So, by now we all know that my friend Andy Hayes from Oregon is a big time travel junkie who one day plans to be the only person to have visited every place on the earth! Even after the loads of work Andy Hayes has to manage at Oregon State Treasury, his sheer passion towards travelling gets the best of him and you see him travelling to the weirdest, strangest, magnificent places on earth. He has accounts of the weirdest insects and the most beautiful islands; of the coolest cafes to the quirkiest restaurants, Andy Hayes just can't get enough of it all. Over his time travelling, he came across a lot of crazy hotels out there and he has now compiled a list of the best of the lot. Here, have a look:
• Ice Hotel (Sweden)-6,000 square feet of ice and snow:
This is the largest – and the original – ice hotel in the world. Guests sleep in a thermal sleeping bag on a special bed built of snow and ice, on reindeer skins. After a good night's sleep they are treated to hot lingo berry juice in the morning bought directly to their beds. The temperature here is as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit. To all who can't beat the chill, they have an Absolut Ice bar, where you can warm yourself up with a shot of vodka or two.
• Gamirasu Cave Hotel (Turkey)-a cave on a volcanic rock:
So, basically sleeping in a cave is much more comfortable than it may sound. The volcanic rock that insulates the cave keeps the temperature at a comfortable level, between 63 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, year round. The cave once used to be a Byzantine monastic retreat, dating about 1,000 years old. Until recently, part of this retreat was used by Christian monks, and some of the individual rooms were used as cells.
• Old Jail Mount (Australia)- an actual prison:
This is a hotel aimed at budget travellers. The do good-ers who have never been to an actual jail can experience it once by spending a night here. The only drawback being the fact that meals are served in the mess and you have to sleep next to a toilet! It really gives you the feeling of living in a jail quite literally!
• Capsule Inn (Tokio)-capsules instead of rooms:
The Capsule Inn capsules rather than a room. While the Inn provides a public lounge space, including bathrooms, guests stay in a capsule unit. These capsules, which are made of reinforced plastic, and have all the required amenities, like TV, radio, lighting, and alarm clock access.
Martin Wynn
