We are all familiar with travelling and staying at fairly standard accommodation; whether it’s hotels, motels or AirBnB. Have you ever wanted something a bit different? Here, we’ve put together a list of some very non-standard accommodation options. From sleeping with lions outside your window, to staying in caves underground, to sleeping in a capsule, there’s something here to make everyone just that bit more excited for your next adventure!
Jamala Wildlife Lodge
Guest rating: 9.5 Price Estimate: $2,025
Right next to Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium, Jamala Wildlife Lodge offers guided tours, and accommodation with the rare chance to be right beside animal enclosures.
This accommodation is in no way budget but it truly is once in a lifetime. There are three different types of lodgings available, Giraffe Treehouses, Jungle Bungalows and uShaka Lodge.
The Giraffe Treehouses, which have just 6 suites and are situated in a secluded enclosure, provide visitors a view of giraffes on one side and the freedom to explore a friendly herd of alpaca and deer on the other. Skye, the resident giraffe, will be available for you to feed from your balcony or inside her enclosure (she decides where, but usually from your balcony).
The Jungle Bungalows allow you to have the chance to be up close and personal (behind thick glass!) with either lions, sun bears, tigers and cheetahs. As animals react differently to children, age and height limits apply when staying in the jungle bungalows. Check their website for details. There may also be some disturbance during the night as these animals walk about their enclosures. If you’re not comfortable with this then you may wish to stay in either the giraffe treehouses or uShaka lodge. However, its is a truly a phenomenal experience to be so close to these magnificent wild animals.
uShaka lodge the room sizes and styles differ in what was formerly the owners’ residence.
They include spacious two-bedroom suites that can house up to 4 adults and 2 children, or 2 adults and 4 children, and guest rooms that can sleep 2 to 4 people.
You can reserve a single room, a group of rooms, or even the entire uShaka Lodge!
Your journey begins in the living area of the uShaka Lodge, where two of the coolest Colobus monkeys are on the other side of a stunning shark tank that extends from one end to the other. You will be immediately taken to the heart of Africa the moment you enter because the entire uShaka is decorated with exquisite carvings, artwork, and artifacts in the style of an authentic African lodge.
Whatever your room choice, pre-dinner drinks can be enjoyed on the balcony or in the Rainforest Cave, where you’re sure to run across some rare guests, such as white lions or hyenas. Fine wines and complimentary Moet Champagne are included in this.
You will join other guests at huge tables for a delicious and entertaining African gourmet dinner party with some wonderful wines, all included, to keep with the African theme.
To accommodate fresh seasonal ingredients, the four-course menu is frequently changed.
Jamala Wildlife Lodge also has an outdoor pool and free WiFi are available to all visitors. All rooms include a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a refrigerator, a tea/coffee maker, and a private bathroom.
All reservations include a zoo tour where visitors can observe a wide range of animals, including lions, tigers, cheetahs, bears, monkeys, giraffes, and zebras.
There are also opportunities for overnight safaris. Jamala Wildlife Lodge is a 10-minute drive to Canberra’s city centre.
The Mercure Kakadu Crocodile is a refuge in the wildness of Kakadu National Park, complete with a marble lobby and an exterior with a distinctive shape. This is the only hotel that we know of that is built in the shape of a crocodile! It really is something to behold. Not only in terms of architecture but in imagination and creativity!
It has an outdoor pool in the middle that is encircled by a beautifully planted courtyard.
This fully staffed hotel in Kakadu is in an excellent location to visit the Ubirr, Nourlangie, and Jim Jim districts. It is only a 2.5-hour drive from Darwin.
The large rooms have cable/satellite TV, a safe, a minibar, tea and coffee making amenities, and air conditioning.
This hotel is the ideal starting point for seeing many of Kakadu’s most notable natural features, including Ubirr, Nourlangie, Cahills Crossing, and Mamukala Wetlands. It is located in the township of Jabiru.
Before enjoying Kakadu bush food and fine dining at the Escarpment Restaurant and Bar, cool off in the hotel’s spacious outdoor pool. This hideaway is the ideal place to unwind in between exploring Kakadu.
The on-site gallery houses a variety of Indigenous art that is on show in the foyer and on the interior walls and includes paintings and didgeridoos.
Some of these locally created works of art are available to purchase.
The outstanding Bowali Visitors Center, a must-see for all travellers to the region, is within a short distance from the Kakadu hotel.
Visitors can learn more about Kakadu, its history, the greatest spots to explore, and any need to know information about travel in the area.
Kakadu, Australia’s largest National Park, is home to many beauties that are just waiting to be discovered.
Visitors at the Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel are welcome to discover the area’s stunning waterfalls, wetlands, animals, and traditional culture.
Each hotel provides a distinctively rich experience, brimming with individuality, eye-catching art, and vivid décor. Immerse yourself in flavorful bars, restaurants, and accommodations with the newest hotel technology. You can take advantage of the top-notch rooms, services, and amenities at all Ovolo locations.
While being conveniently located in Sydney’s central business district, Ovolo Woolomoloo offers a tranquil wharf setting. The hotel features 5-star boutique lodging alternatives, such as spectacular loft suites and exquisitely decorated individual rooms. The rooms are spacious with extremely comfortable beds. Ovolo Woolomoloo has incredible amenities, including a restaurant, bar, indoor pool, and fitness centre.
Enjoy the rich history of the Woolloomooloo waterfront while being surrounded by cutting-edge features and contemporary decor. All while relaxing in your spacious home overlooking stunning Sydney Harbour. This is an ideal location to enjoy the Sydney Opera House, and The Rocks as well as being close to Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens.
Other than exceptional amenities and locations, what really sets Ovolo Hotels apart is their art. Each artwork is handpicked to give that distinct, edgy, boutique art hotel vibe.
A favourite piece of art in Ovolo Woolomoloo is Einstein by Mr Brainwash. It’s situated on the 2nd floor. Pop art forms the foundation of Mr. Brainwash’s creations. Pop art strays from the canon of art in favour of images from popular culture. Artistic tradition and even earlier pop art are used as subjects in Mr. Brainwash’s work.
Guest Rating: 8.6 Price Estimate: Snug Sun Room $272
Ovolo Nishi, (another Ovolo hotel) is the pinnacle of designer cool and offers distinguished sustainability, style, and sociability from its location in Canberra’s NewActon sector. The NewActon precinct, a hip collection of cafés, restaurants, stores, and urban spaces is located just 1 km from the CBD.
The hotel is a site of collaborative handicraft created and developed by artists, makers, designers, and fantasists. Its rooms are tastefully decorated with salvaged and repaired Australian furniture from the 20th century, original artwork, and handcrafted furniture. The picturesque location offers a wide variety of culinary options as well as sights and activities.
One thing that sets Nishi apart is it’s a very interesting building.
The Molonglo Group, a real estate development business run by Jonathan and Nectar Efkarpidis, is the entity behind the Nishi Building. The two sought to give the city, where they had both grown up, a unique and international feel.
The Nishi Building and its precinct, New Acton, were created by the Molonglo Group in partnership with more than sixty architects, designers, craftsmen, and artists. On this list of partners were landscape architects Oculus, Melbourne-based Fender Katsiladis Architects, and Japan’s Suppose Design Office. The end result is a project that was enhanced through teamwork rather than having a single design influence.
The Nishi Building is a mixed-use building with stores, commercial offices, apartments, and a hotel. In terms of architecture and design it really is something special to see.
Ovolo Nishi’s beautifully decorated guestrooms feature iPads and iPod docking stations so you may make yourself at home. High-quality bedding is included with your pillowtop bed. Free wifi and wired Internet access is available, and 42-inch flat-screen TVs with cable programmes are available for enjoyment. Designer toiletries and hair dryers are in the private bathrooms.
Utilize the recreation options available, such the 24-hour fitness facility, or enjoy the view from the terrace and garden. There are also concierge services, and a hair salon.
Eat at the restaurant Monster Kitchen and Bar, which serves vegetarian fare and has a bar/lounge, or remain in and order room service. (during limited hours). Breakfasts prepared to order are offered every day from 6:30 AM to noon for a fee. This hotel has a big focus on sustainability and this is apparent in various ways, Monster Kitchen’s vegetarian menu being one of them.
Original art is another thing that really sets this art deco hotel apart from the rest. One spectacular room in Ovolo Nishi is the Mosaic Room.
The artist behind the Mosaic Room in Ovolo Nishi is Dutch immigrant artist Gerard Havekes. Ovolo Nishi’s interior designer Don Cameron came into contact with Havekes’ ceramics. He was immediately drawn to the naive roughness and raw, textural style as well as the metallic glazes and the colour palette.
Unfortunately Havekes passed away in 2011. In order to obtain the leftovers, overages, and unrealised ceramic works of Gerard, Cameron entered into a two-year negotiation with Haveke’s family. Cameron suggested they be used in a gigantic relief for the atrium of the hotel. Gerard’s daughter Anna-Maryke has led family conversations about the Havekes legacy and worked with Cameron to put the final piece together and design it.
Guest Rating: 9.0 Price Estimate: Premier King $317
The Adelphi Hotel is a highly rated boutique hotel in Melbourne. This hotel may be modest (just 34 rooms), however what it lacks in size, it makes up for it in atmosphere and location. The recently restored Adelphi Hotel is within a short stroll from the National Gallery of Victoria and the closest tram stop. In order to make guests feel even better about staying at this modern and stylish hotel in the centre of Melbourne, it has a focus on sustainability with energy-efficient lighting being utilised throughout the establishment. It also has with high-end toiletries made with locally produced materials.
It’s features include swinging couches, signature cocktails, Marshmallow Beds and Liquorice All-Sort stools. Discover the opulent guestrooms, world-class amenities, an
intimate & stunning lobby space and a fabulous 12 seater private dining/ Boardroom space. Adelphi’s iconic rooftop Pool and Deck area is the ideal place to watch the sun rise over Melbourne’s skyline. The glass-bottomed pool protrudes roughly seven feet from the building’s edge, offering swimmers the uncommon opportunity to see down an astounding nine stories.
The food and drinks provided at Om Nom Cocktail Bar are really something to see. They have a great selection of snacks and share plates as well as cocktails and a variety of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. Their desserts will astound you! The brand-new, wildly popular NOMAD restaurant is situated in the basement level directly below Adelphi. Enjoy the feeling of escaping from the busy city streets that are only a step away.
Guest Rating: 8.8 Price Estimate: Single Room $216
On the surface The Ultimo looks like a great hotel in a convenient location. It may be hard to see why we are featuring it as ‘unique’. However when you look a little deeper it becomes apparant that The Ultimo has a focus on astrology and if you choose, this can be interestingly incorporated in your stay. This is the worlds first astrology hotel! They have astrology packages all designed to make you feel more aligned with your astrological sign. This can be anywhere from recommendations for the best places for you to eat and drink (gastrology) to recommendations for what to see and do (experiology). You can also have private consultations.
Visitors can read in the Astrology Library or the Astro-Tea Lounge, which serves AstroloTea.
You’ll find unique touches, such as zodiac-specific “Do Not Disturb” signs, daily horoscopes with newspapers, slippers with complementary zodiac patterns, and regularly updated horoscopes on the website.
Other than astrologically speaking, The Ultimo has so much on offer! Modern accommodation with beautifully furnished rooms, some of which showcase original detailing such as exposed brick walls.
This heritage-listed building, which was built in 1911 was part of Haymarket’s transformation into Sydney’s fresh fruit market, and it serves as a reminder of Sydney’s thriving and bustling commercial history, which remains to this day.
Bus and light rail connections are about a three-minute walk from The Ultimo. The Central Train Station is approximately a 5-minute walk away, making it simple to reach all of Sydney’s attractions. You’ll be staying on the doorstep of Sydney’s CBD, Darling Harbour, Star City Casino, the new ICC Sydney, Central and Town Hall Stations and the finest restaurants and shopping attractions.
The hotel has 95 rooms spread over seven categories, from the cosy Ultimo Single to the roomy Ultimo Courtyard. The courtyard rooms are truly special as they are super pet friendly! Why leave your pet at the kennel while you enjoy a boutique hotel? Instead, you can bring them into one of the animal-friendly courtyard rooms which welcome pets from pups to pussycats. Dog beds, food and water bowls plus lots of cuddles from the team are guaranteed!
Guest Rating: 8.1 Price Estimate: Standard room $167
Desert Cave Hotel in Coober Pedy, offers distinctive accommodation in the middle of the desert. There are 50 suites in the hotel, 19 of which are underground. You may enjoy dug-out style housing, underground shops, and opal display areas. There is also the only underground bar and gaming area in the world.
The hotel provides good dining and meeting facilities in addition to the above as well as modern conveniences and attractive furnishings in every guestroom.
On request, an airport shuttle is provided. There is free parking and an outdoor pool.
If you haven’t slept underground it is truly an experience. The rooms are large with high ceilings and are quiet, chilly, dark, and airy.
Often tourists cite sleeping underground as the finest sleep they’ve had!
The hotel provides visitors with the best opportunity to experience “dugout” life in Coober Pedy, and it can also arrange a variety of speciality tours of the surrounding untamed and breathtaking outback.
There are several things to do around Coober Pedy, some tours you may want to investigate are-
Outback Mail Run: Visiting areas of interest and delivering mailbags to all cattle stations along the way, the Mail Run day tour travels over a triangle between Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta, and William Creek.
Tour of the Painted Desert: A one-day 4WD excursion to the breathtaking breakaway countryof the Painted Desert (Arckaringa Hills).
Mother Nature took 80 million years to build the breathtakingly colourful hills that make up the Painted Desert. Throughout time, the ancient inland sea’s initial sedimentseroded away.
This location is amazing, with hues that change throughout the day due to erosion and mineral leaching from the soil, making it a photographer’s dream.
Down ‘N’ Dirty: This tour provides a thorough hands-on opportunity for individuals who wish to feel the excitement of looking for a fortune. The following is covered throughout the 4-hour tour:
Educative, interesting, and informative video on opal mining that sheds light on the mystifying process of finding “The Coober Pedy Opal”
A tour to a working mine field to learn about the many methods of opal mining and to experience the joy and suffering of past opal mining eras
Entry into the Quest Mine, where a hard hat, torch, and handpick are provided.
This resort is another underground hotel in Cooper Pedy, the world’s opal capital. It has complimentary Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV in the guestrooms. A gift shop and a cafe are available to visitors.
The Comfort Inn Coober Pedy Experience, which was formerly an opal mine from 1918 to the 1960s, is within 30 metres from the well-known Old Timers Mine. A 10-minute walk will bring you to Faye’s Underground Display Home and The Umoona Opal Mine & Museum.
The Coober Pedy Experience Motel offers rooms with kitchenettes that are equipped with microwaves and refrigerators. All rooms include with a safety deposit box and a coffee and tea maker.
The 10-minute trip from Coober Pedy Airport involves a free transfer service to and from the airport.
Some highlights of the Comfort Inn Coober Pedy Experience are-
It’s very family friendly. All rooms are beautifully decorated with private bathrooms. Each bedroom has a queen-sized bed and at least one additional single bed. More can be added as necessary. There is a lot of cutlery, crockery, coffee, tea, and your own table and chairs available. A toaster and iron is provided.
Comfort Inn Coober Pedy Experience
Wheelchair accessible rooms are available.
It has a beautiful Opal Room. Be moved by the opal’s splendor, a serene, seemingly deep pool of vivid colour that moves. The Dark Lightning Ridge Black Opal, the Translucent Crystal Opal, the Solid White “Milk” Opal, and the Deep Blue Queensland Boulder Opals. On exhibit is a beautiful selection of opal jewellery and opal stones.
The Coober Pedy Experience is full of excitement, history, and natural beauty. To learn more about the locations to visit and the tours to take, just ask at the front desk. Day tours will take you to Lake Eyre, William Creek, the Oodnadatta Loop, and the Painted Desert. Trips lasting half a day will take you to the Kanku Breakaways Escarpment, the mysterious Moon plains, or the longest fence in the world—the Dingo Fence! You can also talk to reception about the air conditioned 8 seater being available for you to visit tourist attractions.
Guest rating: 8.4 Price Estimate: Economy Family Room $184
Victoria’s Kryal Castle Adventure Park is a replica castle located in Ballarat. It brings to life a fabled and magical country of medieval knights, wars, and dragons. This adventure park is unlike any other in Australia. The multi-million dollar renovation brought back all of the old castle’s features, including the moat, drawbridge, maze, and towers. It also renovated 21 opulent on-site castle suites with hand-woven Belgian and French tapestries. There are lots of wonders and medieval marvels for everyone in the family to enjoy.
It’s very exciting to have the experience of staying overnight in a theme park and this is something kids will really get a lot out of. Being a replica, Kryal Castle was never a real castle, however it has been created with all the bells and whistles. Other than the already mentioned features of a maze, moat, drawbridge and towers there are also stocks and an armoury and you can learn archery. A “Wax of Torture” museum is also present, in addition to performances that include jousting (by knights in full armour), live theater, a jester, a juggler, and fire eating.
Guests enjoy access to the Kryal Castle fortress outside of park opening hours which adds to the experience of staying in the adventure park. Guests receive admittance as part of their accommodation fee during the adventure park’s operating hours, which are weekends, Victorian school vacations, and some public holidays.
A microwave, free wifi, and a flat-screen TV are provided in every room. A spa bath is available in some rooms.
Kryal Castle Adventure Park is a 15-minute drive from Ballarat Town Center, Mount Xavier Golf Course, and Ballarat Wildlife Park.
Guest rating: 9.1 Price Estimate: Hotel Queen Room $273
The Constance is the first street art hotel in Brisbane’s CBD and as such it is very cool, edgy and each room is truly unique.
The Constance sits atop of one of the city’s most interesting historical sites. The original building was once the clubhouse of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, the Brisbane chapter of an international and mysterious secret society. The distinctive character of the building has been expertly restored and provides a charming foundation
This upscale boutique hotel in Brisbane transports you into a world of playful contrasts, where a modern inner-city setting expertly blends with a cutting-edge aesthetic. The design highlights the contrast between the building’s rustic characteristics and its clean lines and ultra-modern fittings by combining spectacular artwork with chic finishes, such as 150-year-old refinished timber floors.
The only street art hotel in the Valley has teamed up with some of Australia’s most innovative people to produce a distinctively Brisbane atmosphere. A unique and immersive experience is provided to guests via street art by renowned artists Fintan Magee, Numskull, Rone, and Beastman, as well delectable eats and drinks and fashion from the internationally recognised local designers Black Milk.
The Constance Hotel provides amenities and services to make your stay at our Fortitude Valley hotel enjoyable. You’ll feel very relaxed being surrounded by works of art and having access to flexible meeting spaces, a gym, a 24-hour reception, and the rooftop bar Dirty Sultan. The Dirty Sultan is a very trendy shisha bar where you can enjoy platters, cocktails and a choice of tobacco or non tobacco shisha. The bar and restaurant is separated from the smoking area by sliding doors so you can simply choose to enjoy the great cuisine and atmosphere if you prefer.
In terms of facilities you can also use the free access to the Valley Pool & Gym, and be sure to stop by Rose Room for brunch and breakfast.
The Capsule Hotel, which offers futuristic-style lodging in the centre of Sydney’s CBD, is located above Century Bar. The bar provides a variety of tap beers, a large selection of cocktails, darts, and other entertainment.
The Capsule Hotel is situated on level 3 and is just a 2-minute walk from Town Hall Railway Station. From here, guests have access to all of Sydney’s top attractions, including Hyde Park, Darling Harbor, World Square ICC Sydney Theater, and Pitt Street Mall. Chinatown and Darling Harbor may both be reached on foot in five minutes. By train or car, Sydney Airport is accessible in 20 minutes.
Each special capsule has a front or side entry and has a safe locker, USB plugs, a mirror, and adjustable lighting with a power point. There is bed linen and air conditioning in every room. There are laundry facilities available for a fee.
Every type of capsule is in a dormitory room (between 7 and 16 shares) and has a shared unisex bathroom and shower room.
