9 Unique Accommodation Options for Your Next Vacation: Cool & Uncommon Lodging Ideas

1. Yurts

Yurts are one of the most popular unique accommodation uk choices for countryside getaways. Despite the weather, we can't seem to stay away from them. I don't know about other countries, but yurts are part of a 'glamping' craze here. As you can probably guess from the name, this is camping, but it is meant to be a bit more glamorous. Whether you stay in an apparently glamorous yurt or you take yourself all the way to Mongolia for one, there is no denying there is a little hidden charm to yurts!

A few quick tips for yurt stays:

2. Tee Pees

Let's stay with the whole outdoor theme for a while. Sure, tee pees probably dredge up memories from your childhood that are slightly cramped and sticky. However, I know I would love to stay in one because they will make me feel a little bit wilder than I actually am, much like glamping in a yurt. I wouldn't advise trying to construct your own tee pee. I tried it once, and I lack the dexterity required to get something like that right. By all means try using a simple version for camping to make things easier, as some stores offer tents in tee pee form.

3. Canal Boat

Canal boats aren't common everywhere by any means, but for travelers seeking uncommon accommodations, they offer a charming slow-paced getaway. Come to Europe, however, and you should find renting one quite easily through operators like Le Boat. Ever seen Rosie & Jim? It really wouldn't surprise me if you haven't. Well a holiday in a canal boat is a little more exciting than the life Rosie & Jim experienced. The movement is slow, but it is a good water-based accommodation starting place for those who don't like the ocean.

4. Treehouse

Treehouse accommodation isn't so uncommon now. Apparently, to really nail this one, you should try visiting somewhere a little mountainous. Switzerland has some good options, as does Arkansas. Once again, tree houses may dredge up some great memories from your childhood. My treehouse was a little lame, so I'd expect a treehouse hotel to be a little better.

5. VW Campervan

Want to feel as though you are exploring the world in the 1970s? Then see if you can get your hands on a vintage VW campervan. There really isn't much room for moving about in these things. You should therefore make sure you get on quite well with your fellow vacationers. Also, make sure the weather is good. Unless you want to spend a little while sat in a campervan hiding from the rain, sunshine is essential. For mobile travel lovers, this ranks alongside a canal boat stay for scenic road trips.

6. Ice Hotel

You can't exactly do the whole ice hotel thing on a budget. However, if you have some cash to splash and you want to take your vacation to chilly extremes, it is an option worth considering. Ice hotels aren't exactly available everywhere. However, when you do find one, such as the famous Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, you can look forward to a less-than-ordinary vacation. Usually, these sorts of hotels are in prime position for spotting the Northern Lights. So get outside at night time while you are staying in one!

7. Cave Hotel

Cave hotels are slightly more common than ice hotels, and they are warm too! There is a great one in Turkey, with the rooms actually built into the caves, making for memorable unique holiday accommodation. Believe it or not, some hotels will take on the whole 'cave' title and don't actually have rooms in caves. A slightly more expensive version is in Jamaica. Judging by the views and beaches, it is well worth paying a little extra for, offering a warm contrast to an ice hotel stay.

8. A Prison

I'm not suggesting you go out and commit some minor crime here to bag yourself a week or so in jail. No, instead I am suggesting you find a hotel that was once a prison. Some hoteliers have seized on the whole unique accommodation thing to maintain their converted buildings' jail-like charm. Take Ljubljana's Hostel Celica in Slovenia, which still has the bars on the rooms. Sure, it lacks privacy, but you can't deny that it is unique.

What to look for when booking converted historical stays:

9. Underwater Hotels

Last, but not least, the eternally coveted underwater hotel. There is one in Florida, Jules' Undersea Lodge, that is genuinely underwater. That's not to suggest that the others are pretending to be underwater, but you have to scuba dive to this one and everything. For those who don't really fancy that experience--I know I don't--there are other options. A decadent and expensive version is available in Fiji. Imagine waking up to a shark swimming over your head, pretty great, right?

Unique accommodation allows you to feel as though you are escaping to more than just a home from home. You delve into a different world, and leave everything else behind. I want to try all of these unique accommodation ideas out at some point. If you have some great ideas, what are they?