In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of the most weird and wonderful hotels. From cave hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected. This week, enjoy a Night Less Ordinary Roar and Snore in Sydney, where you sleep in a zoo.
What’s the gimmick? Fancy waking up next to a lion? At Roar and Snore in Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, guests can do just that. Find yourself sleeping in one of the architecturally designed tents, with views of the Sydney harbour to one side and lions, snow leopards and meerkats on the other.
Why stay? For animal enthusiasts, it doesn’t get much better than waking up to the roar of a lion or an elephant trumpeting as you prepare to experience the Zoo before the crowds. Feed a giraffe or pat a seal as you go behind the scenes to learn the secrets of this famous and fascinating Zoo. And if that wasn’t enough, experience sunrise at one of the world’s most famous views from one of the best possible positions to see it.
The Wow Factor: Your incredible overnight Zoo experience begins with refreshments on arrival, followed by an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the Zoo’s most friendly creatures. After a buffet dinner you hike through the zoo on a night zoo safari led by a zoo educator, where you can see the animals relax after their daylight duties. Then settle in for the night in a cosy, fully-furnished tent.
Price includes guided night Zoo Safari, tent accommodation, dinner, refreshments, breakfast, two back of house tours and admission to the zoo the following day. Prices start from $436.50AUD for one adult and one child. Click here for details.
If a bucket of KFC in front of the TV is your idea of heaven on earth then read on. Today sees the launch of the annual World Chicken Festival, paying tribute to the colonel and all things that cluck.
Named one of Kentucky’s top ten events, the festival prides itself on links to Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of the chain of restaurants. The very first one was established in the 1940s in Daniel Boone National Forest and it’s where the secret recipe is said to have originated.
The festival kicks off today, and is held every September in downtown London (USA, not UK!) The highlight has to be the world’s largest skillet, a frying pan measuring over ten feet. It’s operated by dedicated world chicken festival volunteers and has served over 120,000 pieces of fried deliciousness since 1992. It operates throughout the festival churning out hundreds if not thousands of crispy, chicken.
The whole festival, as you can imagine revolves around chicken, from the Chicken Invasion Sculpture Competition and a whole pile of chicken related contests. You’ll find, somewhat ironically, a 5km run as well as a hot wing eating contest and the Chick-O-Lympics, (just for kids though.) There’s also something called the Doubles Cornhole Tournament, although we haven’t actually figured out what that’s all about!
10 WTF weird theme parks that you’ll either love or want to avoid forever.
Harmonyland, Japan If hanging out with a whole bunch of life size versions of Hello Kitty is your idea of a good time, then read on! There are Hello Kitty live shows, a “rhythmic rollercoaster” the Kitty Castle and something called the Hello Kitty Black Wonder. We think this definitely deserves a place the weird theme parks list.
Grutas Park, Lithuania You won’t find any rollercoasters, or even a swing ride, but you will find a gulag experience and lots of Soviet era sculptures. It even has its own zoo, complete with ostriches, while every April 1st there’s an annual comedy festival with impersonations of Communist party bigwigs. Grutas Park’s founder built the park to remind people of past oppressions.
Loveland, South Korea If adults only is your way of thinking, then this park is for you, it’s completely based around “enjoying a harmonious sex life.” It’s easy to see why it’s becoming more and more popular with honeymooners. Prudish types need not apply as this park takes the hands on approach, with attractions like Breast Mountain; huge intimate works of art and ahem, DIY exhibitions.
BonBon Land, Denmark A few miles south of the Danish capital you’ll find this park, which is home to some delightful amusements like the Farting Dog rollercoaster and the Skid Mark. Not only that but dotted throughout the park you’ll find lovely cartoons characters like giant rats, half naked cows, hungover turtles and seagulls pooping on alligators. So, that’s nice.
Tayto Park, Ireland (Disclaimer!) We Irish are known for some mad cap ideas, but how about a theme park dedicated to crisps? Tayto are synonymous with the potatoey-tasty treat and the company has set up its own crisp theme park. In the wilds of county Meath you’ll find a factory tour to see how the crisps are made, visit the animals (which may or may not be fed on crisps) or have a go on a Tayto jumper or Mr Tayto’s Wacky Rodeo.
Shijingshan Amusement Park, China It might look a bit like Disney, it feels a bit like Disney but it’s definitely not Disney. The park blatantly rips off some of Walt’s greatest creations with the odd change here and there. So watch out for an extra tall Snow White or a strange looking Mickey Mouse.
Hacienda Napoles, Colombia At the entrance to the Hacienda Napoles, you’ll find an area decorated with an old plane. But, it’s not just any old plane; it is actually the one that transported the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar’s first batch of cocaine to the USA. The whole park is found in the grounds of the former drug baron’s ranch. Before he was shot and killed in 1993, Escobar filled his home with life size dinosaurs, old cars and a bunch of hippos. A group of businessmen came together to turn it into a tourist attraction and it draws around 50,000 visitors per year.
Dollywood, USA Yes, the Queen of Country, Dolly Parton has her own theme park and what else would it be called? A proper extravagance, you can ride Dolly’s Demolition Derby, meet wild eagles, go on the Barnstormer or visit a replica schoolhouse from the 1890s. Even Dolly herself says her theme park is “one of the greatest dreams she’s ever had come true.”
Dig This, Las Vegas Ok, Dig This is not really a theme park, more of a huge sandbox, where you can live out your Bob the Builder fantasies. Once you get in there, you can choose between hulking bulldozers or excavators, you get an introduction to how to use it and you’re off. The park centres around challenging you in cab, so you’ll get to indulge in a little Excavator Basketball or Bulldozer Teeter-Totter.
Zero Gravity, USA For around $30 you can have a go on a ride so scary, that it’s been used by scientists to simulate near death experiences. The ride goes up 16 stories, then you’re dropped, with no tie lines, completely unattached for a 130 foot free fall. Lucky for you a huge net is there to stop you from going splat.
Kate Power is community manager for Purple Travel.
While this week you may have heard about yetis being spotted in Siberia, PurpleTravel investigates where else in the world our customers can travel to see the creatures you thought were only a myth…
Clip from The Abominable Snowman (1957)
Travel to Siberia to spot the yeti
This week, three Russians claimed to have spotted a group of yetis on the prowl in a remote region of Siberia. The two fishermen and one forestry worker assert to have seen the legendary creatures three times in recent weeks, once mistaking them for people, due to the way they walk on two feet. One Russian commented, “We shouted ‘do you need help?’ They rushed away, all in fur, on two legs”, while another added, “Our binoculars were broken and didn’t let us see them sharply. They walked like people.” They were spotted in the Kemerovo region, where yeti expert Igor Burtsev claims more than 30 live. He will travel there next month to investigate.
Iceland’s answer to the Loch Ness Monster?
Head to Iceland to see the Lagarfljót worm
In February of this year, something akin to The Loch Ness Monster was spotted by a farmer in a lake in Iceland. Winding its way through the Jokulsa River in the Fljotsdal valley, the creature has been linked to a legend spanning seven centuries, that of the Lagarfljot river worm. Traced back through the country’s folklore to 1345, the legend goes that a small heather worm was put onto a golden ring so that the precious metal would grow and so in turn the ring. However, when the owner of the ring returned he found that the ring was no bigger, but that the worm had grown enormously. The owner threw the ring and worm into Lagarfljot River where the creature continued to grow and grow. Watch the YouTube video and let us know what you think.
The famous Feejee mermaid, which was later proved to be a monkey’s torso grafted onto a salmon’s tail.
Take a trip to Israel for some mermaid watching
Earlier this year, more than a dozen people have reported that they’ve seen a half fish, half woman creature in Israel. Shlomo Cohen, a former soldier, told Israel News that he and a friend “saw a woman lying on the sand in a weird way,” in Kiryat Yam, a city near Haifa. When they approached her, she suddenly jumped into the sea and disappeared. The small city even offer a prize of US$1 million for those who can prove the existence of the mermaid. “Many people are telling us they are sure they’ve seen a mermaid and they are all independent of each other,” Kirvat Yam town council spokesman Natti Zilberman told Sky News.
Still from the Patterson film that dumbfounds scientist to this day.
Book a holiday to sunny California to meet Bigfoot
Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, as it they have come to be known as, have been spotted all over the US, however the greatest Bigfoot footage of all time is the Patterson-Gimlin film, shot in California. Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin were researching Sasquatch reports near Bluff Creek on October 20, 1967,k when they came across an overturned tree. As the pair rounded the tree, they spotted a large figure beside the creek, which caused Patterson’s horse to rear. After untangling himself from the reins, Patterson spent about twenty seconds removing the camera from his saddlebag, meaning by the time he began to film the creature, Patterson was 37 m away. The most famous section of the film he then recorded shows the sasquatch look over its right shoulder at Roger, who then falls to his knees. The creature in the video matches the description offered by others who have witnessed a Bigfoot – most recent of which was by a student on a school trip in Idaho.
Our semi-weekly series: A Night Less Ordinary is all about finding the most weird and wonderful hotels all over the world. From a James Bond hotel room, to sleeping underwater expect the unexpected. This week, we have a night less ordinary at the Giraffe Manor in Kenya. This week, check in a the Karosta Prison Hotel where your inn jailbird can shine and we advise you to go to jail, go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
If you’re a monopoly addict or you simply get a bit excited about the idea of a night behind bars, then Latvia’s Karosta Prison Hotel will be right up your street. But, this place is more 50 shrieks than 50 shades, so beware!
The former KGB prison hasn’t actually changed all that much since it stopped taking prisoners. You can simply tour the former Soviet military jail, or you can do the real deal and go for an ‘Extreme Night’ package.
Once you get there you’ll get the full treatment; finding out what it was like to be an inmate, you’ll get handcuffed and escorted to your cell for the night. You won’t find any home comforts here with some stale rye bread and Russian tea for room service. After that you’ll have to haul your own pallet, laid with a thin mattress before you can lay your head down. And that’s after you’ve dressed it to military standards. You’re given four minutes to use the bathroom (a hole in the ground) while the rusting tap leaks just enough water to brush your teeth. It’s all done in the spirit of good fun (I think) and is meant to be a real experience and something different.
If that’s not enough to freak you out a bit, the former prison is known for its ghostly, mysterious activity. Lightbulbs unscrew themselves. Doors open and close, seemingly of their own free will, and footsteps echo throughout the prison halls. Yikes!
So, don’t say I didn’t warn you! For a real night less ordinary, this place takes no prisoners (groan) but at the bargain price of around £7 per night, it’s hard to beat for value. If that sounds like your cup of tea, (maybe you’re part of a particularly intense Stag party group!) the hotel is always ready for their next victims… I mean guests!
In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of the most weird and wonderful hotels. From cave hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected. This week, check out the Propeller Island City Lodge hotel in Berlin. You won’t believe your eyes, we couldn’t!
What’s the gimmick? There’s really no other place that Propeller Island City Lodge could exist than in Berlin, Germany. Probably one of the weirdest hotels to ever to grace any list of unusual hotels (or the world for that matter), Propeller Island is primarily a piece of art; all rooms and objects were designed by the German artist, Lars Stroschen, who built the hotel on the premise of “living in a work of art.” Each of the 30 rooms offers an absolutely unique and personal ambiance, with all furnishings inside them having been custom-made by the artist. The rooms vary from the tame to the extreme, creating the sense that you have entered an alternate reality or stumbled onto a film set.
Why stay? Ok, so this isn’t the most luxurious or even comfortable of hotels. Most of the rooms are on the small side, some share bathroom facilities, some are just plain scary, but really, how often do you have a chance to stay in a barn-themed room that includes a big pile of potato sacks packed with foam rubber? ‘Nuff said.
The Wow Factor: There’s really too many things to choose from here. There’s the Lion’s Den Room, which features two sleeping cages on stilts in the centre of the room and bathtub on an indoor balcony. The macabre Gruft Room contains two coffins instead of beds, built above a deep, dark labyrinth. Others include a jail cell room, “Grandma’s Room” with a hidden sink and toilet and décor from decades past, a Chicken Curry room, a room that’s all about nudity, an upside-down room and even one with a flying bed. And of course, the hotel’s own private gallery and themed eatery are no less bizarre. It’s all wow, it really is.
With plans for the Discus Hotel in Dubai well under way, we felt it appropriate to give a little nod to the latest craze in hospitality. We’ve christened it, marine tourism. Sure, space tourism will be on the horizon soon enough, but until that day, the more audacious of tourists are checking themselves in to that great other beyond – the deep blue sea. Here ‘ocean view’ and ‘on the beach’ should be taken in their most literal sense; enter the new division of incredible underwater hotels.
Jules Undersea Lodge
Named after the author of 20, 000 Leagues under the Sea, Jules Undersea Lodge was the world’s first underwater hotel. Located in Key Largo, Florida, the Lodge began life as La Chalupa, a groundbreaking research facility, when it was originally built in the ‘70s. It was later transformed into a hotel in 1986, catering especially to lovers of the marine world. Set about 21 feet under water, the hotel can only be reached through diving. Visitors who are not certified divers must first complete Jules’ three hour crash course in scuba diving before they embark on their underwater adventure. Then, after diving down through the mangrove habitat of the Emerald Lagoon, guests resurface through a wet room entrance, and find themselves in a treasure trove of modern day life conveniences. Escapism is taken to extraordinary new heights (or should we say depths?) at this secret underwater clubhouse. When taking a break from marvelling at unobstructed views sea life in their natural settings through 42-inch windows, guests can enjoy all the creature comforts anyone could ask for. Expect to find air-conditioning, hot showers, a stereo, a DVD player and the world’s only underwater chef, who will serve breakfast at 8am every morning and dinner at 6pm, promptly. Jules really is the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure. On an average evening the hotel is shared by two different couples, but it can accommodate a group of six friends in the congenial living quarters, designed by the award-winning firm of Richard F. Geary Interior Designers. However, exclusive use of the hotel can also be arranged for couples and the Lodge is even available for underwater weddings.
Not every undersea resort requires its guests to dive, or even to get wet. Poseidon Undersea Resort, located 40-feet below sea level in a 5,000 acre Fijian lagoon, can be reached by the convenience of an elevator. The $200 million Poseidon development, which includes seaside bungalows above the waterline, begins on a mile-long, palm-shrouded crescent of Fijian island. The elevator takes you down to the two dozen luxury suites, and also the restaurant, library, conference room and a convertible wedding chapel. Poseidon undersea is the first ever 5-star luxury underwater resort, and the brainchild of is L. Bruce Jones and his company, U.S. Submarines, renowned builders of deep-diving mini-subs and submersibles. Each of Poseidon’s suites is encased in a clear acrylic shell, four inches thick and a simple press of a button on your control console will feed the outside fish. Pretty impressive, right? However, guests looking to get in on this James Bond-style adventure will have to cough up a whopping $15,000 per person for seven days and six nights.
Utter Inn
Utter Inn is styled like a retro Swedish house, all painted brick red, with white trimmed windows. Primarily an art project by Mikael Genberg, Utter Inn offers underwater accommodation to the public (and by that we mean at affordable prices). After pulling up to the Inn by an inflatable boat that picks you up from the port of Vasteras, guests can step down into their room, which is three metres below water level in Lake Malarenl, Sweden. Then, after receiving all the instructions guests need, they are then left completely alone to enjoy their unique experience. Although alone, guests are also welcomed to use their inflatable canoe to visit the closest uninhabited island. Or if they prefer the ‘deluxe’ package, someone can deliver dinner by boat in the evening – hey, we’re talking about what an artist considers deluxe here, not a billionaire submarine company owner.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant
Ok so you won’t be able to spend the entire night underwater here, but at the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, you’ll get a taste of the general idea. The restaurant serves up Maldivian-Western fusion cuisine, in the world’s first all-glass underwater restaurant. Offering unobstructed 180-degree views of the surrounding reef, Ithaa Undersea Restaurant offers diners the chance to marvel at 180° views of reef and marine life, whilst sipping on champagne cocktails. And located around 16 feet below sea level in the Indian Ocean, there are some truly spectacular sights to behold.
In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of the most weird and wonderful hotels. From cave hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected. This week, come hang out in a giant boot at the boot hotel.
What’s the gimmick? Remember the nursery rhyme – ‘There was an old lady that lived in a shoe…’? Boot Bed ‘n’ Breakfast brings this tale to life. Although its founders were first considered completely crazy when they created the ‘boot’ in 2001, after several years of blissful visits, they became something of a celebrity in the local area. The boot is situated in the heart of the beautiful Tasman region in New Zealand, contributing to the tapestry of attractions and folklore, which inspire the region.
Why stay? With room for only two (so there’s no room for Old Mother Hubbard and co), the boot is actually a somewhat romantic getaway. Nestled within a grove of hazelnut trees, surrounded by a fragrant garden, guests can enjoy relaxing hot afternoons, alfresco dining, an outdoor fireplace with a comfy couch in front of it, and breakfast delivered to the door. Inside, the furnishings are specially tailored for couples; there are two chairs at the table, two champagne flutes, two coffee cups, space for two on the couch, space for two on the bed, space for two in the shower… Fresh and sweet-smelling flowers, fine Nelson Art and complementary chocolates complete the scene.
The wow factor: Thispeaceful, comfy bed and breakfast combines sustainable practices with luxury experience. Expect to find organic produce, including the free-range eggs from the owners’ hens and fresh fruit from their orchard. The 2.4 hectare garden is free for guests to mill around during their stay, taking in the tranquil, secluded surroundings of this lovers retreat.
The boot costs NZ$300 per night per couple. For bookings, please see The Boot website.
In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of the most weird and wonderful hotels. From cave hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected. This week, enjoy a night less ordinary at the Dog Bark Inn.
What’s the gimmick? Bringing a whole new meaning to the term doggy style, Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood, Idaho, is a bed and breakfast guesthouse inside the world’s biggest beagle. Dog-lovers can take their obsession to new heights (literally), entering the body of the giant toy dog (who’s affectionately named, Sweet Willy) from a private second story deck. Once inside, you can head up another level to the head of the dog, where you’ll find a cosy loft room decorated with dog decorations, offering additional sleeping space (Willy sleeps four in total). The bathroom, which is disguised as a giant fire hydrant, is located beneath the tail.
Why stay? Even if you hate dogs, or this idea freaks you out a bit, at Dog Bark Park, you are the only tenant, the beds are unbelievably comfortable and the loft is tailor-made for a restful night’s sleep. As the wind blows across the prairie at night, making the dog ears flap, you’ll wonder why you’ve not been sleeping in a beagle your whole life. And that’s not all – the well-stocked fridge, doggy biscuits and breakfast are all home-cooked and excellent. This is seriously one of the best experiences America has to offer.
Dog Bark Park Inn gift shop
The wow factor: Some of the dog’s decorative furnishings are carvings by Dog Bark Park Inn resident chainsaw artists Dennis & Frances.Dennis J. Sullivan, a self-taught chainsaw artist, has been carving for over twenty years. Frances joined him fifteen years ago and in 1995, their carvings were sold on QVC television (aka the home of useless crap). They did nothing but carve wooden dogs for 18 months then invested all their earnings in developing and building Dog Bark Park, where visitors most likely will find them happily creating art.
The cost per double stay is $92 and then $8 for each additional guest. Book here
In this weekly series, we scour the world in search of weird hotels and wonderful holiday concepts. From space hotels to converted prisons, capsule pods to underwater guestrooms, you can expect only the unexpected.
