Each time they head off on their travels, our globetrotting bloggers share one photo that sums up their trip. After all, they say a picture is worth a thousand words…
Today…a mountain road winds below a high cloudy peak in the Atlas Mountains.
You’ve got the time booked off and bikinis bought. Still deciding where to go? Problem solved – here’s why you should head to an Aldemar Hotel for some Greek sun…
Where?
First things first, it’s on a private beach in Kalithea. Plus, in 2 minutes you can be at a bar with a cocktail in hand. If you want to party ‘til the early hours, Rhodes Town is only 10 minutes’ drive away.
What can you do?
This hotel was made for water babies – a huge beachfront lagoon, kids’ pools, whirlpool baths and an 80-metre-long waterslide. Once you’re out of the water, there’s still loads to try. Practise your putt on the mini golf course, test your serve on the tennis court, or get stuck into a game of giant chess.
What are the rooms like?
Did we mention this place has just had a major revamp? It means rooms come fresh and extra modern, with an on-trend blue theme. They’ve all got a view, so take your pick – the turquoise-blue waves or the landscaped gardens?
Where can you eat?
You’ll be tucking into fresh pasta one night and tasty moussaka the next. There are 4 restaurants, dishing out Italian, Greek, Chinese and French food. If you fancy a romantic meal, then stroll down to the Greek taverna on the beach. The main buffet restaurant also has a separate kids’ section with staff to help give you an extra set of hands.
What’s the entertainment like?
Want a lively evening in? The hotel’s quizzes and live shows have it covered. Looking to relax? Well, there’s also a huge TV showing films every night.
Where?
It’s perched right on a sandy beach, but the buzzing harbour of Hersonissos is only 5 minutes’ drive away.
What can you do?
The activity scene goes big here. You’ve got stuff like table tennis, cooking lessons, dance competitions and squash. You can even sign up for some scuba diving down on the beach. It’s all on your doorstep, not to mention the 4 pools, including a saltwater number and one with a waterslide.
What are the rooms like?
It’s all Minoan on the outside and modern on the inside. Rooms have just been refurbished, so they’re light and bright. You can also book VIP seafront rooms, where you’ll get your own set of outdoor pools to share.
Where can you eat?
Crack out your fancy gear, because you’ll be dining on lobster – there’s a special night each week. Throw in an American breakfast, gourmet dinners and fresh seafood on the beach – and that’s just a few of your options. The buffet restaurant pulls out all the stops on themed evenings, like sushi and Italian cooking.
What’s the entertainment like?
Theme nights are a real hit here. It all kicks off at mealtimes and carries on to the live shows after-dark. Expect singing, dancing, cabaret and fire.
Ever fancied sleeping underwater? On a bed made entirely of salt? Or, in a coffin? (Ok, probably not). It’s not as impossible as it sounds. Here are some of the world’s more unusual hotels…
This one’s for those who love flying so much they don’t want to get off the plane. You won’t have to here. This suite at the Costa Verde resort is made out of a salvaged Boeing 727. It was taken to Costa Rica’s Manual Antonio National Park from San Jose airport – and given a bit of a revamp. Inside, it’s got 2 teak-panelled bedrooms, with a viewing deck above the wing.
If you’ve already ticked Hobbiton off your list, then sleeping in a hobbit hole is naturally next. The motel has a Shire-like grass roof and round windows, but luckily the ceilings have been adjusted for guests a little taller than hobbits.
With a drawbridge, luxury interiors and a rooftop waterfall, this place looks like something out of a fairytale. The location’s dreamy, too – it’s in a private nature reserve in Chile. Guests can spot toucans and pumas from the wooden hot tubs, or watch as adrenaline junkies pass by on the world’s longest zip line.
The great salt flats of Salar de Uyuni might be on your sightseeing bucket list, but you can take it one step further by staying here. The walls, floors, ceilings and furniture are all made out of the stuff – delivered from the tourist hotspot. It probably goes without saying, but no licking the walls.
Calling all dog lovers. Owners Dennis and Frances went barking mad designing this hotel. It’s shaped like a huge dog with rooms sleeping 4. There’s a bath, air-con and board games, but no mod-cons. You can sleep in Sweet Willy’s stomach or his muzzle.
The team at this place get the award for the most hardworking hoteliers. Due to its chilly -5 degrees Celsius temp, it has to be rebuilt every winter. There are 65 rooms and beds made of ice, plus, there’s a sauna for warming up.
Berlin’s definitely got an edgy side, and this hotel takes it even further. Each of the 27 rooms is unique – quite literally. One is completely made of mirrors, another is a prison cell and there’s even a crypt room where you sleep in a coffin. Count us out.
It’s not exactly the kind of place you’d expect to find a hotel – in the docks of a city most known for its fishing and shipping. But, this place really gives meaning to the term ‘industrial chic’. You’ll find your room in the converted dock of a crane, complete with an outdoor decking area. Guests are free to get behind the lever, as everything’s still in working order. Plus, brekkie comes via an internal lift.
Made from repurposed drain pipes, this hotel is actually practical as well as weird. They’ve been given a lick of paint, and come soundproofed and temperature-controlled – keeping cool in summer and warm in winter. There’s only space for a bed and light, though, as the rooms are just two square metres in size.
You’ll be sleeping with the fishes here – no, really. The Underwater Room at Zanzibar’s exclusive Manta Resort has 3 levels, and one of them is 4 metres deep. At night, the underwater spotlights attract the reef’s residents for your viewing pleasure – think octopus, bat fish and Spanish dancer fish. Another bonus – the deck is perfect for sunbathing.
