After a long day of traveling and sightseeing, how does a relaxing evening sleeping in a shark tank, a subterranean vault filled with human skeletons or the trunk of a Tesla sound? Some of the weirdest and most unique listings to ever be offered on AirBNB.com include actual museums, stunning ruins, a three-dimensional recreation of a Van Gogh painting, a hippie paradise and a hotel where giraffes stick their necks through the windows to steal your breakfast.

Glass Shark Suite, Paris

It’s probably best if you don’t have a shark phobia prior to renting this AirBNB room at the Paris Aquarium, since the marine predators are virtually all you’ll be able to see all night. Just large enough for a circular bed for two guests, this glass room suspended inside the tank provides 360 degree views of 35 live sharks. Guests will get an intimate education on the lives of the animals from fervid and underwater photographer Fred Boyle, and can even enjoy their meals from another vantage point outside the aquarium. It’s open for just three nights in April and will then serve as an observation area for biologists.

Paris Catacombs

You’d have to be fairly free of superstitions to get a decent night’s sleep right beside a wall of human remains, but for those brave enough, a night in the bowels of Paris is surely an unforgettable experience. On Halloween night, some lucky AirBNB contest winners got to take a tour of the city’s famous catacombs, enjoy a gourmet meal and a private concert “in some of the most incredible acoustics under the earth,” listen to a storyteller’s frightening tales about this subterranean hall of the dead, and then become the only living people to wake up there.

Van Gogh’s Bedroom, Chicago

Step inside a Van Gogh painting, lay down in his slightly irregular bed and gaze at the walls and floors faithfully recreated in his own iconic brush strokes with this AirBNB offering from the Art Institute of Chicago. Recreating the Dutch artist’s famous ‘Bedroom,’ the exhibit rents for just $10 per night and aims to drum up interest in the original painting, which has long been an icon of the museum’s permanent collection. The nightly rate includes tickets to the museum.

Mirrored House, Pittsburgh

You kind of have to enjoy gazing at your own reflection to enjoy staying in this curious mirrored funhouse of a rental listing in the Pittsburgh suburb of Fox Chapel. Created by an artist, the house is like a giant habitable disco ball, with mirrors adhered to both the exterior and interior surfaces. The dining room is the crown jewel of the space, with a central aquarium reflected in all of the wall-mounted mirrors and chandeliers. The rental appears to no longer be available.

House of Collections, Brooklyn

Like one big cabinet of curiosities, Brooklyn’s House of Collections features artfully arranged and carefully chosen objects on every imaginable surface, from patterns of rusted farm tools on the living room wall to cow bones hung beside historic local treasures. There are at least seventy house plants, exotic textiles, books, musical instruments, antique furniture and almost any kind of tchotchke you can imagine. Though it may look like an antique store, it’s a private residence, rented out occasionally to lucky AirBNB guests.

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If your mental image of ‘Jolly Old England’ and the rest of the United Kingdom is mostly full of stuffy royals, bland food and cow pastures, you’re missing out on the stunningly colorful, joyfully wacky bigger picture. In addition to its plentiful, richly varied points of interest and cultural traditions, the UK is packed with fun, hip, stylish and bizarre places to stay, from freewheeling gypsy camps to castles that will please fans of a certain boy wizard. These 15 hotels, bed & breakfasts and vacation rentals include glitzy high-fashion boutique hotels, goofy tourist traps and a few hidden gems.

Crazy Bear Hotel, Beaconsfield, England

(images via: crazybeargroup.co.uk)

If over-the-top glamor and luxury is your bag, the Crazy Bear Hotel chain is where you should stay when visiting England. Fur-lined, gold-plated, chandelier-laden rooms are just the beginning; others have leather floors, mirror-tiled ceilings and tall brass bathtubs right beside the bed. Some might say they ride the line between outrageously fun and gaudy, but they’re certainly a unique experience. The Beaconsfield location is unapologetically wild in a very conservative town, located in an unassuming 15th-century building on a 60-acre farm 20 minutes from the town of Oxford and 45 minutes from London.

The Pavilion, Hyde Park, London, England

(images via: pavilionhoteluk.com)

Describing itself as a “fashion rock n’ roll hotel’, Hyde Park’s Pavilion has no qualms bragging about its many celebrity guests on its website, who have included supermodels like Karen Elson, bands like Duran Duran and Hollywood royalty like Leonardo DiCaprio. Even with its out-there themed rooms like Casablanca Nights and Honky Tonk Afro, the most amazing thing about this chic London hotel is its prices, which start at just under U.S. $100. The hotel is owned by a young brother-and-sister team who dreamed up all 30 rooms and regularly rent them out for high-profile photo shoots.

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

(images via: thewitchery.com)

Got visions of Hogwarts dancing in your head? While there are any number of old castles converted to hotels in Great Britain, none have interiors quite as magical as those at the appropriately named ‘Witchery’ in Edinburgh. Popular with celebrities and wildly in demand, The Witchery by the Castle is as well known for its richly decorated, theatrically baroque suites as for its critically acclaimed restaurant. Book far in advance to enjoy one of the hotel’s 8 guest suites which feature ornate drapery, renaissance-style paintings, Victorian baths, fireplaces and even hidden rooms.

La Rosa Gypsy Camp, Whitby, England

(images via: larosa.co.uk)

If you’re a free spirit with a sense of adventure, England’s got you covered with a number of gypsy caravan hotels including ‘La Rosa Campsite Extraordinaire’, where visitors can stay in recycled, reclaimed lodgings like gypsy wagons and circus tents. Paying tribute to the beauty and environmental sensitivity of its setting, the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, the camp uses only candles and fairy lights at night and has limited facilities like composting toilets and showers in a converted byre. “We like to hope that being green does not mean you can’t be comfy, have a laugh or eat chocolate cake,” say the owners on their website.

40 Winks, London, England

(images via: 40winks.org)

Internationally acclaimed interior designer David Carter’s London home has long been a favored site for photo shoots, but Carter still felt as if this space, in a 1717 Queen Anne townhouse, was underutilized. So the designer decided to open two little-used guest rooms to photographers, stylists, art directors, designers, buyers, models and others in the entertainment industry who need an affordable place to crash while working in London. Like a boutique hotel without the staff, 40 Winks is a home away from home.

Hotel Fronlas, Cardiff, Wales

(images via: fronlas.com)

Cute and modern, the Hotel Fronlas is located in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Cardiff, Wales. The owners, Eva and Owain Huw, are passionate about sustainability and have crafted their boutique hotel with careful thought for the environment as well as aesthetics and comfort. Powered with 100% green electricity with solar panels that heat up its water, the Fronlas also has organic linens and fresh flowers, and serves local organic cuisine.

Aviator Hotel, Farnborough, England

(images via: aviatorfanborough.co.uk)

Built in the shape of an airplane propeller, the Aviator Hotel, located at the TAG Farnborough Airport, is not kitsch but rather sleek, elegant and businesslike. The simplicity of the hotel’s design, inspired by the minimalist aesthetics of aviation, is fitting for lodgings that primarily cater to corporate clients. Eschewing the tackiness that can come with a ‘theme’, the Aviator chooses a subtler route with lots of white and old photographs of antique aircraft.

Appleton Water Tower, Sandringham, Norfolk, England

(images via: landmark trust)

Stay in a historic water tower, the Appleton of Norfolk, which was built in 1877 with the foundation stone laid by the Princess of Wales. You can have its rooms, including the glass-walled terrace at the top, all to yourself, enjoying open fires in the fireplaces. You can even bring your dog.

Malmaison Prison Hotel at Oxford Castle, England

(images via: malmaison.com)

For 125 years – as recently as 1996 – guests at the Oxford Castle weren’t there voluntarily. They were prisoners. Today, travelers pay good money to spend the night locked between these walls. The Malmaison Oxford Castle Hotel has transformed what was once a dingy penitentiary to a luxurious boutique hotel full of plush linens and fresh-cut flowers. The hotel has retained the names of various sections including “C Wing”, where prisoners were once punished, “The Governor’s House” and the “Houses of Correction”.

Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh, Scotland

(images via: hotelmissoni.com)

The Hotel Missoni is every bit as fashionable as you’d expect from one of Europe’s top design houses, and Missoni’s iconic patterns don’t let you forget for one moment who crafted the interiors. The hotel is located just off the Royal Mile in the Old Town, and the doormen will great you in Missoni-designed kilts. The views of the city from the upper suites are quite a treat.

The Old Railway Station, Petworth, West Sussex, England

(images via: oldstation.co.uk)

Stay in a restored Pullman carriage or a historic railway station at the Old Railway Station Hotel in West Sussex, England. The station house offers more spacious lodgings with vaulted ceilings, while the carriage rooms are a tad tighter but just as charming.

CitizenM, Glasgow, Scotland

(images via: citizenmglasgow.com)

Guests in Glasgow love the affordable luxury of CitizenM, which doesn’t skimp on the design details, but doesn’t cost a fortune, either. The hotel cut costs and made construction easier and more environmentally friendly by prefabricating all guest rooms, which have a futuristic feel. A red, black and white color scheme runs throughout the public areas, and large-scale works of art catch the eye in various rooms. In the spirit of ‘belonging to the locals’, CitizenM placed a large steel grate street-side which bears the record grooves to the song “I Belong to Glasgow’.

The Lighthouse, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales

(images via: lighthouse-llandudno, wikimedia commons)

Stunningly picturesque, the Lighthouse Hotel in Llandudno offers the kind of scenery for which Wales is famous – old stone structures, emerald grass and craggy cliffs overlooking the sea. The lighthouse was built in 1862 from limestone and massive quantities of Canadian pitch pine, and was in use until 1985. Stay in the Keeper’s Hall, a dramatic nautically-themed room with pine panelling and a captain’s wheel, or the even more beautiful Lamp Room, which the optic once occupied before it was removed.

The House in the Clouds, Thorpeness, Suffolk, England

(images via: houseintheclouds.co.uk)

It’s the epitome of cozy English Country style – dozens of feet up in the air. The House in the Clouds was once a plain old water tower but was remodeled into a vacation rental with what looks like a conventional farmhouse perched on the top. With 5 bedrooms, 3 baths and a high-ceilinged great room overlooking the Thorpeness Golf Course, this rental is perfect for families and large groups.

France is known for a lot of things – not the least of which are chic fashion, refined culture and some of the world’s best cuisine. But a well-deserved reputation for elegance and luxury tends to overshadow the fun, kooky side of the country. Forget all those fancy five-star old world hotels in Paris and beyond – these 12 stand out by being modern, artsy, quirky or downright bizarre without sacrificing comfort and style.

La Villa Hamster, Nantes

(images via: spot cool stuff)

If you’ve ever looked longingly at a hamster cage and wished you could run on a wheel and drink out of a big bottle of water mounted to the wall, there’s a hotel in France just for you. La Villa Hamster has guest rooms designed to resemble hamster cages, complete with haystack beds and wrought iron wheels – including one in the lobby that actually works. To reach the traditional mattress in each room, you have to climb through a tube, and in the bathroom, you have your choice between a regular toilet or a bed of wood chips.

Kube Hotel, Paris

(images via: kubehotel.com)

The Kube Hotel gets its name from the look of its reception area – a large glass cube that calls to mind ice hotels in the frigid Arctic. And in fact, among the 41 guest rooms is “The Ice Cube Room by Grey Goose”, where you can sleep in -10 degrees on an ice bed covered with animal skins. Relaxing hues of blue and lilac continue into the remaining guest rooms.

Seeko’o Hotel, Bordeaux

(images via: archdaily)

This hotel is impossible to miss. Positioned on the waterfront in Bordeaux on a historic 18th century block, the bright white facade of the Seeko’o is a pop of futurism and serves as a fun, modern home base when touring France’s wine country. 45 rooms outfitted with all manner of high-tech gadgets and gizmos feature large French windows offering a view of the water and black ceilings surrounded with lights, giving the effect of a night sky.

One by the Five, Paris

(images via: onebythefive.com)

Sumptuous, intimate and sexy: these three words sum up the One by the Five Hotel in Paris. Billed as one of the city’s most romantic hotels, the One by the Five is located in the colorful Latin Quarter and is actually just a single five-room suite with no sign, lobby or staff – you check in at The Five hotel across the street. Draped with velvet and decorated with giant art panels depicting close-ups of human body parts, the hotel even has a purple boudoir full of perfume bottles.

Le Bellechasse, Paris

(images via: lebellechasse.com)

Given a chic makeover by fashion designer Christian Lacroix, Paris’ Hotel Bellechasse is a stunning fusion of 19th century visuals and modern comfort and convenience. Hidden away on a narrow side street in the oh-so-Parisian St. Germain neighborhood, this boutique hotel is a feast for the eyes.

Color Design Hotel, Paris

(images via: colordesign-hotel-paris.com)

With brightly-colored design details that pop against a minimalist white backdrop, the Color Design Hotel in Paris definitely lives up to its name. Located in the heart of the city between the Place de la Bastille and the Gare de Lyon Station, the 3-star Color Design Hotel has 46 modern rooms that rent for affordable prices in one of Europe’s priciest cities.

Inflatable CristalBubble Hotel, Mont Blanc

(images via: bubbletree.fr)

Rent an inflatable, transparent ‘bubble tent’ and place it just about anywhere in the South of France, from the hilly countryside of Mont Blanc to the beach or even in a tree. CristalBubble Hotel is 13 feet in diameter with a king-sized bed; certainly the most comfortable way to sleep under the stars with a 360-degree view. Designed for two adults, the bubbles can be expanded to add a smaller children’s room – or servant’s quarters, if that’s how you roll.

Hotel le A, Paris

(images via: paris-hotel-a.com)

Chic and understated, Hotel le A is a collaboration between designer/architect Fréderic Mechiche and artist Fabrice Hybert, whose understated design sensibilities combine to form a minimalist yet visually interesting and inviting place to stay, just around the corner from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées. The hotel’s 25 guest rooms, including 9 suites and one apartment, are all monochromatic relaxation.

Hotel des Academies, Paris

(images via: hotel-des-academies.com)

Rated the third best hotel in Europe by TripAdvisor, the Hotel des Academies celebrates the creative arts – fitting for its location in one of the artsiest districts in Paris. Choose from classic or Art Deco-styled rooms designed by artist Jérôme Mesnager and sculptor Sophie de Watrigant – decorated, naturally, with many unique artistic touches. It’s definitely all elegance, and not a budget hotel by any means, but its creative 21st-century interpretation of the modern art culture of the city makes it worth a splurge.

Museumotel, Raon-l’Etape

(images via: spot cool stuff)

This cluster of 9 quirky bungalows on an island in Eastern France is fantastically retrofuturistic, with groovy interiors full of pop art that seem straight out of the 1960’s. Museumotel‘s bubble suites, which have private bathrooms and a view of the sea, are budget-friendly at €55 (roughly $75) per night.

Mama Shelter, Paris

(images via: mamashelter.com)

Located in a former garage outside the touristy area of Paris, Mama Shelter is the very definition of cheap chic – designer looks at an affordable price. French designer Phillipe Starcke gave Mama Shelter a hip, young feel with exposed concrete, graffiti-style decorative accents and wacky touches like the superhero masks hanging by the beds. At night, the hotel’s bar is hopping and the Le Fleche d’Or music venue is just across the street.

Hotel Everland, Paris

(images via: spot cool stuff)

Imagine sleeping in a rooftop pod with a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower. That’s exactly what you got at the ultramodern Hotel Everland, a one-room designer prefab. The traveling exhibit is no longer in Paris, but it was amazing while it lasted, perched above the Palais de Tokyo.

In summer 2012, when the Olympic Games come to London, lucky travelers will experience the bustle of the city from a boat-like temporary hotel perched atop the Queen Elizabeth Hall at the Southbank Centre. The winning design for the ‘A Room for London’ competition, by David Kohn Architects and artist Fiona Banner, almost seems to have been grounded in this unlikely location as if from an apocalyptically high tide.

Beating out the cloud-shaped entry by Design Initiatives and nearly 500 other submissions from around the world, the David Kohn design is a boat-shaped timber structure with upper and lower ‘decks’ from which visitors can enjoy unparalleled views of London. Up to two people at a time will be able to rent the temporary rooftop hotel – definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The boat design reflects the location, which offers sweeping views of the Thames River. The lower deck is comprised of a cozy double bedroom and ensuite bathroom walled in with windows for uninterrupted vistas, but you can get an even better look at the city from the balconies and ‘bridge’ on the upper deck.

More details, photographs and rates will be posted on the Living Architecture website when bookings begin on September 8th 2011. A Room for London will be available for the duration of 2012.

In Japan, thousands of years of traditional culture collide with the almost futuristically modern vibe of larger cities like Tokyo to present a traveler’s dream of varied experience. That fusion is echoed in the nation’s many hotels, which range from serene ryokans, or traditional inns, to unabashedly out-there ‘love hotels’ with amazing themed rooms (got an alien abduction fantasy? You’re in luck.)

Hoshino Resort Risonare, Kobuchizawa

(images via: risonare.com, klein-dytham)

Designed by Italian architect Mario Bello in the 1980s, ‘Risonare’ is a peaceful getaway in the Japanese Alps at the foot of Mount Yatsugatake. It’s a modern interpretation of medieval walled cities in Italy, and is managed sustainably with eco-tourism in mind. The complex includes a stunning oval ‘Leaf Chapel’, and a reflective dining and party space referred to as ‘Brillare’, both by Klein Dytham Architects, making this resort a popular choice for weddings and other special events.

9 Hours Capsule Hotel, Kyoto

(images via: 9hours.jp)

Capsule hotels – where your ‘room’ is literally a hole in the wall, resembling a corpse drawer in a morgue – can be found all over Japan. And while you could certainly stay among the snoring salarymen, you might have more fun at the 9 Hours Capsule Hotel, a modern version of these low-cost no-frills beds-for-rent. With a minimalist, nearly all-white aesthetic and some unexpected perks like ‘digital entertainment options’, 9h is a fun way to experience Japan on a budget.

Queen Elizabeth Love Hotel, Kanagawa

(image via: tokyo times)

Japan is packed with thousands of ‘love hotels’ – lodging that can be rented by the hour. Not just for illicit activities, these hotel rooms can only be rented by couples and are often used for a quick private getaway. The options for themed fantasy rooms are practically endless, ranging from kinky to downright bizarre. The Queen Elizabeth Love Hotel in Kanagawa, near Tokyo, is one of the country’s most popular. Shaped like the famed Queen Elizabeth ship and painted in hues of pink and red, this love hotel features a weird tribute to the movie Titanic with statues of the characters Jack and Rose perched on the bow. Most of the rooms here have a naval theme.

Bayside Marina Hotel, Yokohama

(images via: design boom)

Stacked, prefabricated modular units make up the modern ‘cottages’ at the Bayside Marina Hotel in Yokohama, designed by Yasutaka Yoshimura architects. The cottages are each placed at a unique angle so that every guest has a slightly different view of the bay.

Hotel Pamplona, Osaka

(image via: morning news)

Another love hotel, the Pamplona in the Dotonbori district of Osaka, is definitely one-of-a-kind and not an experience you’ll find in many other countries. The hotel is unapologetically sex-centered and among its many unusual themed rooms are a ‘party room’ resembling a torture chamber and an S&M room with a round caged bed. Not for the shy or faint of heart!

Fujiya Inn, Ginzan Hot Springs, Yamagata

(images via: chictraveler)

Want to stay in a hotel that’s modern yet quintessentially Japanese, without all the kitsch and bizarre décor? The 8-room 4-star Fujiya Inn boasts a relaxing location on the Ginzan hot springs in the Yamagata Prefecture. Crafted almost entirely of wood, the hotel is serene and inviting, ideal as a stress-busting retreat in between long soaks in the springs.

The Screen Boutique Hotel, Kyoto

(images via: tablethotels)

Somewhere in between a sleek modern hotel and a ryokan is the Screen Hotel in Kyoto, a hybrid boutique peppered with shoji screens and tatami mats but dominated by swaths of crisp white and unexpected pops of bright color. Each of the thirteen guest rooms was designed by a different artist. The blocky concrete exterior is a far cry from the surrounding city’s traditional Japanese looks and culture, but it’s fun and stylish and unlike most ryokans, provides sofas for Western guests who aren’t used to constantly sitting on the floor.

Peninsula Hotel, Tokyo

(images via: tokyobling, peninsula.com)

It’s not for the light of wallet, but the Peninsula Hotel definitely offers luxury to those guests who can afford to stay there. Overlooking the Imperial Palace, the Peninsula is ideally located near commercial centers in Tokyo. Its exterior was designed to resemble a traditional Japanese lantern, and inside you’ll find bamboo sculptures, lots of cherry blossoms and local art.

Hoshi Hokuriku, The World’s Oldest Inn, Awazu

(images via: ho-shi.jp)

Often named among Japan’s top 5 ryokans, Hoshi Hokuriku has an even more impressive reason to stand out: it’s been verified as the oldest hotel in the world. It opened in the 8th century and has been operated by the Hoshi family for an incredible 46 generations. The hotel itself has 100 elegant and understated rooms along with a private guest house sited in the center of the gardens, decorated in a red-and-white check pattern native to the Hokuriku region. Guests can enjoy a number of outdoor hot springs as well as two indoor hot springs baths and family baths that can be privately reserved.

Benesse Art Site Naoshima

(images via: benesse-artiste.jp)

Savor Japanese art, architecture and luxurious accommodations all in the same place at the Benesse Art Site in Naoshima. Yes, you can actually stay the night in a museum in facilities designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando and gaze out the window at stunning sunrises and sunsets in any of 6 available rooms. All look out upon outdoor art and are yards away from works by Monet, Andy Warhol and other notable artists. Particularly notable is ‘The Oval’, a guest suite built into a hill with a huge circular skylight and a reflecting pool.

Alpha Resort-Tomamu, Shimukappu

(images via: desicolours.com)

Japan even has its very own ice hotel, a resort where you can curl up on a frozen slab in a sleeping bag and marvel at the novelty of your surroundings. Alpha Resort-Tomamu’s ice village offers steaming hot tubs among giant hunks of ice, and in the nearly all-ice dining room, even your dinner plate is made of frozen water.

Hotel Loire, Osaka

(images via: jaunted)

If your deepest fantasy is being abducted and experimented upon by extraterrestrials, you’re in luck. Osaka’s Hotel Loire (yep, another love hotel) has a very special room that is either outrageously fun and weird or totally terrifying depending on your point of view. Other kooky fantasy rooms at the hotel include a doctor’s office and a replica of a subway car.

Dotonbori Hotel, Osaka

(images via: mshades)

Three minutes from Namba Station in downtown Osaka, the Dotonbori Hotel has a lot going for it in terms of location and reputation – it’s a popular destination for travelers on business or vacation. And while the interior is not nearly as eye-popping as many other hotels in Japan, it’s the exterior that really grabs people’s attention with its wonderfully weird gigantic statues.