Article Surfing Archive

How about a vacation stay in prison. They have made a few improvements since the shackled inmates last shuffled in the doors but Malmaison Oxford Castle, in England still has enough jailhouse ambiance to put a shiver up your spine. Carpets, curtains and soft mattresses not withstanding, you will be sleeping in the original cells with the original doors and bars. Creepy, unique and maybe that perfect honeymoon idea you've been looking for.

Maybe you would prefer a more open setting ' like in the seventy foot high tree-tops of the Amazon jungle. That's where you will find the Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel, in Brazil. As long as you don't have a fear of heights this could be the hotel stay of a lifetime. Hand-feed the monkeys and parrots. Traverse the rainforest canopy on the 4 miles of sturdy wooden catwalks.

At the Imperial Boat House, in Ko Samui, Thailand they have taken 34 teakwood rice barges, dragged them up onto one of the most beautiful and unspoiled beaches around, Choeng Mon, and turned them into luxury suites. This gives your room a nautical ambiance that sets it far apart from the chain hotels. As for the setting, well that's just pure tropical beach-style paradise.

If cave dwelling is your idea of a unique vacation idea then you better head to the Cappadocia Cave Hotel in Yunek Evleri, Turkey. Here you can make like Fred and Wilma Flintstone in a cave room that was carved into the mountainside back in the 5th or 6th century. Fortunately the amenities are not stone-age. Located in the Cappadocia region in the center of Turkey, you can easily take off and explore the region's elaborate underground cities, hidden cavernous churches and enchanting rock terrain.

The middle of a desert may not sound like the ideal place to visit but a trip to the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa will prove otherwise. Set in an oasis in the middle of the Dubai Desert in the United Arab Emirates, this is a luxury vacation spot like no other. You get an unobstructed panoramic view of the sky, desert sand dunes and the Hajar Mountains with all its indigenous flora, fauna, Oryx and gazelles. This is a world-class resort that has won 11 international awards.

In Quebec, Canada you can stay at a hotel that is made out of ice. That's right, the Ice Hotel Quebec is actually made from over 15,000 tons of snow and ice. Open from January to April, this unique vacation spot has 36 ice rooms with 18 foot high ceilings. There are two art galleries, an Ice Lounge and an Ice Chapel... Oh and don't forget the fireplaces. This could be the ultimate winter experience.