Welcome to the September 2005 edition of The Unusual, bringing you updates from featured entries, new hotels in the guide, reviews, and traveler offers.
Many readers have been kind enough to comment on our new look website. Following overwhelming demand, it has bigger photo’s of many entries. Some love the new look, others hate it and some think we’ve lost the plot completely. We welcome your feedback!
Email your thoughts to loveorhate@uhotw.com |
The homepage carries a link to running offers and promotions in different publications for those, like you, who have registered on the site.
Thanks to the nice folk at Rohan, who’ve a reputation for outdoor apparel that is unusually light, stylish and easy to travel with, we are offering a monthly clothing draw for all those who register for The Unusual.
We also run prizes in conjunction with magazines and online publications – about one a month, so check back to the site to see what’s the latest offer.
Our recent prizes and winners have included :
- J Girvan of Oldbury who won a weekend break and £500 spending money at The Crazy Bear in Oxford, from Spirit and Destiny magazine.
- DM of Lancaster who wins a weekend break in Paris staying at Hotel St Merry in our competition with The Sun newspaper.
- Julie Cooper of Hollowell who wins a Rohan Pathway Shirt.
- Alastair Jackson from Leicester who wins a Rohan Pack Ice Jacket.
Anyone who refers friends to the site gets additional entries - an extra entry for every successful referral made. We’re also giving additional entries to those who submit a published site or hotel comment… so comment and refer your friends to improve your chances to win! |
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News from some of our Featured Hotels |
Caesars Pocono Resorts, Pennsylvania, USA
Land of Love Resorts
Featuring the world-exclusive 7-foot tall Champagne Glass Whirlpool Bath-for-Two, Caesars Pocono Resorts is a popular year-round destination for honeymooners, romantic vacations and families at their three premiere couples only (Cove Haven, Paradise Stream, Pocono Palace) and one family resort (Brookdale-on-the-Lake) in the magnificent Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.
Caesars Pocono Resorts are celebrated as the perfect place to relax in romantic suites featuring other unusual features like cozy fireplaces, in-room pools, saunas, and world famous heart-shaped whirlpool baths-for-two.
All-inclusive packages feature: all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner, breakfast-in-bed, live nightly entertainment, social directed activities, and use of all indoor and outdoor facilities.
Link to the land of Love!
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Sentry Mountain Lodge, Golden , Canada

Photo © Alan Maudie |
Meadow Flowers to Fresh Powder
Accessible only by helicopter, Sentry Mountain Lodge is perched at an elevation of 6,920 feet, deep in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Considered one of North America’s 10 Best Adventure Lodges, Sentry has only 4 guest rooms making every visit an exclusive and intimate backcountry experience.
In Summer or Winter, Sentry provides a world of tranquility, wilderness and magnificent panoramas. Wild flowers carpet the alpine meadows in Summer and fresh powder covers the meadows in Winter. Lakes litter the landscape, and rugged peaks rise above it all. With a private group of just 8 friends or family, you can exclusively book the lodge and decide the agenda that best suits your wishes and abilities before the resident chef creates a gourmet meal to tantalise your tastebuds.
Contact us for early winter deals and availability! . |
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Grand Hotel La Florida, Barcelona
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Watermelon themed dining – whatever next?
Gran Hotel La Florida is a restored city landmark located 300 meters above Barcelona which offers the most impressive panoramic views over the town and Mediterranean Sea. Only pilots and eagles get a better view.
Starting in March and as part of the programme of the 2005 Gastronomic Year in Barcelona, the L’Orangerie restaurant showcases a seasonal Mediterranean ingredient. July was dedicated to the WATERMELON, whatever will be next?
Check out the Barcelona Gourmet specials |
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Aurora Ice Museum and Chena Hot springs, Alaska
Strike Gold in 2005 !
2005 is the Centennial Year for Chena Hot Springs and festivities are running throughout the year. Guests staying at the resort during 2005 will get a chance to win a sizeable gold nugget!
The Aurora Ice Museum is the only Ice museum in the United States and open year round. From weddings to product launches, the ice galleries and theme rooms have hosted private groups even in summer – due to some clever Innuit technology and a refrigeration system that taps into a geothermal power.
Join us and strike gold ! |
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Gamirasu Caves, Cappadocia, Turkey
Add your name to a 1,000 year old guest list….
Gamirasu is an exquisitely restored eighteen-room cave house opened in 1999, in Ayvali Village near Urgup in the heart of Cappadocia , Turkey . The hotel is located in a restored one thousand year old Byzantine monastic retreat carefully updated to include modern conveniences. We have organized a number of activities at Gamirasu including: TURKISH CUISINE COURSE Turkish cuisine is one of the best well-known in the world next to French and Chinese. Each region in Turkey has a rich variety and Cappadocia is no exception. Mixing old rural traditions with an agricultural background and climate provides plenty of delicious choices. Work with our chef to unravel the mysteries of traditional Cappadocian and Turkish cuisine. WEDDING ORGANIZATION - "Traditional or religious" Gamirasu is the only hotel with a historical cave church in the area. If you wish to use it for your wedding ceremony we can arrange a Cappadocian style cultural wedding and will take care of Turkish administration and legal formalities for you. Click here to enjoy the traditions of Cappadocia |
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Spotlight on – New Entries |
We’ve been rather busy with new hotels joining the guide so rather than our usual category round-up are providing a review of the new entries to the site since the last Newsletter.
Dog Bark Park Inn, Cottonwood, Idaho, USA.
Dog Bark Park is home to Toby and Sweet Willy, the World's Two Biggest Beagles. Toby, a 12-foot tall beagle statue, was built by Dog Bark Park artists Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin. Sweet Willy, officially known as Dog Bark Park Inn, is a bed and breakfast guesthouse that joins the type of roadside architecture popular in America during the early days of automobile vacation travel. Travellers would often buy gas, eat meals or stay overnight in a building that looked like something else… and it certainly is something else !
Guests enter the body of the beagle from a 2nd story deck. Inside and up another level in the head of the dog are a loft room for additional sleeping accommodations and a cozy reading nook in the dog's muzzle.
Experience the Dog! |
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Quartier Latin, Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium
This converted 18th century Jesuit church has received one of the most sympathetic restorations we’ve seen. So much so, that the company who completed the conversion, created a specific hotel division to manage the church rather than sell it. Quartier Latin links terrific Belgian food and drink with historic surroundings and brand new spa facilities – less than an hour from central Brussels.
It’s a lovely place to stay – and a great place to eat or drink. The Restaurant Brasserie offers a wide choice of meals and suggestions ranging from the fast lunch to the gourmet menu including traditional "Brasserie" dishes. When the weather is fine, Quartier Latin welcomes you onto their wonderful flowered terrace too.
Why Quartier Latin?
Quartier" refers to the fact that the complex is in fact an entire block which comprises various functions: hotel, restaurants and shops.
"Latin" is a reference to its Jesuit history, where Latin was commonly spoken, both in the church and in the school, where Latin grammar and other rudiments of the language were taught.
Discover Belgian gastronomy and traditional beer ! |
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Thorngrove Manor, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Thorngrove Manor has been described as one of the world's outstanding properties. We just think it’s Unusual as it’s no ordinary hotel. The baroque towers and fantasy turrets are clues to the flamboyant interiors but with an Australian twist.
Some suites are underground whilst others on the 4th floor of a tower accessible via a spiral staircase. No two rooms are alike. Whether you choose to stay in a loft, turret, or underground your seclusion is guaranteed as there are no public areas and you cannot see other guests… Room choices include: Tower Room - Second floor loft accessed by spiral stairs with a stunning hill/horizon view. Queens Chambers - Four-poster bed and adjoining lounge/dining room with stained glass windows and outside terrace sun deck. The Observatory Suite – 3rd floor bedroom with panoramic windows and a separate lounge/dining room. Two bathrooms with one corner and one circular spa bath.
Check in to this fairytale hideaway |
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Quinta Real Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico
This 17th Century bullring has been converted into a luxury hotel. Blending the luxury of a modern, all-suite hotel with the splendour of original, colonial architecture, Quinta Real Zacatecas was built right into the old Plaza de Toros de San Pedro.
Your bed is recessed under a stone or wooden arch and several rooms overlook the main plaza plaza inself. It is nothing if not memorable – and provides a remarkable setting for dining, weddings and events. Fabulous, atmospheric theme-evenings can be arranged in El Ruedo, the bullring, which is a stunning place to hold cocktail parties.
Party where bulls feared to tread! |
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The Hemp Hotel, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The Hemp Hotel has 5 themed rooms and uses hemp as much as possible, from mattresses, curtains, shampoo, soap, to a hemp roll for breakfast. The rooms are all in the style of a country/region, (Caribbean, Afghani, Indian, Tibetan and Moroccan), and are all brightly painted and decorated. From the traditional dress and authentic carpets in the Afghani room to a banana tree in the Caribbean room, the owners have tried to add character to a lovely boutique property in downtown Amsterdam.
Recognizing the importance of nightlife to visitors, check out is at 12 noon, so you have the opportunity to enjoy the bars and attractions without having to get up too early the next day. Mila and Elferra know the city well and help anyone out with questions regarding day trips, outings, things to do or see..
Checkout at The Hemp Hotel |
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Exploranter – Overland Hotel, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The Exploranter is a hotel on wheels fully equipped with industrial kitchen, hot showers, 30 leather seats, 28 beds and lots of mobility. They operate in Brazil, Chile and Argentina, with routes in Patagonia, Pantanal, Atacama and other less traveled paths. You are surrounded by the most amazing landscapes, and guests make friends in an unforgettable experience. Trips range from 1 week excursions to 3 week expeditions. This is more than a room on wheels, and is limited only by your imagination. Themes have included hot air ballooning, horseback riding, off road rallies, trekking, historical routes, gastronomy, bird watching and even scuba diving.
Roll with The Hotel on Wheels . |
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Library Hotel, New York, U.S.A.
The Library Hotel in New York City arranges guestroom floors, room art and reading material in the 10 major categories of the Dewy Decimal System* of book classification.
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Social Sciences |
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General Knowledge |
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Literature |
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Technology |
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Languages |
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Philosophy |
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History |
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The Arts |
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Math & Science |
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Religion |
Each of the 60 rooms is uniquely adorned with a collection of books and art exploring a distinctive topic.
Guests may request their room based on their personal interests such as subjects from Poetry or The Classics to Erotic Literature. Intriguing room themes offered include Astronomy, Botany, Law, Eastern Religion, Money, and New Media. Choose your favorite or explore the unique delights of each room, one visit at a time.
Conveniently located on Madison Avenue in midtown Manhattan just steps away from New York Public Library and the beautifully renovated Grand Central Terminal, the Library hotel provides a fantastic base to visit this great city.
* Dewey (R), DDC (R) and Dewey Decimal Classification (R) are proprietary trademarks of OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc. Their trademark and copyright is hereby acknowledged.
Read up on the Library |
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Woodlyn Park, Otorohanga, New Zealand
Stay in a Train, Plane or Underground - Woodlyn Park has 3 amazing options:
- A Bristol Freighter Plane.
Fully refurbished into 2 beautiful self contained motel units. This plane was one of the last allied planes out of Vietnam and is the only accommodation of its type in the world.
- A 1950's Rail Carriage
"The Waitomo Express" has been beautifully refurbished into a completely self contained motel unit with 3 separate rooms, sleeping up to 6 people.
- The Underground Hobbit
Straight out of middle earth, the Hobbits add yet another dimension to the Woodlyn Park experience. With circular windows and built using polystyrene blocks they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. These unique accommodation choices are very popular – you are recommended to book well in advance.
Plane, Train or Hobbit? |
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Group offers, trips and deals |
The Unusual Events team of Unusual Hotels of the World have negotiated a number of specific packages for incentive and reward groups.
For further information contact simon@uhotw.com
WhitePod, Switzerland
Price: Swiss Francs CHF15,000 (Approx £670pp based on 10 people) Includes:
Exclusive use of 5 pods
- Full board with wine during evening meals
- Return transfers to Geneva airport
- All hiking, fishing and mountain bike adventure activities
- Themed ‘search and pick' activity where guests forage the forest for evening meal ingredients
For bookings and further details click here.
Kadirs Treehouse Resort, Turkey - 7 day Activity package
Price: £125 per person based on a couple sharing.
Includes:
- 7 nights accommodation in a bungalow with bathroom
- Breakfast & dinner daily
- Sea Kayaking with lunch
- Canyoning with fish lunch
- Mount Olympus ascent
Flights to Antalya and airport transfers extra. Check our Flight Links section for latest airfares.
For bookings and further details click here.
Hotel La Florida, Spain – Gourmet meal package
Price: From €895 per room + 7% VAT, based on a Superior Room with double occupancy.
Includes:

- 2 night accommodation in one of our rooms or suites
- Buffet Breakfast at the Restaurant
- Culinary Amenity
- Transfer to 'La Boqueria' market
- 1h30 Guided Tour through 'La Boqueria' market with cheese, fruit & wine tasting and Tapas lunch
- Gastronomic menu dinner in L’Orangerie Restaurant (beverages not incl.)
For bookings and further details click here.
Hotel La Florida, Spain – Romance and spa package
Price: From €560 per room + 7% VAT, based on a Superior Room with double occupancy.
Includes:

- 1 night accommodation in one of our rooms or suites
- Room Service Breakfast
- Roses, Cava and Strawberries upon arrival
Romantic bath
- Dinner menu in L’Orangerie Restaurant (beverages not incl.)
- Massage for ½ hour
For bookings and further details click here.
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Charity 2005 – Just a Drop |

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Unusual Hotels of the World are excited to work with Just a Drop, who agreed to be our nominated charity for 2005. |
We're working to grow the awareness of their work in providing clean water.
'Just a Drop' is the only global travel and tourism industry appeal to give children everywhere a right to life. From the grinding poverty of Cambodia to the dustbowl of Ethiopia , ‘Just a Drop' has been able to provide clean water to thousands of children and their families.
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Water is the very essence of life. You can survive a month without food, but just a few days without water.
- Every 10 seconds a child dies because of dirty water.
- 4 million children under five die terrible deaths each year due to water-born diseases.
- 1.4 billion children have no clean water close to their homes
- Many children share the water they use to drink, cook and bathe with their livestock
Even before the Tsunami, towns and villages across the globe needed sanitation systems, piping, protected wells and latrines. Now these needs are ever more pressing with the added urgency to support children and families with clean water, portable water containers, water purifying tablets and health and hygiene packs.
What has Just a Drop Achieved?
The appeal has raised over £300,000 to build wells in Ethiopia, Swaziland, Tanzania, India, Sudan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Malawi, helped the victims of floods in both Mozambique, Central America and earthquake victims in Turkey, as well as funded a massive health and sanitation programme in Southern Africa.

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If you're interested to find out more – donate or help, contact Nikki Davis at nikki.davis@reedexpo.co.uk or send donations by cheque to:
Just a Drop Disaster Appeal, Oriel House, 26 The Quadrant, Richmond , Surrey , TW9 1DL United Kingdom
If you'd like more information on just a drop, check out their website http://www.justadrop.org |
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Newsletter sponsor |
This newsletter has been supported by the team at Incentive Today, the essential read for anyone in the UK involved in promotional marketing, staff/third party motivation and incentive programmes.
Their website includes a supplier directory and classified advertising as well as news for the Incentive suppliers. You can also register for 10 free issues of their printed publication which contains a mix of the latest news, incisive analysis and cutting-edge comment. It also features profiles of the industry’s leading personalities, previews and reviews of the relevant exhibitions, an exclusive annual survey of the agency sector, competitions and our own awards for the motivation sector.
To register click on the following link and enter your details.
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Top Inquiries |
Every edition we highlight where is hot for traveler inquiries.
Recently, we've seen lots of interest for:
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| Hot off the press… |
A few entries joined the guide out as we went to press with the newsletter – more about them in the next edition of The Unusual. Check out their details and be the first to post comments. |
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Dunton Hot Springs
Colorado, USA – a restored ghost town village , with goldrush cabins. Check though our groups department for our exclusive use package to be sheriff for your stay!
For bookings and further details click here.
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The Old Jail
Mount Gambier, South Australia – This old prison is pretty much the same as when the last prisoners left in 1995, with a small modification to the locks on cell doors so you can let yourself out. It’s a budget hostel experience – but unusual nevertheless.
For bookings and further details click here. |
Coming soon –
• St Killians Hunter Valley, Australia – a fantastically restored Church used as a romantic retreat
• Nickelodeon Family Suites, Florida, USA – breakfast with Sponge Bob and Square Pants in kid themed rooms with an on-site water park.
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| The Last word - End notes from your Unusual Team |
We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of The Unusual and agree that our guide is helping to put some of the ‘wow’ back into travel.
A quote from the master of comedy, Peter Kaye to think upon
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on big suitcases?
We appreciate your feedback and comments. Please let us know if there are features or links that you think we should add to the site or this newsletter.
whatiwant@uhotw.com
Simon & Steve |
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