My 5 Favorite Unique Hotels Across the World (So Far…)
I have a slight obsession with hotels, so I don’t take choosing my favorites lightly. I went to school for tourism and hospitality management and did my senior internship at a super cool brand in New Mexico, Heritage Hotels & Resorts. The brand focused on infusing the local culture and history into every facet of each property. It really opened my eyes to the fact that not every property is a cookie-cutter Hilton or Marriott, there are unique hotels everywhere. Ever since I’m really intentional about choosing where I stay!
So today, I’m sharing a few of my top favorite unique hotels in Europe, Asia, North America, and South America:
Valverdon, Spain: Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel & Organic Farm
Average Price Per Night: $250 USD
My goal is to stay at as many Small Luxury Hotels of the World as possible. Their design and the intention behind sharing the history and local culture, it’s something that draws me in.
How to Get There
So, in searching for unique hotels on the SLH site, I stumbled across this property. This is a case where I literally planned the trip based on the hotel I wanted to stay at. There isn’t much surrounding this hotel. In fact, there’s nothing really. So, the draw is really the property itself.
We flew into Madrid and rented a car to drive out here, which was easier than anticipated. The ride was a little reminiscent of middle America to be totally honest. Cornfields followed by farms and more cornfields, as far as you could see on the horizon. It took a few hours and was really easy. They drive on the same side of the road, so it felt like just driving at home.
Rooms
The hotel is actually a historic monastery dating back to the 1330s, that today is a rustic Spanish countryside oasis. Now, the rooms were definitely rustic. I thought that there were mouse droppings on the bathroom floor, but really it was just sediment dropping from the wood beams on the ceiling, so prepare for that but it doesn’t affect your stay.
We booked the suite which was a two-level room. The first level had a huge sitting area with huge windows and a large bathroom. The second level was sort of a loft-style with a King bed and another bathroom. Total overkill for two people, but we loved it. They also have villas with their own patios and other smaller rooms. They all look beautiful!
Amenities
The amenities are part of what makes unique hotels so different. And Hacienda Zorita doesn’t disappoint.
Part of the property was an old flour mill built in 780 (yes, that’s not a typo, the year 780), which they’ve now transformed into The Wine and Olive Spa! It’s the oldest building on the property and it’s detached from the rest of the property which makes it a really relaxing spot to refresh and enjoy. We booked The Hacienda Zorita Experience which included a 60-minute massage and a private brunch service with cava, wine, and enough food to serve 10 people in the jacuzzi room for another 60-minutes after the massage. It was 100% the highlight of the trip for us! Talk about being pampered.
The other thing we did was a tasting dinner in the on-site restaurant, Zorita’s Kitchen, with wine pairings. All the wines were wines made by the hotel, which was really unique. The courses were Spanish with some modern flair. Disclaimer: Don’t let the waitress keep filling your tasting glass, she will try. But it will end with a wicked hangover. I mayyy be speaking from experience…
Included with every stay is a wine tasting where you get to taste the wines made by the hotel, as well as sleek plunge pools with loungers for a sunny afternoon by the pool. Lots to do for ultimate relaxation!
Because of COVID, they weren’t offering a lot of the amenities when we went (September 2021), but they are slowly but surely introducing the tapas events, harvest festival events, garden and farm tours again. I think that will make this property an even more incredible immersive escape!
Cartagena, Colombia: Movich Cartagena de Indias Hotel
Average Price Per Night: $250 USD
After a late-night arrival to Colombia, greeted by a man with a revolver and questionable hairs on a pillowcase (a story for another day), we knew we had to switch hotels. After one night at that truly terrible hotel, we wandered around Cartagena trying to decide where to stay and Movich saved us. Incredibly, they had last-minute availability with really great rates. Another one to check off the SLH bucket list!
How to Get There
The property is located in the heart of the walled area of the city and is super walkable to most sights or restaurants you’ll want to see in the Centro. You’ll definitely need to take a taxi if you want to get to the Miami-style Bocagrande neighborhood, but we prefer the historic center-style setting better anyways so it worked perfectly!
Rooms
We stayed in a Superior King Room which is just their standard room. The rooms are super bright and airy with a coastal vibe that is infused throughout the hotel with fishing nets and wicker decor. The walls are actually plastered with dried coral which is really unique. The bathroom had a shower with triple rain showerheads and was big enough to fit 20 people. And the views are iconic.
Activities
If you’ve seen an influencer shot of Cartagena with a rooftop pool overlooking the big bold yellow cathedral in the city, it was probably the Movich rooftop! Despite it being beautiful, it was still pretty easy to get a pool chair to read and relax in the height of the 90-degree afternoons.
When we were there, Colombia was playing in the World Cup. We watched on their rooftop bar area with a projector and screen playing the game. It was a nail-biter and they lost in overtime. Cheers were followed by tears and many beers were consumed. I don’t even follow soccer, but I felt the emotional roller coaster the country was going through to my core. That night, the entire city was quiet. Tucked away to mend their broken hearts. They really do love soccer, that much was made apparent!
Outside activities like this at the property, they helped us with tips for spots to get emeralds (Colombia accounts for 80-90% of the emeralds mined in the world), foodie favorites, and more.
Amenities
Each morning we indulged in a cooked-to-order breakfast that was better than any hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. Served in their super chic Alyzia Restaurant, there were overflowing bread baskets, fresh fruit platters, local coffee, and rotating entrees like arepas filled with cheese, eggs, and beans. Oh, and that was just for your table. It’s not a buffet, but it sure as hell felt like it. Honestly, if I were to choose my last meal, it would be their breakfast. It was that freaking good.
Our stay also included a 30-minute massage complimentary for each of us as well. Such a great perk! The spa was sort of underwhelming, to be honest, but the massage itself was amazing.
Galapagos, Ecuador: Angermeyer Waterfront Inn
Average Price Per Night: $300 USD
The Galapagos in general is a magical place. I mean, where else can you grab a cocktail with a seal laying next to you? But we really love this hotel and think it made our stay in the Galapagos that much more perfect.
How to Get There
You have to take a boat to get here because it’s on a piece of land that sort of jets out from the southernmost point of Santa Cruz. But it’s only a few minutes long and costs less than a dollar each way. Super simple and the views are worth it. As you pull up to the dock, you’re always welcomed by a staff member making sure you don’t get taken away in the surf which was much appreciated. You’re greeted by a multi-level white stucco building with a red clay roof and natural wood elements. There are also a lot of similar little villas surrounding the main building.
Rooms & Amenities
We opted for a Superior Double Room that had a balcony overlooking the harbor and every morning we’d watch the boats come in and out. They serve breakfast each day on a patio literally right on the water, and they make a mean mojito to enjoy at happy hour. We also enjoyed dinner here one night (our engagement dinner!) and they brought champagne and made it a lovely celebration.
A lot of people explore via cruise ship or smaller vessels when in the Galapagos, but since I get seasick, I had zero desire to sleep on a boat. Been there, done that, don’t recommend for those who don’t like being rocked to sleep by not so gentle waves. So, we opted to stay put at Angermeyer and do day tours to different islands each day and it worked out perfectly. I’d recommend staying in one of the unique hotels in the Galapagos over a cruise ship any day!
South Carolina, USA: The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina
Average Price Per Night: $400 USD
So full disclaimer here, we stayed just off-season and got a crazy good rate! During the summer, rates at this property are $600+ a night. We went in March and only paid about $335 per night for a room the size of an NYC apartment. There are so many unique hotels in Charleston, so it was a hard choice but for the size of the room, the rate, and the spectacular pool, we were sold.
How to Get There
It’s located just over a bridge from downtown Charleston, about a 10–15-minute drive from everything you want to see. The hotel offered a shuttle from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and during the season there’s also a ferry you can take. We didn’t rent a car, but I do wish that we did. The shuttle was great, but Uber and Lyft were a little slow and mornings were a little tricky for breakfast because we didn’t want to eat at the hotel. We ended up walking to a few local spots for breakfast and getting our workout in, but that wouldn’t be feasible in the summer months.
Rooms
Our room was a Patio Deluxe Room, so we were on the ground level with a 250-square-foot patio to ourselves. It was great because I had some work to do during the trip, so I sat out there and enjoyed the sun and the breeze, without having to leave the room at all. Highly recommend! The décor was preppy and cute and honestly felt New Englandy to me, which made us feel right at home. There was a fireplace and a huge bathroom with both a jacuzzi tub and a shower. We could really live in that room comfortably for a while, it was that big.
Amenities
Due to COVID and the fact that it was off-season, a lot of the amenities at the property weren’t available but I anticipate that will change during the summer months coming up. They have a tiki bar by the sprawling pool, a spa, and an on-site restaurant. We didn’t take advantage of much besides the pool, but it was one of the nicest hotel pools I’ve seen in the U.S. before!
Chiang Mai, Thailand: Rimping Village
Average Price Per Night: $75 USD
I find that a lot of the unique hotels I love are boutique hotels, not huge properties. This small boutique hotel is family-owned and operated, and you feel welcome from the moment you step through the gates.
Rooms
We opted for a Deluxe Double which is the mid-range room. It’s slightly larger with a beautiful balcony overlooking the central courtyard of the hotel. No frills, but perfectly cozy for a few-day stay!
Activities
The family who owns the hotel works the front desk daily and they helped us set up all sorts of fun activities from multiple spa days at local spas within walking distance, as well as transportation throughout our stay. They also have bikes for rent which if I trusted myself to ride, would have been great. I prefer my Peloton that goes nowhere lol.
Amenities
Our favorite feature of the hotel was the complimentary breakfast each morning! Served outside in a lush garden area, they had typical international staples like eggs and bacon, but also local breakfast fare like curries and mango sticky rice. In the afternoons we cooled off with a cocktail by the pool which was great in the Chiang Mai heat!
