettendorf, Iowa - right on the Mississippi River. It used to be a monastery, and they converted it into a hotel that only had about 12 rooms or so. It was so beautiful. It had a huge chapel in it, with a big banquet room.. my parents and my fiance went there last summer to scope it out for our wedding, and fell in love. Until we talked to the front desk clerk and learned that it was being converted into a drug treatment facility in 8 weeks. So, needless to say, the wedding will not be held there..

The front of the chapel - would have been soo perfect for a wedding:

The outside at night - view from the courtyard, where the reception would have been held:

 

[DISNEY1975]

The best places I stayed at were in FL. There is a hotel there that has rooms looking right out onto an African Savannah. Animals right outside your window! Not too far away is another hotel that looks like a Wilderness Lodge..its amazing.

My favorite is a Polynesian themed resort. You would never know you were in FL. Lush tropical gardens are everywhere and the entire place has a tropical Polynesian feel. Most nights you can see fireworks right from your window. The fireworks are actually part of a show from a near by amusement park. I WISH I could remember the name of that place.....

 

[Philagoofy]

The best places I stayed at were in FL. There is a hotel there that has rooms looking right out onto an African Savannah. Animals right outside your window! Not too far away is another hotel that looks like a Wilderness Lodge..its amazing.

My favorite is a Polynesian themed resort. You would never know you were in FL. Lush tropical gardens are everywhere and the entire place has a tropical Polynesian feel. Most nights you can see fireworks right from your window. The fireworks are actually part of a show from a near by amusement park. I WISH I could remember the name of that place.....

Wow, these places sound truly magical. When you think of the names, be sure to post.

I also stayed in a couple of all-star places in Florida, one had giant bowling pins & yoyo's outside and the other had giant army men on the roofs.