7 Hotels Built in Impossible Locations

Who doesn’t love the idea of getting away from it all? Some hotels, however, take the concept to the extreme. Using innovative building techniques and a determination to push boundaries, the people behind these unusual and often groundbreaking accommodations ensure that the place where you stay will be as much of a talking point as the destination you visit. Check into seven unique hotels built in the unlikeliest of locations. 

Skylodge Adventure Suites – Peru

You’ll need to be comfortable with heights to even consider booking one of the Skylodge Adventure Suites, as they hang more than 1,300 feet above the floor of Peru’s Sacred Valley. These futuristic-looking, transparent sleeping pods promise one of the best views in the country — so long as you’re able to reach them. 

Guests are fitted with a harness and helmet before tackling a via ferrata (iron path) anchored into the rock and navigating a cable bridge. But for many, it’s worth pushing through their fears. By day, you can gaze out at condors soaring over the famous valley; as night falls, you’ll sleep soundly under the stars. When it’s time to check out, you’ll need to rappel down the cliff or slide down a series of thrilling zip lines to reach terra firma.

Kelebek Hotel – Türkiye

The Cappadocia region of Türkiye is famous for its hoodoos, known locally as fairy chimneys. These basalt-capped pillars of volcanic tuff have been eroded by centuries of wind and rain, resulting in their unusual shapes. Some are tall and spindly, while others are squat and broad. In the past, the soft rock in these formations was chiseled away to create structures such as pigeon lofts and caves — it’s the latter that have been repurposed as accommodations for tourists. 

To experience one, head over to the village of Göreme, where the Kelebek Hotel is just one of many accommodations that offer cave rooms. The hotel’s name translates to “butterfly,” a nod to a pair of fairy chimneys that stand side by side and have been transformed into cozy rooms with loads of character.  

Treebones Resort – California

At Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California, two unusual structures called Human Nest and Twig Nest sit alongside a cluster of glamping yurts. The owners hired artist Jayson Fann to create two of his signature twig nests from felled and fallen branches. The handwoven huts look out over the Pacific and are large enough to contain a full-sized futon mattress. Bring your own sleeping bag and check the weather forecast — neither of these rustic structures is rainproof, so if conditions are likely to be wet and windy, you’ll need a tent as well.  

Green Magic Resort – India

For anyone who’s keen to immerse themselves in nature, the treehouses of Green Magic Resort are perched in the lush canopy of a plantation in the Wayanad region of Kerala, India. Here, guests sleep more than 70 feet above the “land of the paddy fields” on a structure made of bamboo poles and coir matting. 

Access varies: One treehouse is reached via a water lift, where the weight of water counters what’s being hauled up to the platform, while a rope walkway and lofty hanging bridges lead to another pair of treehouses, the highest 115 feet up. Fortunately, once you’re in your room, you’ll find a bio-toilet, so there’s no need to descend in the middle of the night.

Atlantis Dubai – United Arab Emirates

Experience a different perspective of the beautiful Ambassador Lagoon from the exclusive Underwater Suite at Atlantis Dubai. Floor-to-ceiling glass is all that separates you from the resort’s Lost World Aquarium, home to approximately 65,000 marine creatures. Whether you luxuriate in the suite’s bath or recline on the bed’s soft linens, it’s certainly an atypical way to encounter sharks, rays, and reef fish at close quarters. When you’re ready to switch up the view, a private elevator whisks you up to a sumptuous private lounge, where you’ll have a butler on call to cater to your every whim.

Seaventures Dive Rig – Malaysia 

Divers looking for an unusual experience might consider the world’s only dive rig resort, which has been skillfully repurposed from a redundant oil rig in the Malaysian section of the Coral Triangle, often called the “Amazon of the Seas” for its incredible marine biodiversity. 

Guests hop aboard a boat that ferries them out to the rig, which is a handy base for getting acquainted with the underwater habitats close to dive sites at Mabul Island, Sipadan, and Tun Sakaran Marine Park. In between dives, you can relax on the platform or, for the more adventurous, arrange a supervised 26-foot rig jump from the lift. There’s also a rig swing that extends over the sea, the perfect spot for a selfie to remind you of this unique place.

Fogo Island Inn – Canada

The rocky landscape of Newfoundland’s Fogo Island created a challenge for the construction team tasked with creating this landmark inn. The stilt-based design helped overcome the uneven terrain, and its standout, contemporary appearance suits this wild and remote place.

While some materials had to be brought over to the island by boat, fixtures and fittings were sourced locally when possible in order to create an income stream for the local community. In fact, 54% of the money the inn generates remains on the island. Sustainability is at the heart of the inn’s mission, with solar panels, wood-burning stoves, and a special waste treatment facility installed to keep the hotel’s ongoing carbon footprint as small as possible.