Berlin

Exploring the world’s strangest hotels is certainly a fun thing to do, given the extremes hotels have gone to, just in the name of being “strange”. And strange they are, too, by the looks of them. Ask anyone who’s been to a hotel from the list below, and he’ll tell you first-hand the experience that comes in staying there. Here is a list of the top 5 strangest hotels in the world. There are lots more, but only these five have made it to this list, based largely on popularity, service, and my own personal experiences.

5. The UFO Capsule Hotel, Tokyo Japan
Certainly one of the strangest concepts ever for a hotel, The UFO Capsule Hotel is a chain of “capsule hotels” across Japan that has been around for quite some time and has gained immense popularity as well. The concept of the capsule hotel may as well have been derived from the Japanese mind, given the way it uses space so efficiently. The Capsule Hotel consists of small “capsules”, which in turn have two sections: one, a public lounge space, and the second, a private sleeping space. Less space doesn’t mean throwing away amenities: TV, adjustable lighting, radio, all are present. A must-stay for those seeking the “strange”!

4. IceHotel, Sweden

Do not get surprised: the name of this hotel is exactly what the hotel is made of: ice. Open only in the winter, Ice Hotel is unique: it stands as a hotel in the winter, and melts to become a free-flowing river after the cold is gone. So that means the hotel is essentially built every year, and then it melts away after the sun comes out, only to be rebuilt the next year. Located just 200 kms north of the Arctic Circle, IceHotel is built by artists who come from all around the world, and by using only frozen water (ice) from the Torne River. Furniture made of ice is present, and beds are made of ice too, and covered in reindeer skins.

3. Hotel Fox, Denmark

Hotel Fox is one of a kind, and you certainly have not seen anything like it, that’s for sure. The hotel has 61 rooms, and each room is an exquisite piece of art. Combining the brilliance of 21 artists drawn from all over the world, and after studying close to a thousand different ideas, Hotel Fox was transformed with themes in each room as unique as possible, ranging from flowered themes to friendly monster themes to fairytale themes! The food at Hotel Fox is always being innovated, by inviting the best students from the best European cooking schools to prepare food under the supervision of experienced chefs.

2. StayOrange Hotel, Malaysia
I know, the name sounds strange, but then this is a list of the strangest hotels in the world! StayOrange.com Hotel is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is inspired from the capsule hotels from Japan. The Hotel features three kinds of rooms – Double EnSuite, Single EnSuite and 2-Bed Bunk Rooms. The Hotel aims to provide functionality in terms of both facilities and prices. The pricing is very affordable, and the facilities are not compromised upon. All facilities like free Wi-Fi internet access, hot water showers, exclusive mattresses from Dreamland, LCD TVs are provided, with branded toiletries and DVD players being optional.

1. Propeller Island City Lodge in Berlin, Germany

This hotel makes it to the top position with ease, just with the variety of rooms it providesJust picture: flying beds, upside-down rooms, circular beds, prison-style rooms – this hotel has got them all. And more. With 35 rooms of pure artistic indulgence, . the hotel will certainly make you come back for more. Certainly one of the most creative hotels of all time, the Propeller Island City Lodge has extremely courteous staff, which takes care of the minutest details. The hotel is very clean, and is a must visit.

Berlin is so much more than just techno and Trabis, bratwurst and bier. Beneath the surface of stereotypes, diverse cultures make up an intoxicating element that rarely makes it into the guide books.
The first Carnival of Cultures took place in 1995 and was inspired by the world famous parties in Rio and Notting Hill. Like its older cousins the event is as much a statement as a celebration, aimed at promoting cultural understanding, tolerance and respect.
Since those difficult days of political and social upheaval for Berlin’s cultural minorities, the carnival has gone from strength to strength. Last year, for the first time, more than one million people attended the party to carouse in the rich diversity and stand up for an emerging multiculturalism that has been all-too-often overlooked.
The carnival takes place in four distinct but nearby locations in Western Kreuzberg. The Bazaár Berlin stage at Hallesches Tor will feature shows from, among others, Turkish, Israeli, Indian and Japanese performers traversing genres as diverse as rock, hip-hop, electro and blues. The Eurasia area is located on the corner of Zossenerstraße and Blücherstraße and, as the name might suggest, will include acts from across Europe and Asia. For a taste of the sheer variety of performances, the line up includes Transylvanian speedfolk and Balkan ska-drum’n’bass.
The Farafina section will transform the usually mundane car park on Blücherstraße into an exotic oasis of cultural and musical crossover. Organisers promise revellers a journey through Africa where Ghanaian hip-hop meets Berlin street dance and Monday is the Day of the Frontwoman. Finally, the Latinauta stage presents the most familiar carnival sounds, such as samba, rumba, conga and the like. But don’t be fooled! Expect a mishmash of genre-defying musical delights from all four corners of this eccentric and exciting festival. The most exhilarating part, though, is experiencing a city with such a troubled history march noisily and proudly into the future, where many small but vibrant communities have finally found their voice.
The carnival starts at 5pm on the Friday evening until 10pm, then midday to 10pm on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. During the daytime there are family-friendly performances and plenty of space and facilities for an original day out. www.karneval-berlin.de
Natalie Holmes writes for the blog at Be-My-Guest.com.
If you are looking for a short stay apartment in Berlin for your trip, visit Be My Guest- Berlin Apartments