The World's Weirdest Hotels

Ever wanted to sleep inside a cage, upside down or underwater? Here is a selection of unusual hotels from around the world for when a standard room just won't do.

The Mirror Room - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

The Dog Bark Park Inn, Idaho, USA

Sleeping in the doghouse is no bad thing at this bed & breakfast, imaginatively set inside a 12ft beagle. Created by a pair of "chainsaw artists", the lodgings benefit from a cozy alcove in the dog's muzzle.


Das Park Hotel, Linz, Austria

Who would have thought concrete could be comfy? These renovated sewage pipes are, thankfully, clean and functional and sit on the banks of the Danube, making them a perfect post-industrial bolt hole.


The Old Jail, Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia

Independently minded travellers who yawn in the face of "bright, airy and spacious" should check out this budget hostel.


The Old Jail, Mount Gambier, South Australia, Australia

Inmates can expect secure lodgings and a yard to exercise in at the former prison where very little has changed – except that rooms can now be locked from the inside.


Hostel Celica, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Travellers who want jailtime without compromising their sense of style should also check out the clean lines (well, there are lots of bars) at this converted prison in Slovenia.


Gruft - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

Deep sleepers should perhaps avoid the Gothic beds at this unique hotel in Berlin – or just opt for a less terrifying bed in the "labyrinth" part of the room below.


Two Lions - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

The hotel offers themed abodes ranging from the tame to the extreme. The Two Lions room, complete with cages, has a two-way mirror into the next room for real exhibitionists.


Upside Down - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

The rooms are created by German artist Lars Stroschen with the aim of altering guests' perceptions, something this "upside-down" room certainly achieves.


Wrapped - Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin

Other rooms in this "living work of art" allow guests the chance to sleep in a padded cell, under Nordic runes, or down a mine shaft.


The Hobbit Motel, Woodlyn Park, Waitomo, New Zealand

Put aside your preconceptions of the soulless motel – these Lord of The Rings-inspired rooms invoke homely charms suitable for the most discerning of hobbits.


Magic Mountain Hotel, Panguipulli, Region X, Chile

Or how about a stay underneath a cascading waterfall on a fairytale mountain that, legend has it, can grant you wishes? An aerial ropeway takes you between tree-tops in the surrounding forest canopy.


Crane Hotel, Harlingen, Netherlands

When choosing a hotel conversion, a shipping crane is unlikely to be the first option that springs to mind....


Crane Hotel, Harlingen, Netherlands

But with a swish interior, rotating sea views and splendid sense of isolation, you can forgive this hotel's less-than-glamourous dockside location.


Capsule Hotel, The Hague, Netherlands

Unusual but indestructible, these orange "survival pods" were previously used on oil rig platforms and can be floated in different locations. A James Bond version boasts a DVD player and a Martini-making set.


Quinta Real Zacatecas, Mexico

Rooms at this hotel overlook a beautifully-restored bullfighting arena in the central Mexican city of Zacatecas.


The Marmara Antalya, Turkey This revolving hotel is a feat of engineering. The 2750-ton building floats in a tank of water, allowing smooth rotation and giving guests constantly changing views of the Mediterranean.


Null Stern Hotel, Switzerland This Swiss 'zero star' hotel offers a distinctly subterranean experience - inside a Cold War-era bunker.

Beckham Creek Cave Haven, USA Set in 530 acres of Arkansas rock, this cave hotel took four years to complete. It features central heating, Jacuzzis and even serves as a wedding venue.


The Schneedorf, Austria
Essentially a giant igloo perched 2,700m up in the Tyrolean Alps, the Schneedorf entices visitors with sheepskin covered air mattresses and erotic ice sculptures


Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel, Brazil
35 miles from Manuas, this rainforest resort is built entirely at the level of the rainforest canopy.


The hotel features four miles of walkways and a honeymoon suite, 110 feet up a mahogany tree.


Hotel Marqués De Riscal, Spain

This stunning Frank Gehry-designed hotel sits in the town of Elciego, in the heart of Spain's Rioja wine-growing region


The Old Railway Station, UK

A trainspotter's paradise on the outskirts of Chichester, this hotel is comprised of four converted railway carriages, each transformed into a pair of suites.


Jumbo Hostel, Sweden

"Spend the night onboard a real jumbo jet - on the ground!" The Jumbo Hostel's website says it all, really.


Crazy Bear, UK

Now boasting three hotels in London, Oxford and the commuter town of Beaconsfield, the Crazy Bear provides flamboyant design and eclectic style.


Winvian, USA

The 18 cottages at this Connecticut resort each offer a different design theme.


This converted helicopter is perhaps the most bizarre.


Dream Cave Hotel, Turkey

Just one of a number of cave hotels in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, the Dream Cave features four rooms built inside the famous 'fairy chimneys' (rock formations).


The Treehouse, UK

The Treehouse, in Cornwall's Deerpark Forest, comes with wonky-angled doors, higgledy-piggledy roof tiles and a great big oak tree growing right up through its middle.


The Poseidon Resort, Bahamas

Rooms at the Poseidon Resort lie 40 feet underwater, encased in a 4-inch acrylic outer casing, giving guests a glimpse of life under the sea.


The Library Hotel, USA

This luxury hotel in the heart of Manhattan has one obvious twist. Each floor is dedicated to a different category in the Dewey Decimal Classification system. For example, the ninth floor contains only books in the '900s' of the Dewey system. A librarian's dream.