Video: The weirdest hotels in the world

by Gadling Staff on

Want to try something different this vacation? How about staying in one of the weird hotels in the world? Whether you want to unleash your inner mermaid or spend time repenting your sins in prison, these hotels offer everything for the truly strange-at-heart. On the flip side, at least you don’t have to worry about showing your friends boring old vacation pictures…

Do you ever wonder how Tarzan and Jane felt swing though the trees? Well wonder no longer! At the Ariau Amazon Towers Hotel in Brazil you live in the tree tops. This hotel is actually built in the tree tops of the Amazon Rainforest.

Ever wonder how it would feel to live like a caveman? Well now you can! The Madonna Inn Hotel in San Luis Obispo, Calif., features a caveman room equipped with it’s own waterfall and caveman mallet.

If being a caveman or cave-women is not your style, how about an igloo? At the Icehotel in Sweden, everything is made of ice, well, ice. As you can see in the video, even the furniture is made out of ice. Make sure to pack your wool socks!

Want all the amenities without breaking the bank? Are you okay with small spaces? Then this hotel is for you! It is a Japanese capsule hotel and it has everything you need: TV, alarm clock, and radio.

If the capsule hotel is not for you, how about a concrete tee-pee? The Wigwam hotel in Arizona features tee-pees instead of rooms. This hotel definitely gives you the feel of being in another place and time.

Ever wonder how the little mermaid felt living under the sea? Well now you can at the Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Florida. You are promised a great view!

Guilty conscious? No fear! Alleviate your suffering by spending time in the Alcatraz hotel located in Kaiserslautern, Germany. You even get your own prison-striped pajamas!

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Think you might have been a rock star in another life? The Hard Days Night hotel in Liverpool, England is the world’s only hotel devoted to the Beatles. You can play the piano in the John Lennon Suite. Sorry, screaming fans not included.

Go on a “Food Scavenger Hunt” – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Guidebooks are all well and good, but they rarely take you off the beaten path. Before arriving in an unfamiliar place, pick an unusual food to track down in your destination; it’s even better if you can find the same food in multiple countries.

Finding specific foods is a particularly great way to pound the local pavement. Look for an egg salad sandwich, rhubarb pie, or a Bud Light. If you find it easily, come up with something else to hunt down. You never know what else you’ll discover in the process — and it can help give aimless days some form.

Pro tip: do some research before arriving and select a food item unique to the local culture.

[Photo: Flickr | david55king]

Use return address labels when traveling – Packing tip

by Gadling Staff on

Who mails letters anymore? With the ease of email, social networking and banking, I had a drawer full of return address labels that were not being used. For a quick way to personalize my travel gear I put the time-saving stickers on everything from my camera, iPod, reading materials, umbrella, inside my jackets and nearly everything I pack.

It’s easy to think you won’t lose anything or leave an item behind, but oh-so-hard to replace them when you do!

Avoid “white space” in cruise travel – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

I spent more than a decade as editor of a publication which featured cruise travel, so I’ve heard great insights from officers, the captain, travel agents and other travelers. One of the best I’ve heard is: Avoid the white space!

It’s what you DON’T see in those glossy brochures and Web site layouts of the ship’s decks that should be of concern as it will affect how much rest you will be able to get aboard ship, how much access you’ll have to amenities, etc. Sadly, I learned the hard way.

Then an officer explained to me: “Avoid the white space.” What that means is that because of security reasons, the layouts you see cannot list the location of common areas such as stairwells or even some group gathering spots.

What does that mean? You may be spending extra money and getting no return. I wanted a mini-suite for the extra room once. You would assume because you are paying more and getting more room, it would mean more comfortable accommodations. Take a close look at that layout, noting the dreaded white space, and you may find out that your room is located directly next to a main stairwell or below the basketball or shuffleboard area.

It isn’t about picking out the right cabin, necessarily. It’s about carefully seeing what is around you and knowing yourself well enough to know when it’s worth the money to get the extra stuff.

If you are ready to book a cabin and you see white space above you or to the side of you, ask a travel agent or a representative of the cruise line. Your extra dollars on the cabin could be better spent on more photos, an extra excursion or the like.

Travel by bus – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Americans are used to either flying to a destination or driving on the interstate. However, don’t pass up the chance to take the bus when traveling abroad.

Many bus companies offer more luxury accommodations than the national airline. Moreover, the cost is usually comparatively low — even for long distance travel. Additionally, bus travel gives you the chance to see the local scenery and meet other travelers. Finally, there is no arduous security, so you can take your razor and as much shampoo as you like.

Just be sure to bring enough water and food.

[Photo: Flickr | E01]