Sometimes all you want is a bed – somewhere to lay your head after a long day. But what if the place you were staying was the most memorable thing on your holiday – so magical it would be the thing that sits on the top of your memories for your trip.
In the plethera of accommodation search engines – Airbnb, Homestay, Trivago, Booking.com BookaRentals.com have decided to stand out not by listing everyone in the world, but by listing a few very unique places. Based in Amsterdam, they have developed sites that list Houseboats, Treehouses, Glamping and Lighthouse Accommodation – with yet to come sites for IceHotels and Haunted Houses
Houseboats:
Living on the water, and seeing the world pass you by slowly…
A barge on the Canal du Midi in the south of France was one of the most memorable trips I have done. An all woman crew made us unique as we made our way through the seven locks at Bezier. We stopped and bought rosé, explored the battlements of Carcassonne.
You can have an experience like this in Europe, or opt for a few days on a houseboat in Kerala in south-west India. These boats have been created from old rice and spice transports, and offer an amazing way of exploring the backwaters of Kerala. Your crew will drive and cook for you. I promise you the most stunning sunsets and sunrises in the world!
Treehouses
Live with a bird’s eye view…
When I was young, building a tree house was a dream way to while away some time. We created a world of our own.
The idea of staying in a tree is captivating to me – although I might have some doubts about getting my luggage up there, I am sure when I am up in that nest, the way I look at the world will change – a true escape.
Glamping
Camping with Style…
For 20 years my annual holiday was camping with friends. We started off with very minimal tents, but by the end of 20 years we were glamping – camping with all the luxuries. There was something about being ‘off the grid’ which we loved. We learnt to cook everything over an open fire, there was no cell phone reception, no power points.
Glamping is a growing form of accommodation – offering simplicity, living close to nature, but without losing a sense of comfort and luxury.
Lighthouses
Staying on the edge of the world
Lighthouses were lifesavers – built on the edge of the world when most transport was by sea, they provided a beacon to warn of dangers and rocks, and to guide ships to safe passage. Many a book has been written about life in these places, where people carved out a life, many of them going months without seeing anyone.
These days it us us saving Lighthouses – trying to restore and find new lives for these buildings, and one of the ways that they are being saved, is by using them for accommodation. I just searched the bookalighthouse.com website and found one in Island Bay Wellington New Zealand which looks amazing.
