Having already visited 12 countries around Europe in Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 we have reached our final part of the Most Unusual Places To Stay In Europe.
So if you’d like to stay in the largest water tower in Europe, a piece of engineering history, or if a car or chocolate themed hotel is more up your street then look no further.
Roter Sand Lighthouse, North Sea, Germany
Roter Sand is a lighthouse in the North Sea, in the Weser estuary. It entered service in 1885, and was considered a technical marvel at that time as it was the first ever structure built on the sea floor at a depth of 22 metres. For almost 80 years the red, white and black lighthouse was the first thing sailors saw on their way into the port city, and the last thing millions of emigrants saw before their ships reached the North Sea on their journey to the New World. But by 1964 its steel foundations became unstable and the lighthouse was decommissioned.
In the years that followed it was painstakingly restored, and in 1999 it was open to the public, and since then it has had over 8000 day trippers, and more than 1000 have spent the night there.
Unlike the lighthouse keepers of yesteryear who had to travel there dangerously in a large basket, paying guests now are afforded the luxury of a bridge between the structure and the boat.
With room for up to six overnight guests, the tower comprises one communal bedroom, a combined kitchen and living area, and a bathroom. Guests must supply their own sleeping bags and towels but will arrive to find a fully-stocked kitchen, although they must do their own cooking. Also be warned that there is also no electricity or heating.
Oh and there is also a ban on alcohol in the lighthouse due to the 70 well-worn steps between this room and the toilet.
Baumhaus Hotel, Gorlitz, Germany
Spend the night in the tree-tops 10 metres above the ground and watch the sunrise on the eastern most point of Germany.
On top the mountains, designed as a village this well-wooded adventure leisure park offers 9 treehouses. They are furnished in a crazed rustic style, with brightly coloured walls and off-angle windows and are sure to entertain. Odd shaped beds are the norm here as you won’t find any straight walls.
The tree houses have a lounge, berd alcove, small balconies and each treehouse is themed according to the regional tradition and myths of trolls and fairy folk.
3 treehouses have ensuite bathroom and can accommodate up to 6 people, and all are connected via a circuit paths that meet at the celebration platform in the heart of the hotel.
Start your day with a tree-top shock shower with open-air drying. This is well compensated by the stunning view into the Neisse Valley at sunrise.
The surrounding area features a gallery, theatre, annual festivals and cultural events and a huge 6 acre play-park. There is a pirate ship is stranded on a pebbled beach near a water fountain and secret tunnels lead to climbing rocks and enormous ramp-slides. This is a playful combination of art, culture and nature.
V8 Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany
This is the ultimate hotel for any petrol head or car nut.
Amidst the automotive region Stuttgart, surrounded by the historic charm of a former airport site, you’ll find the exclusive V8 Hotel.
Extensively restored in a classical modern style, the hotel not only impresses through its historical flair, but also offers, in center of the Mototrworld Region Stuttgart, an exceptional setting for your stay.
Both the Hotel and Motorworld are all about the automobile: automotive themed rooms, legendary vintage cars, sporty young timers, exclusive and special classic cars, make the hearts of the technology enthusiasts, the aesthetes and the nostalgic go racing.
Classic car lovers place great value on quality and originality, and accordingly, all the rooms are, depending on the theme, equipped with high-quality materials, individual elements and many original parts from the automotive world.
All 34 rooms are equipped with comfortable bathrooms and a bed with a relaxing 2.10m length, and come with a private telephone line, a 32" flat screen TV and powerful free internet access.
As regards the themes of the rooms, each room has it’s own personal touch, its unique character and is dedicated to themes related to the automobile world including genuine parts. Whether racing, V8 camp, drive-in movies or tuning – the guestrooms are decorated in a lot of charm, attention to detail, and partly with the exclusive view of the classic car trade hall of the Motorworld Region Stuttgart.
Perhaps the jewel in the crow of rooms is the Mercedes Suite, which is situated in the air traffic control tower of the former airport. This suite offers 120 m² of space on four floors and with an exclusive rooftop terrace overlooking the whole of motortworld.
Etruscan Chocohotel, Perugia, Italy
If that last hotel was typically for the boys then this one is more for the girls. The Etruscan Chocohotel is the first hotel in the world dedicated to chocolate.
A three-star hotel with 94 comfortable rooms in Perugia, Etruscan Chocohotel is an interesting hotel option, especially for chocolate lovers. The rooms stretches over 3 floors - aptly named milk chocolate, gianduja chocolate and dark chocolate.
The Hotel is in an excellent location to journey through Umbria and to reach interesting places.
The Chocostore has choco products from all over the world and has a bathtub full of chocolate.
Rooms are air-conditioned and sound-proofed, and you can chose from singles, family (2 adults / 2 kids), or a double ensuite. There is a seasonal rooftop pool (filled with water not chocolate), and a buffet breakfast is included in the rates, which is served in the hotel’s restaurant.
Rifugio Lagazuoi, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Any hotel that you can reach via cable car (although you can hike there) is bound to produce some spectacular views, and the Rifugio Lagazuoi Inn certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Nestled in the Dolomites at the summit of Mount Lagazuoi the Inn has been family run ever since its construction in 1965, and it's an excellent starting point to visit the restored galleries, trenches and emplacements of the 1st World War Open Museum and to ski along the famous Armentarola - the longest and most spectacular slope of the Dolomites, and on all the slopes of the Cortina and Val Badia ski areas.
The Rifugio Lagazuoi offers accommodation in the form of double, triple, and quad rooms, as well as rooms for 5 people plus, and also dorms. It also has bar and restaurant service with local specialities like polenta with roe deer or the typical strudel.
It also has a huge viewing area that overlooks the Unesco World Heritage site.
Hotel Viking, Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
Release your inner Viking in this themed hotel in the seaside town of Hafnarfjordur.
Decor and furnishings in Hotel Viking’s guest rooms are inspired from Iceland’s history and culture - the first floor is Viking style and on the second floor it is a West Nordic theme. You can chose from single, twin or double rooms, and an extra bed can be added. Satellite TV and a coffee/tea maker are found in each room, with some also offering sea and harbour views.
Traditional, regional cuisine is served in the cosy Valhalla Restaurant. An old-fashioned Viking feast can be enjoyed in Viking Restaurant.
The Keflavik International Airport shuttle bus stops directly in front of Viking Hotel. Reykjavik’s city centre, 10 km away, can be reached in less than 15 minutes by bus.
The hotel has a hot tub and rock walled sauna for guests, whilst certain units include a private bathroom with a hot tub, while others have free toiletries and a hair dryer. Certain rooms feature a seating area for your convenience.
You will also find a shared lounge and gift shop at the property.
Hotel IM Wasserturm, Cologne, Germany
An exclusive, unique, and one-of-a-kind experience - the Hotel im Wasserturm, international luxury hotel in what used to be Europe's largest water tower, is one of the most unusual hotels in Germany and Europe.
Classified as a heritage site, you will find an extraordinary interior design of timeless modernity behind its 140 year-old walls. Designed by the interior designer Andree Putman, the first-class hotel was opened in 1990 and today presents itself in an elegant style.
The 115 foot high building is made up of 80 rooms divided into singles, double ensuite, and interconnecting rooms, that complement the shape of the building. There is also a landscaped pool, sauna and fitness area, as well as 2 restaurants, bar area, and a panoramic rooftop terrace that look out over the City.
That's all for now, but be sure to check back next time when we will have a look at unusual places to stay in the USA. And if any of these have now got you in that holiday spirit be sure to check out our Men's and Women's Holiday Shops here at Cruise Fashion.