Ice Hotel, Quebec, Canada
Lotus flowers, trees, polar bears and other relief carvings are found all over the ice and snow walls of the stunning Hotel de Glace in Quebec, which opens each January with a new theme. The 2013 theme, pictured, was “A Journey to the Center of Winter.”
Kulturinsel Einsiedel Treehouse Hotel, Germany
Whimsical is one word you could use to describe the Kulturinsel Einsiedel Hotela (“Culture Island”) hotel in Germany, which includes a network of cute little treehouses accessible by ladders and rope bridges as well as an ‘Enchanted Castle.” It’s basically a fantasy playground that intends to turn adults back into kids for the duration of their stay.
Nothofagus Hotel, Chile
Another wonder to be found deep within the Huilo Huilo Biological Resort is the Nothofagus Hotel, a 115-foot-tall wooden structure built around an ancient oak. The spectacular atrium also contains an illuminated waterfall that splashes from the seventh level down to the first. The hotel offers 55 rooms and suites with views of the forest and the Mocho-Choshuenco volcano.
Châteaux dans les Arbes Hotel, France
Stay in a ‘tree castle’ with its own private hot tub on a spacious balcony at France’s Chateaux dans les Arbes Hotel. Far from the rustic sensibilities of most tree houses, these bed-and-breakfast suites feature private bathrooms, mini bars and ornate architectural details.
Hotel de la Cite, Carcassonne, France
Another fairytale castle, the Hotel de la Cite is a medieval-style chateau in the midst of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The citadel of Carcassonne proves an atmospheric setting for the storybook complex, which served as the inspiration for the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
