Europe offers an abundance of accommodation options – everything from wild campsites to cosy B&Bs and lavish 5-star hotels. However, there's also an array of choices for those that want somewhere a little bit different to lay their head, including a pumpkin house, a former prison island and one of the highest hotels in the alps. As per travel advisories, we have excluded Russia, Belarus and Ukraine from this list.
Click through this gallery to discover the most unusual places to stay in every European country...
The décor of the Hotel Kalemi in Gjirokastra, Albania, harks back to the country's time under the Ottoman Turks. This lovingly-restored building, with panoramic views over Gjirokastra Castle and the rest of the so-called 'Stone City', features traditional woodwork and carved ceilings, alongside more modern amenities such as air conditioning and wifi. The Çerçiz Topulli Square and Old Town Bazaar of Gjirokastra's Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are just a short walk away.
Opened in 1866, the Hostal Cisco de Sans was the first hostel to open in the tiny principality of Andorra, perched in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. The building is cast of solid stone and is in the historic heart of the capital, Andorra la Vella, yet major ski resorts are just a 15-minute drive away. Andorra attracts some 10 million tourists a year – an impressive number since the country's population is around 80,000 – mostly to enjoy winter sports.
The Rogner Bad Blumau is both a spa hotel and a Gesamtkunstwerk – literally 'complete artwork' – designed by renowned Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Situated in the heart of Styria's Thermal Region, the spa features 14 indoor and outdoor pools, including the Vulkania healing lake. The colourful, patchwork buildings are arranged like city districts, with their flowing, curving designs in keeping with Hundertwasser's artistic opposition to 'the straight line'.
La Balade des Gnomes is a fairy tale-inspired property in Heyd in the Belgian Ardennes. Each of the 12 rooms is decorated according to a unique theme such as 'The Cabin in the Forest', 'The Legend of the Trolls' and 'On a Crescent Moon', making for an unusual night's sleep. There's even a Trojan horse on wheels, accessed by a small drawbridge. The neighbouring restaurant, La Marmite des Trolls, is designed by the same architect and serves food made with locally-sourced produce.
Apartments Zavala is based in the Zavala Inn – a restored former railway station dating back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The station was built in 1903 as part of the construction of the narrow-gauge railway that connected Dubrovnik with the rest of Europe. This stretch was in use until 1976, when it was closed by Yugoslav authorities, and today is a 10-minute walk from the stunning Vjetrenica Cave. In 2017, the former railway route was transformed into the Ciro cycle trail, named after a popular locomotive.
Nestled in the Rose Valley of Bulgaria's Thracian region, Chateau Copsa is built in the style of a medieval castle but actually only opened its doors in 2008. The family-run hotel is part of the winery of the same name, which was established in 1998, and wine tastings are held in the cellar dug into the earthen hill of the castle. Guests can either stay in the chateau itself or in the nearby Art Hotel Maison Copsa, which features a pool and stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
The Magic Pumpkin is one of three properties making up the Krka Fairytale Village in Rupe, near Croatia's Krka National Park. The tiny one-bedroom property – a second bed is available up a ladder under the eaves of the roof – has a bathroom, small kitchen area and outside dining area, along with wifi and air conditioning. If you don't fancy staying in a pumpkin, you can try the Mushroom House or Fairytale Little Castle on the same site.
Love this? Follow us on Facebook for travel inspiration and more
The Hotel Ještěd is in the 308-foot-tall (94m) Ještěd Tower, now a proud symbol of Czechia’s Liberec region. Set atop a 3,280-foot (1,012m) mountain, the tower was built to replace a burned-down chateau in 1966, when Czechia was still part of communist Czechoslovakia. It was finally completed to much fanfare in 1973, and took home international architectural awards. Today the combined hotel, restaurant and TV tower is reachable by cable car, road or hike. Sleeping at the hotel is like "flying in a spaceship", its website proudly declares.
If you fancy sleeping in the canopy, Løvtag in northern Denmark is the place for you. Designed by architect Sigurd Larsen and situated some 26 feet (8m) off the ground, the comfortable treehouse-style cabins are surprisingly spacious and feature a small kitchen, a toilet with outdoor shower, a queen-size bed and a sofa bed that sleeps two, plus a full rooftop terrace. The cabins are decorated in a Nordic style, while south and west facing windows mean they're also nice and bright.
The Mirror House Roosi 21 blends in perfectly with the Estonian resort town of Parnu. Designed by architects ÖÖD to perfectly reflect its surroundings while protecting the privacy of those inside, the one-bedroom property has air conditioning, a bathroom and a fully-equipped kitchen. The house is near the beach that Parnu is famed for, plus its many spas and its historic Independence Square. Set in Parnu's Old Town, it's where the Estonian Declaration of Independence was read out in 1918.
Finnish Lapland is a top destination for seeing the Northern Lights, and what better way of doing it than from the comfort of a cabin with windows on the ceiling. Lake Inari Mobile Cabins feature a bed or beds, a toilet, bed linen and plug points, as well as a heater – not to mention large windows through which to watch the aurora. They can be towed into the centre of the frozen Lake Inari for a truly uninterrupted view. A shower, kitchen facilities and a lounge can be found in the site's main building back on shore.
France is famous for fine wine, and at this unusual site it even permeates your dreams. Coup 2 Foudres offers two 'wine barrel' rooms, complete with bathroom, kitchenette and stunning views thanks to their location in the middle of a Bordeaux vineyard. Near the medieval village of Saint-Émilion, this is an ideal destination for people who enjoy nature as much as a fine vintage, with a tour of the vineyard and wine tasting included as part of the price.
Stuttgart is the central hub of the German car industry, so it's an ideal location for a hotel designed for motorheads. The V8 Hotel Classic combines the spirit of the Roaring Twenties with automotive history, and is based in a former airport building constructed in the Bauhaus style. Each room has a different car-related theme – covering everything from Route 66 to motor racing, a car wash and a petrol station. Its sister hotel, the more recent V8 Hotel Superior, sits opposite.
The Tainaron Blue Retreat is set in a lovingly restored 19th-century tower on Greece's Mani peninsula. The three-storey tower is home to four rooms with traditional features. The master suite takes up the top two floors, with two double beds separated by a wooden ladder, while the junior suite also fits two beds – one of them built into the stone wall. All guests have access to the infinity pool with views out to sea, and the restaurant, which serves mouth-watering local food.
The Kapolcsi Sziklák Rock Cabins in Hungary's Balaton highlands are designed to host just two people apiece, and each features a Jacuzzi and an infrared sauna on a private terrace. Set on a remote and recently-converted campground about half an hour's drive from Lake Balaton, guests are able to indulge in a private wellness experience while surrounded by nature. The cabins have won multiple awards for their clever and cosy design.
Hotel Viking in the seaside town of Hafnarfjörður claims to be the only Viking-themed hotel and restaurant in all of Iceland. The entire first floor is decorated in Viking style, while the second storey has a West Nordic theme – with arts and crafts from Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands on show by the entrance. The Valhalla restaurant serves feast-style meals on old-fashioned trays, alongside entertainment which sees one guest crowned an honorary Viking each evening.
The decades-old Wild Atlantic Bus once served passengers in both England and Ireland, and is now permanently stopped on the outskirts of Oughterard in County Galway. The town is known as the gateway to the gorgeous Wild Atlantic Way – the longest uninterrupted coastal route in the world which winds down Ireland's wind-lashed west coast. The converted double-decker bus has a kitchen, bathroom and seating area downstairs, complete with wood fire, while upstairs is home to a double bed and a second seating area, which features an original bus seat.
The south Italian village of Matera is renowned for its 'Sassi', caves dug into the mountain where people lived for centuries until they were forced into modern accommodation in the 1950s. Within the oldest part of this UNESCO World Heritage Site sits the Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita cave hotel, which has 18 cave rooms and suites and a candle-lit dining area set in an ancient former church. Each room has been carefully renovated to retain its original shape and features.
The Black A Frame is exactly what it sounds like. Perched on the edge of a forest at Pabaži, Latvia, and near both the seaside and a lake, the cabin sleeps up to three guests and is pet-friendly for an extra charge. A rustic riverside escape, it is fully equipped with a double bedroom, living area, kitchenette and bathroom. Plus, there's a wood stove to keep you cosy and a hot tub available for hire on-site. The Latvian capital, Riga, is about an hour's drive away.
Kloster by b-smart is in Schaan, Liechtenstein's largest municipality which contains around 6,000 of the tiny country's 40,000-strong population. Based in the historic south wing of the St Elisabeth monastery (or 'kloster' in German), the hotel has panoramic views of Schaan and the rest of Liechtenstein, and serves vegan and vegetarian food in the neighbouring RUUF restaurant – the first of its kind in this tiny principality between Austria and Switzerland.
The Trikampis Miško Namelis, or 'Triangle Forest Lodge', is in the Lithuanian spa town of Druskininkai. Surrounded by woods but just a short stroll from the town centre, it features three sleeping areas, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hot tub on the terrace. Whether travelling with friends, as a couple or as a family, it's the ideal spot from which to explore Druskininkai, which is known for the healing properties of the mineral water from its spring, Grožio Šaltinis or 'Spring of Beauty' in English.
This floating cabin – or 'Kabaischen' – is located at the start of the Minett hiking trail in a former industrial area of Luxembourg, where European steel-making once thrived. A collaboration between artist Franck Miltgen and a team at M3 Architecture, the elaborate steel and wood hiking hut floats on the water of one of the cooling ponds of the old steelworks. Its distinctive shape was inspired by an unusual rock face at the Haard-Hesselbierg-Staebierg nature reserve.
Situated in the Three Cities area of Malta, the BOCO Boutique Hotel is bursting at the seams with art and objets d'art. A stone's throw from the Grand Harbour, this Art Deco hotel is run by a local art enthusiast, with each of its six rooms styled around a different theme and featuring bed headboards that have been up-cycled from old doors. When the historic townhouse was lovingly refurbished in 2017, workmen uncovered original frescoes as they sought to restore its former grandeur.
Founded in 1893, Castel Mimi is Moldova's oldest wine chateau and something of a tourist attraction – being as it is in the grounds of one the country's oldest castles. The winery and resort, which includes a series of lodges in its gardens, prides itself on being zero-emission, and comes equipped with smart home technologies that optimise its energy use. Besides its famous wines, the castle enjoyed brief international fame when it hosted the second meeting of the European Political Community in 2023.
Ultra-affluent Monaco is known more for luxury than quirkiness, and its accommodation pool tends to reflect that. But for one weekend a year, the hills of the principality become a race track and the balconies of the Fairmont Monte Carlo become some of the most sought-after seats in the motor-racing world. The Fairmont hairpin, named after the hotel, is a tight and very challenging switchback that's the slowest corner in the Formula 1 calendar.
The luxury resort that is Mamula Island sits at the entrance of Montenegro's Bay of Kotor, and has a darker history than you might think from looking at its beaches and pools. The circular tower was once a sturdy fortification built in the 1850s by Austro-Hungarian general Lazar Mamula, and went on to serve as an Italian prison camp during the Second World War. Its past is commemorated with a plaque by the former fortress's door. Nowadays, it's a 5-star hotel, praised for its superb catering and holistic spa.
Numa Amsterdam The Crane was built in 1957 as a harbour crane at a time when the surrounding KNSM Island, on the eastern edge of Amsterdam, was a hub of industrial activity. Nowadays, the docklands have been transformed into a residential area and the crane, one of few remaining features from the original port, was converted into an apartment by designer Edward van Vliet. The small flat includes a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen area, with stunning views over a part of Amsterdam that sees far fewer tourists.
The rooms at the Dali Apartments in North Macedonian capital Skopje are as surreal as you'd expect from residences inspired by famous Surrealists Salvador Dalí and Antoni Gaudí. Guests can feel like they're sleeping in a Surrealist painting in one of three apartments, each with a private balcony and seating area and kitted out with mind-melting décor. The apartments are also well placed in the city centre, right by the Mother Theresa Memorial House and near the train station.
The Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is the ideal place for guests who want to enjoy the stillness of snow. Situated near Alta in the Norwegian north, the rooms are kept at a constant temperature of between -4°C (25°F) and -7°C (19°F). Visitors are provided with reindeer leather sleeping pads and ultra-warm sleeping bags, although they are encouraged to bring woollen underwear. There is also an ice bar, where drinks are served in glasses made of ice, and a sauna with bookable hot tubs for when the cold gets too much.
Fairy tales do come true when you can rent your own castle. The Palace at Osowa Sien in western Poland is a private castle that's easy to reach from both Warsaw and Berlin, and sleeps up to 42 people for stays of two nights or more. Dating back to the 1870s, the palace has 12 suites each designed around a particular theme such as 'Flowers for Magritte' and 'Stars Without Sky', all of which fit into the romantic grandeur of the surrounding estate. Unsurprisingly, it's a popular wedding venue.
The Portuguese city of Coimbra may not be as well-known as Lisbon or Porto, but, as the country's former capital, it's still well worth a visit. The Zero Box Lodge is based on a Japanese-style capsule hotel and occupies a 1930s building that was once a garage near the historic waterfront. The building features a restaurant and bar, and all rooms have a private bathroom. But don't expect a window, TV, minibar or phone in your minimalistic wooden box room.
Romania is best-known to literature fans as the home of Bram Stoker's fictional Count Dracula, who supposedly hailed from Transylvania. But, Dracula aside, the region is well worth visiting to enjoy its pristine landscapes and old-world villages. Those seeking an insight into life gone by can't go wrong with a stay at Count Kalnoky's Transylvanian Guesthouses, 19th-century accommodations that have been carefully restored to preserve their original rustic charm and character.
With a population of just 33,000 or so people, San Marino is one of the world's smallest countries, and its oldest surviving republic. While there are various higher end accommodation options, those exploring San Marino's three imposing fortresses on more of a budget can choose safari-style tents at Lodge Holidays – Glamping San Marino. Its Desert Lodges come complete with double bed, private bathroom and open kitchenette and dining area.
Guests at the Yugodom 'stay-over museum' in the Dorćol area of Belgrade are invited to experience life in a mid-20th century Yugoslav home (Serbia was part of the larger nation of Yugoslavia until it broke up in 1991). The rooms available are in a 1950s residential building that was built for Yugoslav National Army officials and their families in a distinctive social-realist style. Throughout, it has been carefully curated with mid-century furniture, décor and memorabilia from the communist era – with all items having a Made in Yugoslavia tag.
The Folklórna Chyža – or 'traditional folk hut' – sits in the shadow of the medieval Bojnice Castle, one of Slovakia's finest national monuments. The tiny one-room hut is one of several located in the Bojnice Courtyard, which also features a restaurant, café and shops selling hand-made and traditional Slovak crafts. There is no TV or wifi in the hut and the bathroom facilities are shared, but the views of the romantic castle from the terrace are outstanding.
'Nebesa' means 'heaven' in Slovenian, and it's an apt name for these Scandi-style chalets set far from the tourist track on Kuk Mountain. Visitors can expect stunning views over the Julian Alps and the Soca Valley – indeed, the nearest village is over a mile away. The four chalets, each designed for two people, feature floor-to-ceiling glass walls looking out over the landscape plus a kitchenette. Guests can also use the spa and wellness centre, book massages and order meals from the nearby restaurant.
The orb-like pods at Miluna, in the countryside near Toledo, enable visitors to enjoy rural Spain from the comfort of their own transparent 'moons'. The four varieties of suite all feature a king-size canopy bed, a shower with a sky view, a private terrace and a telescope, while three also boast outdoor hydromassage bathtubs. The pods come with pool access during the summer months. The area is largely free of light pollution, meaning your sky views are likely to be spectacular.
Considering it's based in a former 19th-century prison building, the Swedish Långholmen Hotell is surprisingly relaxing and beautifully set in the middle of Stockholm's verdant Långholmen island. The rooms are called 'cells' and retain some authentic features – there's even a 'Romantic Cell' with Champagne and comfy slippers, plus a hostel with jail-appropriate bunkbeds. An on-site museum will tell you all you want to know about the 250-year-old prison, which ceased operations in 1975.
The 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat is the highest hotel in the Swiss Alps, with astonishing views of the Matterhorn and the Alpine night sky. Located at 10,170 feet (3,100m) above sea level, it is a world-class accommodation option for mountaineers and skiers. Meanwhile, the neighbouring Gornergrat Observatory has attracted astronomers for over 100 years. The best room is the three-floor Million Stars Suite in one of the towers, with a hot tub and roof that opens so you can see the stars.
Situated in the beautiful English town of Langport in Somerset, Halula Halo is a divinely converted former church and manse that was originally built in 1828. The period building, which has been lovingly restored and retains many of its original features, sleeps up to 26 across 10 bedrooms and comes with a hot tub, games room and swimming pool. More unconventional features include a glam station, an indoor slide and ball pit, a karaoke room, a pool room, a relaxation net and a wine bar with a piano.
Now discover the most unusual place to stay in every US state