Hostels in jumbo jets, tents suspended from mountain faces, beds in shipping containers and high design digs; we’ve picked the very best of alternative accommodation and places to stay this year, all around the world.
1. Egg Capsule Beach Huts in South Korea
These space-age pods have descended upon the beaches of the Yangyang County, South Korea, designed by Korean studio Yoon Design Space for all of humanity to enjoy.
2. Stockholm’s Jumbo Jet hostel, Sweden
Experience the height of cool with a stay in a real Jumbo Jet – on special offer with Hostelling International if you book by mid-February.
3. Camp suspended from a mountaintop tree in Germany
Hanging in Bavaria has never been so literal.
4. Thank Casa Gracia, Barcelona for Spanish style
So urban cool you’ll want your life to be one big city break. Rave reviews and hotly tipped for 2015.
5. Enjoy eco-friendly comfort in Reykjavik Downtown, Iceland
Help save the environment and stay at this gem right on the doorstep of mother earth’s majestic Northern Lights – rooms from £17 per night.
6. Treat yourself to a stay in an Arctic igloo, Lapland
Save up your hard earned cash for an atmospheric sleep in a world famous glass igloo. Look out for Santa.
7. Antique gypsy caravan B&B in Herefordshire, England
Canter off into the wilderness for a romantic break at Wriggles Brook Gypsy B&B in the Wye Valley, an area of outstanding natural beauty.
8. Immerse yourself in the nature of Patagonia, Chile with Eco Camping
A slice of the good life, you can really remove yourself from the frills of urban existence and enjoy complete isolation right in the midst of Torres del Paine National Park; camp in semi-spherical, transparent domes with minmal impact on the environment.
9. Swanky spa hostel with an Alpine backdrop in Saas-Fe, Switzerland
Visit this tiny ski haven and enjoy the exhaustive list of spa and health facilities – on a budget.
10. Crawl into the cosy cross-section of a drainpipe in Ottensheim, Austria
Drainpipes are for more than dregs and sewage: Das Park hotel ups the alternative crash pad game with these awesome sleep gutters, set in parkland and open from May until October. It’s more than a pipedream.
11. A network of treehouses nestled among the Amazonian rainforest, Brazil
Ariau Amazon hostel, soaring 20 metres in a canopy above the Amazon River, is a rare one and not for the budget traveller, but we’ve bookmarked it as a majestic option for those of you planning something big involving a ring, or another such huge event.
12. Crash out in a capsule in Tokyo, Japan
If you’re not prone to claustrophobia, snuggle up in a world famous night in these cramped Japanese quarters. Novelty is everything.
13. Mountain views surround Ještěd Tower, Czech Republic
A unique piece of architecture and three star hotel sitting at the top of Ještěd mountain, with panoramic views in every direction.
14. Spend a night in a jail cell in Ottawa, Canada
Every wondered what it’d be like to spend a night in the slammer? Bunk up with jailmates or go into solitary confinement in this unique and heritage accommodation, complete with dungeon bar.
15. Be rocked to sleep on a converted boat, Budapest, Hungary
This hostel with a difference is docked on the Pest side of the city in front of the pretty Margit Island: Fortuna Boat also offers tours of the Denube River. All aboard.
