Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

 1

Jules' Undersea Lodge

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

USA

Key Largo, Florida
Jules' Undersea Lodge

There's no need to head ten thousand leagues beneath the sea for an underwater adventure. Instead, you can scuba dive just 21 feet below the surface of a mangrove lagoon in Florida and drift to your heart's content. Inspired by the fantastical world of Jules Verne, Jules' Undersea Lodge is an authentic research habitat and hotel for up to six people. Guests with dive certificates are invited to enjoy unlimited diving. As for novices, a three-hour course is required in order to reach the hotel, but this also allows newbies to dive in the lagoon with an instructor. Although the lodge is by no means a luxury retreat, it does offer a few creature comforts, including gourmet dinner prepared by a "mer-chef."
For more information, visit www.jul.com

2

Kokopelli's Cave Bed & Breakfast

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

USA

Farmington, New Mexico
Kokopelli's Cave Bed & Breakfast

Being at one with the earth takes on new meaning at Kokopelli's Cave Bed & Breakfast. Originally built as a geological research office, this manmade one-bedroom cave dwelling is carved into a cliff face 70 feet below the top of a mesa. Complete with a working "orno" fireplace, it is reminiscent of the nearby Anasazi cliff ruins ... with the exception of electricity, carpeting, a Jacuzzi, waterfall shower, flagstone hot tub and comfy Southwestern furnishings. While breakfast is not prepared for guests, the kitchen is fully stocked. Of note is the sunset view over four states, since Kokopelli's is located in the famous Four Corners region of the U.S.
For more information, visit www.bbonline.com/nm/kokopelli

 3

Hotel de Glace

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

CANADA

Québec
Hôtel de Glace

While most luxury hotels can expect a major upgrade every decade or so, the Hôtel de Glace is created anew each winter. This seasonal, ever-changing snow-and-ice sculpture is open from early January through the end of March and boasts a collection of über cool facilities. You can sip a chilled cocktail from an ice glass in the ice bar or even tie the knot in the ice chapel. The hotel usually contains 36 guest rooms and themed suites. Some of the latter feature their own fireplaces and spas, while all have beds atop foundations of ice, with arctic sleeping bags for keeping toasty warm all night long. Local activities include ice fishing on Lake St. Joseph, snowmobiling and dog sledding. And when you're ready to chill out — or rather, heat up — just head for the sauna and hot tub.
For more information, visit www.icehotel-canada.com

 4

Green Magic Resort

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

INDIA

Kerala
Green Magic Resort

Surrounded by miles of coffee, cardamom and pepper plantations, Green Magic Resort is a dream come true for kids at heart. Consider this your own private playground, with just two tree forts to choose from. Accessed by an indigenous cane lift that uses a unique water counterweight, one of the tree houses perches 90 feet above the forest floor, while a double-decker accommodation, reached by a hanging bridge, soars a bit higher at 100 feet. Each lodging was built by Paniya tribesmen using local materials and traditional techniques, and although they're simple (prepare yourself for cold showers), they're loaded with charm. Because these sometimes swaying houses aren't for everyone, the resort also has an eco-lodge for those who want to keep their feet planted firmly on the ground.
For more information, visit www.palmlandtours.net

 5

Capsule Inn Akihabara

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

JAPAN

Tokyo
Capsule Inn Akihabara

This futuristic, one-size-fits-all inn is appropriately located in Akihabara, the Tokyo shopping mecca known for specializing in all things technological. The concept here is simple and efficient. Guests pay a relatively low fixed rate each night for a small space to rest. Along with the individual sleeping capsules made of reinforced plastic, which resemble the cockpit of an airplane, there is a communal area complete with computers and Wi-Fi. Located on separate floors for men and women, capsules have their own TVs, radios, alarm clocks and adjustable lighting, but bathroom facilities are shared. Because this inn offers a great way to save money in one of the most expensive cities in the world, it is especially popular with business and budget travelers.
For more information, visit www.capsuleinn.com

  6

Le Grotte Della Civita

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

ITALY

Matera
Le Grotte Della Civita

This series of ancient caves is not what most travelers envision in accommodations when planning their Italian hill town escape. But while the architecture may bring to mind Fred Flintstone, the décor is all about charm. The eighteen guest rooms are spread throughout a complex of ancient cave houses in Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the Paleolithic era. Each features a wrought-iron bed and simple furnishings made by local craftspeople, as well as candlelight tucked into natural stone crevices. The caves have been modernized for comfort (running water, electricity, etc.), but the focus is on conservation and historical integrity, ensuring a truly authentic experience.
For more information, visit www.legrottedellacivita.com

 7

Dovecote

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

ENGLAND

Sunninghill
Dovecote

Rescued and lovingly treated to a five-year restoration, the Dovecote is a truly unique lodging. The centuries-old building resides on the private Buckland Estate, which dates back to the medieval period. Today, rather than housing thousands of pigeons, it hosts just one pair of guests at a time. Along with a lounge area, sauna and bathroom facilities, this romantic retreat features a glass-front balcony bedroom showcasing original details such as 1,000 brick nesting boxes. There is also a small but complete kitchen stocked with a welcome pack of eggs, bread and more. The Dovecote is less than a two hour's drive from London, and when you're not enjoying its charming atmosphere, you can stroll along the bridleway to the village of Buckland for a pint at the Lamb Inn.
For more information, visit the-dovecote.co.uk

 8

Taprobane Island

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

SRI LANKA

Weligama Bay
Taprobane Island

Built in the 1920s by a self-appointed count and later owned by the expatriate writer Paul Bowles (who penned Spider House here), this two-and-a-half-acre private island boasts just one sumptuous, five-bedroom villa. Although guests can wade to their exclusive hideaway from the shores of Sri Lanka, it's more fun to ride in on an elephant. The concept behind the villa's design was to avoid closed spaces, which means that there are views of the sea from almost every point in the house. Adding to the sense of luxury is the island's attentive staff, which includes houseboys, stewards, security guards and a dedicated chef whose many specialties include Sri Lankan curries.
For more information, visit www.taprobaneisland.com

 9

Whitepod

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

SWITZERLAND

Les Cerniers
Whitepod

Accessible by shuttle, snow bike and ski lift — depending on the season — Whitepod delivers an exclusive Swiss Alps experience. Situated at 5,557 feet, the camp consists of just twelve pods designed to resemble igloos. These pods are in fact dome-shaped tents, pitched on raised wooden platforms surrounding a refurbished, nineteenth-century alpine chalet. Each well-insulated lodging is heated by a wood-burning stove and has its own private front terrace, and the chalet features a communal dining room, where the menu includes modern dishes and classic mountain cuisine such as fondue. Along with majestic views of the snow-covered mountains, the camp offers ice climbing, ski tours, guided and unguided snowshoe tours, back country skiing and dog sledding.
For more information, visit www.whitepod.com

 10

The Hoopoe Yurt Hotel

Top 10 Extreme Hotels in the World

SPAIN

Cortes de la Frontera
The Hoopoe Yurt Hotel

Usually, yurts are associated with the outer reaches of Mongolia, but Hoopoe has made these traditional tent-like accommodations more accessible by setting up five in the rugged Andalucian landscape of southern Spain. Situated within three hectares of olive groves and cork oak forest, each yurt at this fully solar -powered retreat has two rooms decorated with antique Mongolian furniture and textiles from around the world, along with a private bathroom. Breakfast is included in the rates, and four-course dinners and tapas are offered in the dining pergola and bar. Although drifting in a hammock is a tempting way to spend your entire holiday, the surrounding attractions are well worth a day trip, including ancient cave paintings, the Moorish town of Ronda and the sherry bodegas of Jerez.
For more information, visit www.yurthotel.com

source : www.gayot.com