Eclectic Europe: five interesting accommodation choices
Going on holiday should always be an exciting adventure, a chance to explore the unknown and immerse yourself into another culture and lifestyle. Europe offers many opportunities to do just this so why are so many people opting for chain hotels, such as Hilton Hotels, that barely differ from the hotels found in your local town.
Cost is a main reason. With websites such as lastminute.com offering deals on well-known hotels it is easy to be sucked in to routine when it comes to choosing the accommodation for your getaway, however many alternative ideas for accommodation are just as cost effective. Ok you may not have all the luxuries of a swanky hotel but it’s a holiday that you’ll remember forever rather than loosing it in a blur of miniature shampoos and bad room service.
Ease of access is another reason that we are choosing to go for the big brand hotels with advertising everywhere from billboards to Spotify the idea becomes lodged in our brains making it seem the only logical option when choosing somewhere to stay. For many people spending an hour researching deeper into accommodation options on Google is just a stretch too far.
When I was 13 I was lucky enough to be taken travelling across Spain by my parents. Although not the standard choice for a family holiday we travelled from Madrid to Granada staying in tiny local owned b and b’s and rustic villa’s. I was mesmerised by the culture and world that was so far away from my own and experienced much more than a standard holiday in a hotel I could have seen round the corner from where I lived.
It’s time to break free and choose an adventure that will put you out of your comfort zone, thrilling and exciting you! Here are five interesting European accommodation choices to get you thinking and planning your next true adventure.
1.ICEHOTEL, Sweden: A magical hotel built every winter from ice and snow in a tiny village in Lapland. Guests experience rooms made entirely from ice, keeping warm underneath animal skins. Take in the breath taking Northern Lights, a real once in a lifetime opportunity.
2. Lighthouses, Croatia: Become the keeper of the ocean with this unique experience to stay in a lighthouse on your own private island just off the coast of Croatia. With transfers to the main Island regularly you can mix being secluded on the private beach with visiting the local towns.
http://www.lighthouses-croatia.com/
3.TREEHOTEL, Sweden: TREEHOTEL offers unique and contemporary architecture in the middle of unspoiled, beautiful nature. With facilities such as a treetop sauna it’s the perfect place to relax and get back to nature.
4.Traditional horse drawn Romany Caravans, France: Les Roulettes du Pradal provides the perfect holiday for those who can’t sit still, moving onto a new destination everyday. Guests get to enjoy the French countryside from the comfort of their traditional Romany Caravans. With different activities planned at each stage of the route it’s defiantly a holiday for those who like their breaks action packed!
http://www.roulottes-du-pradal.com/
5.Cley Windmill, England: This 18th Century windmill on the Norfolk coast has been converted into a rustic guesthouse, decked out with antique furniture, roaring open fires and amazing views across the salt marshes. Close by is Blankley Point, which is a well-known area for seal spotting.
http://www.cleywindmill.co.uk/
- Porer Lighthouse, Croatia
