20 Incredible Hotels You Need to Stay At In Your Lifetime
The following 20 hotels from around the world, which cover everything from Amazon tree-houses to Arctic ice palaces, are the epitome of style and innovation. They cater for every taste too, whether your idea of paradise is waking to tropical birdsong or falling asleep beneath the twinkling lights of the Milky Way. Indeed, they are sure to leave even the most jaded international traveler with extraordinary memories.
The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is so luxurious that it has been described as a “seven-star” accommodation. Still, that’s what you get your government spends around $3 billion building a landmark hotel with the intention of showcasing Arabian culture. With that in mind, then, expect lashings of gold and marble finishes here.
Nestled in the crisp, pure landscapes of Finnish Lapland, the cozy glass igloos of Hotel Kakslauttanen enjoy unobstructed views of the starry Milky Way. What’s more, nature’s most impressive light show – the shimmering neon iridescence of the northern lights – is up there too. Moreover, the surrounding natural paradise of rugged gorges, fragrant pine forests and refreshingly clean, clear rivers only add to this hotel’s magical allure.
Thanks to its ingenious offshore deck, unforgettable close-up encounters with tropical marine life are all-but-guaranteed at one of the lodgings at Zanzibar’s Manta Resort. That’s because its deck features a Swedish-engineered bedroom 13 feet below the surface of the sea, and it’s complete with glass walls and 360-degree views. Plus, it’s located in the Indian Ocean, 820 feet from Pemba Island, which is a remote and isolated East African enclave cloaked in greenery and fruit trees.
The owners of Sweden’s eco-friendly Treehotel commissioned some of the best architects in Scandinavia to realize their vision. And what a vision it is. Indeed, it sits nestled in quiet forests overlooking the Lule River Valley, and the hotel’s elevated tree houses include an intriguing “mirrorcube” so well camouflaged that it almost seems to be translucent.