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Wednesday 10 May 2017

10 WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL - BUT INSANE - HOTELS


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The World's Most Beautiful - but Insane - Hotels
By Bianca Bahamondes,
The Daily Meal, 2 May 2017.

The most important factor when traveling is the experience you have - what you’ll take with you in memory long after the trip itself is over. Most travelers want to be completely immersed in their surroundings, the culture, and the beauty that makes every destination wonderfully unique. With that said, hotels are always trying to enhance and build upon this experience with the hope, of course, that they will bring people back again in the future.

To truly amaze vacationers, some hotels go above and beyond to make each visitor’s stay memorable and inspiring. Every place on this list does just that, and each is insane in some way: its harmony with the environment it is surrounded by, its architecture, and/or its stunning bedroom views. From the treetop views of monkeys and wildlife from your room in the Peruvian Amazon, to sleeping with the fish in the divine waters of Tanzania, here are the 10 most beautiful but insane hotels around the world.

1. Attrap Reves Hotel: Allauch, France

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Credit: ADT 04/Flickr/CC BY 4.0

Attrap Reves Hotel in Allauch, France, is also known as the “Bubble Hotel,” since that is what you’ll be sleeping in - a transparent bubble. From inside the bubble there is nothing obstructing your views of the outdoors, and you can sleep under the stars without having to worry about pesky bugs. The bubbles are made out of recycled material and are designed to be eco-friendly.

2. Glass Floor Udang House: Bali

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In Bali there’s a century-old house that guests can stay in called Udang House. Above a natural freshwater shrimp pond, the Udang House at Bambu Indah Hotel features bedrooms with glass floors with clear views of the river fish and wildlife. The bathroom in each room also has a glass roof, with a shower that is half indoors and half outdoors, maintaining authenticity and balance between luxury and nature.

3. Golden Crown Levin Iglut: Levi, Finland

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Credit: Levin Iglut

Golden Crown Levin Iglut is amazing for its peaceful, glass-ceiling igloos that have year-round views of the wonderful Arctic skies and northern lights. It is remotely located, with neither television nor Wi-Fi in the igloo, but is not far from the Levi resort and a restaurant that serves Nordic cuisine.

4. Jade Mountain: St. Lucia

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Jade Mountain St. Lucia is a magical resort on the coastline with stunning architecture that compliments its natural surroundings. The rooms here are not only large and airy, but have no fourth wall, providing incredible views of the Caribbean. To top it off, each room has a private infinity pool you’ll never want to leave.

5. Les Cols Pavellons: Olot, Girona, Spain

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This property in Olot, Girona, is near the Garrotxa Volcanic Nature Reserve and only has five “pavilions” (as they call their rooms), each made entirely of glass and steel - the four walls around you and the floor below are all glass. There are no decorations, just a bed, nature’s serenity on the other side of the glass, and the sound of running water coming from the heated baths. This is the ideal stay for the minimalist traveler or a romantic couple’s getaway. What makes the stay here even better is the hotel’s Restaurant Les Cols, which has two Michelin stars.

6. Montana Magica Lodge: Patagonia, Chile

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Credit: Huilo Huilo

Montana Magica Lodge translates from Spanish to the Magic Mountain Lodge, and that is exactly what this hotel is. The building is shaped to look like a volcano and has water that falls from the top of it as opposed to lava (for obvious reasons). The mountain-like hotel has windows peeking out from all angles and moss growing on its surface, making it appear to be one with the forest. Oh, and did we mention it is only accessible by a swinging rope bridge? Hope you’re not afraid of heights.

7. Sanctuary Makanyane Luxury Safari Lodge: South Africa

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Created to be in harmony with the nature that surrounds it, Sanctuary Makanyane Luxury Safari Lodge in South Africa is as beautiful as it is unique. Here you can doze off on a raised platform just above the wilderness and under the stars on their Star View Sleep-Out Hide, or stay in one of their eight private suites with glass walls that provide uninhibited views of your natural surroundings and the Marico River.

8. The Manta Resort: Pemba Island, Tanzania

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Debatably the most insane hotel on this list, The Manta Resort gives you the opportunity to sleep isolated in the middle of the ocean, either under water or under the sky. Who needs an ocean sound machine when you’re submerged in the sea itself? The hotel room floats in the turquoise waters of Tanzania and has three levels to it, the first being under water with 360-degree views of the ocean’s reef fish (including squid and brightly colored Spanish dancer sea slugs). The second level is at sea level with an area for lounging around as well as a bathroom, and the third level is a top deck where you can stare up into the beautiful night sky without any light pollution surrounding you.

9. The Conrad: Maldives

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Dining under the sea and swimming with whale sharks are just two of many things that make Conrad Maldives Rangali a surreal stay. The Conrad has various suite styles, but some of the most insane are their Superior and Deluxe Water Villas. These villas are directly above the water with private views to the open ocean, and either a personal outdoor whirlpool bath or an outdoor pool - depending on which villa you chose - to enjoy.

10. Treehouse Lodge Resort: Iquitos, Peru

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Fulfilling all your childhood dreams in luxury is the Treehouse Lodge Resort in Iquitos, Peru. Without any walls you become one with the Peruvian Amazon but won’t have to give up the comforts of a mattress, fresh linens, or amenities like running water.

Top image: Sunset view at Bambu Indah Hotel, Bali. Credit: Bambu Indah.

[Source: The Daily Meal. Edited. Some images added.]

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