Hotels worth the detour 27 unique hotels for an unforgettable stay

Convento de Såo Paulo was founded as a monastery by monks in 1182. Tucked away in the rural Portuguese region of Alentejo, the building is one where monks would have found peace and isolation. Now, that tranquility is enjoyed by guests. With grand gardens, a terracotta fountain and a pool – this boutique getaway is bound to be the highlight of your Portugal trip.

Villa Augustus is a water tower which has been converted into a hotel and restaurant on the outskirts of the historic Dutch city of Dordrecht. Its 45 rooms are all unique. Some sit inside the old iron reservoir, others open straight on to the kitchen gardens, and a handful look onto the river itself. The old pump room is now a market with its own bakery and a farm-to-table restaurant.

A night behind bars isn't what it used to be. Built in 1779, the historic Bodmin Jail has been restored as a luxury hotel. Its prison past takes centre stage, with 18th-century cells and original materials. A glass roof fills the vast central atrium with light, right down to the iron walkways guards once patrolled. Dinner has had an upgrade too with the main restaurant now sitting in the former prison chapel.

Take a vast 19th-century sugar factory, save it from demolition, and turn it into a leisure complex with cutting-edge design. That's the idea behind this standout project in Poland. On the shores of Lake Żnin, the hotel works like a town within a town. There's a craft brewery, a water park with a spa, cinema rooms, and restaurants in the old molasses warehouses. With exposed brick, modern minimalism and industrial touches - it’s the trendy traveller’s dream location.

Set in the rolling hills of the Sierra de Gata in Spain, this quirky four-star hotel occupies a former olive oil mill. A watchtower and a small church stood here in the 13th century, long before it became an olive oil press in the 20th. The original olive-pressing machinery is still on show inside and outside, the large waterwheel is still intact. With just eight rooms, Aqua et Oleum is a boutique hotel that’s well suited to travellers seeking peace and quiet in the idyllic Spanish countryside.

On a quiet stretch of the Danube, a few steps from the Budapest Chain Bridge, this intimate four-star hotel occupies a former Capuchin abbey and monastery. While the abbey may be 300 years old, the rooms and facilities are modern. Situated on the Buda side of the city, the Monastery is a great hotel for people looking for exploration-filled days and relaxed evenings.

A UNESCO World Heritage Mexican city… A hotel built into a former bullring…. For those needing a dose of heritage, you’ll have met your match at Quinta Real Zacatecas. With colonial suites, classic architecture and a central location for sightseeing, this stay is a history lover's dream.

Compared to other hotels on this list, Casa San Agustín in Colombia’s Cartagena may seem an odd choice for a “stay steeped in history”. Cynics may point out it’s simply three townhouses combined to make a hotel. While this hotel may lack large historical significance, it punches above its weight with style and class. You don’t need to look far to see what the hype is about: the courtyard pool sits beneath the arches of an old stone aqueduct. A luxury city escape for those exploring Cartagena.

137 Pillars House was built in the 19th Century for the Borneo Company: a British colonial trading company. The Borneo Company was drawn to the region due to its plentiful supply of Teak for manufacturing and the house was constructed for the company’s headquarters. Though the Borneo Company has long disbanded, the house and its wooden pillars are beautifully preserved. If you’re looking for an elegant hotel in a tranquil setting, 137 Pillars House may be for you.

Sowaka is a restored traditional ryokan - a traditional Japanese inn - which has been modernised into a boutique hotel while keeping old traditions front and centre. With a focus on Japanese carpentry. timber frames, shoji paper screens and small inner gardens give the 23-room hotel a different feel from Kyoto’s busier streets. It’s a good option if you want a slower night or two without leaving the city.

Hotel Búðir is a small rural stay on the Búðahraun lava field in Iceland, with sandy beaches nearby and Snæfellsjökull in view. The glacier-topped volcano is the landmark that inspired Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth. A great place to see the Northern Lights, the remote landscape is the ultimate antidote to crowded city life.

Juvet sits in Norway’s forested Valldal valley, by the River Valldøla. Its rooms are separate timber cabins with one or two floor-to-ceiling glass walls, so the forest, river and mountains are right outside. The cabins stand on metal supports to leave the ground underneath undisturbed. It’s a design-led stay, but the landscape is the main event . If the hotel looks familiar, that may be because episodes of the TV series Succession were filmed here!

Hotel Plesnik sits in the middle of Logar Valley: a glacial valley in Slovenia’s Kamnik–Savinja Alps. Mountains surround the property, and the outdoor pool is set into a meadow with a view of the peaks. It works well for a hiking trip, but there’s also plenty to look at if you stay close to the hotel.

Eremito is a deliberately quiet retreat in a 3,000-hectare biosphere reserve in the central Italian region of Umbria. The old stone building has been restored using eco-friendly techniques and takes inspiration from monastic life. Its simple cells have no television or internet, and vegetarian, seasonal meals are served in silence. It’s a place to take a proper break from notifications.

Built in the traditional style of Epirus, Aristi Mountain Resort is laid out like a small village. Exposed stone, hand-crafted wood and local textiles sit alongside modern comforts, with views of the rock towers above the Vikos Gorge. It’s a good base for exploring the Zagori region and the natural side of north-west Greece.

VIVOOD Landscape Hotel & Spa has 25 standalone suites in the Guadalest Valley, in Alicante. The minimalist rooms are raised on wooden platforms, with views across the mountain landscape. The infinity pool and spa are built into the hillside, and the layout gives each room a good amount of privacy. Charming in all seasons, it’s a strong choice for a couples’ getaway.

On the ancestral lands of the Navajo Nation, Shash Dine’ offers stays in hogans (traditional Navajo homes built from wood and earth) and 19th-century shepherd’s wagons. This tech-free retreat sits outside Page, Arizona with the desert landscape all around.

Perched on a rocky point between Chesterman Beach and the Pacific Ocean, the family-run Wickaninnish Inn puts the coast in view from every room. Each has an ocean-facing balcony and a gas fireplace. The hotel sits in the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve on Vancouver Island’s west coast, a region known for winter storm-watching.

Set in a remote and unspoiled part of Indonesia, NIHI Sumba covers 530 hectares facing the idyllic Nihiwatu Beach. Guests can walk along the coast, through tropical forest and over the surrounding hills. The villas use local materials including bamboo, stone and traditional thatched roofs. There’s plenty to do as well, from surfing and beachside horse riding to marine conservation programmes.

Built on stilts and connected by wooden walkways along the Kinabatangan River, this lodge feels like a base camp in the rainforest. A short boat transfer from Sukau jetty brings you to the lodge. Once you’re there, the water and wildlife set the pace of the day, with naturalist-guided boat trips offering a closer look at one of Borneo’s most biodiverse habitats.

Sextantio sits in the heart of an ancient Italian settlement carved straight into the limestone, offering total archaeological immersion. Don't expect conventional luxury. The rooms are real caves with their original patina, softly lit and kept simple with bare stone and handmade furniture. You're sleeping in a layer of history that's barely changed in thousands of years.

At 1,400 metres, Whitepod puts a different spin on an Alpine stay. You sleep in a semi-spherical pod with the comfort of a hotel suite and views of the Dents du Midi. The pods are white in winter and dark green in summer, so they blend into the changing landscape. A picturesque spot to relax after a day of mountain sport pursuits.

More than 250km north of the Arctic Circle, this resort was a pioneer of the glass igloo. Special thermal glass keeps the domes clear of frost and fog, so you can watch the Arctic sky and the northern lights from your bed.

Nidos de Carnota’s raised cabins sit in woodland above the Costa da Morte, Galicia’s rugged Atlantic coast. Each one has a contemporary suite with a fireplace, a circular hot tub and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out towards the Atlantic and Carnota Beach. It’s a comfortable way to stay close to the coast without giving up your own space.

Built from glass and concrete, ION Adventure Hotel stands above Iceland’s moss-covered lava fields. Its large windows frame a stark landscape, and the hotel’s shape is hard to miss. If you’re interested in architecture or natural landscapes, it’s a memorable base for exploring the Icelandic countryside.

Built into the volcanic rock of Turkey’s Nevşehir Province, travellers can find a home at Cappadocia Cave Suites. No two rooms are the same. Each one's size, ceiling shape, and layout are dictated by the original rock.

Last, but certainly not least is Crazy House Vietnam. Crazy House - or Hằng Nga Guesthouse - was the vision of Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga. A wild style that would give Antoni Gaudí a run for his money, each of Crazy House’s rooms have a nature theme and wild designs. As well as serving as a hotel, it’s also a stop on many Đà Lạt walking tours.