Most Epic, Spectacular, and Unique Hotels
- Lea R
- Aug 18, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 18, 2024
I've been lucky enough to stay in some incredible places. Narrowing down to top five wasn't easy. While I'm sure there are insanely cool lodgings still yet to be visited, here are my favorites.
5. BALLYSEEDE CASTLE, TRALEE CO. KERRY, IRELAND
Located in Southwest Ireland, not far from the coast, the beautiful 18th Century Castle has 45 beautiful suites, a lush green landscape, and great food. This is a very romantic castle hotel. We only stayed one night as its above our usual hotel budget, but had a fantastic time. We enjoyed a Guinness in the bar before dinner, then had an amazing meal. You can walk around parts of the castle and get some fun pics with your spouse/lover. Say hi to the huge resident castle dogs, and the.....ghost?!
4. SULTAN CAVE SUITES, CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY
I did a lot of research before choosing this hotel. I for sure wanted to stay in a cave hotel, which are THE places to stay in Cappadocia. Sultan Cave Suites has one of the highest reviews for the rooms and views. It also has the most popular rooftop restaurant in the area. While our room was really nice, the rooftop lounge was the highlight. The hot air balloon show is not to be missed. You can enjoy your morning Turkish coffee and breakfast and marvel at these graceful, colorful, moving works of art. While we didn't ride the balloons on this trip, we got professional photos taken with them (I'll post that another time) and got to watch them from our hotel. Over 100 balloons launch everyday (conditions permitting) and my oh my, it is quite the sight. One of the coolest moments was getting ready in the morning then hearing a loud PSHHHHHHH coming from outside. I open the back door to see what it was and a massive balloon was floating outside, about 100ft away! People waved and i waved back, so glad I wasn't naked. They don't need to see these balloons.
3. CASTELO DE OBÍDOS, OBÍDOS, PORTUGAL
Another castle hotel on the list. This one is located about a 70 minute drive north of Lisbon, Portugal. Dating back to the 12th century, it is incredibly well preserved. I couldn't believe our luck that we booked during the Obídos Medieval Festival. This is the kind of event that you see in movies. People rent costumes and dress the part. While it's optional to dress up, I'd guess 90% did, including us. There were food booths, taverns, shows, live music, shops, activities for kids and grownups.
The castle hotel is of course the main attraction of the town. It has a spooky exterior, but a pretty interior. Our room was quaint and cozy, updated with conveniences, but not overly modernized. A delicious breakfast was included and came with a lovely view. The whole experience felt like going WAY back in time.
1. (TIE) LE MERIDIEN, BORA BORA, FRENCH POLYNESIA
Definitely the most stunning hotel I've EVER stayed at is Le Meridien in Bora Bora. Oh my goodness, the beauty of this resort is unbelievable and cannot be described. We had to splurge and get an overwater bungalow with the glass bottom windows. Even though the room interiors are fun and pretty, you're going to want to spend all your time outside, whether it be on your deck or on the private beach. Every place on the property has an epic view. The water temperature is perfect, like a warm swimming pool, and is a super bright blue. It changes tones depending on time of day and if a cloud happens to roll by. You can opt for just breakfast included or breakfast and dinner included. The best pancakes on the planet are here, so be sure to try one....or seven. One of the best features of the resort is the on-site turtle rehabilitation center, unique to Le Meridien. This center rescues wild turtles who've been injured from various reasons like a wound from another animal or a speargun :( The clinic treats them then nurses them back to health until they are released back into the wild. We got the opportunity to help with the injured turtles and even gave one a "bath" with a toothbrush! She seemed to really enjoy it and I was in heaven.
1. (TIE) WOODLYN PARK MOTEL, WAITOMO, NEW ZEALAND
Yes, this one is a Motel! This super fun lodging is the most unique. It's located on the north island of New Zealand and is the most budget friendly on the list. The large property consists of an airplane, hobbit houses, a boat, and a sleep train. I chose the plane, or a Bristol Freighter, to be more specific. The inside is partially renovated to make it habitable with a bathroom, a kitchenette and beds. You can rent out the whole plane or just half. My son and husband loved playing in the flight deck and probably pushed ALL the buttons. It was very quiet and peaceful and a ways from any big city, but not far away are the famous Waitomo Glow Worm Caves (a must see). So glad we made the drive because it was so worth it and was one of the highlights of our entire trip.
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