TORONTO — An easy way to make your trip more memorable can be to find a fun and unique place to stay. To give you some travel inspiration, we’ve put together a top five list of hotel alternatives.
1. Boat
For those in western Canada, houseboating in the Shuswaps is a popular summer activity. But now, there’s an app that makes it easy to rent a boat or charter a yacht pretty much anywhere.
GetMyBoat bills itself as “the world’s largest and fastest growing peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace.” Think of as the Airbnb for boats. It has 32,000 boats for you to choose from in 135 countries.
In Canada, the average weekly price for a charter will set you back an average of $2,700. The average daily rate is around $500.
For a lot less than that, you can live in a yellow submarine with seven of your friends on board in Liverpool, England.
Houseboats in Amsterdam and Boston are a couple other interesting options.
And on Airbnb, a sleep in a century-old houseboat on the Seine will only set you back $174 CDN a night. It also just happens to be parked under the Eiffel Tower.
2. Treehouse
Indulge your inner child and sleep in a treehouse. “Spend a restful night with the birds” at Camping Miramichi in New Brunswick or “experience an enchanted coastal rain forest” from a hand-crafted treehouse sphere at Qualicum Beach, B.C.
There are dozens of other treehouses you can sleep in around the world.
If you’re willing to go to Atlanta, Georgia, consider this charming treehouse listed on Airbnb. Its deck, living room and bedroom are each connected by rope-bridges. And the bed is equipped with wheels, so it can be rolled out onto a platform that overlooks a stream below.
3. Lighthouse
Drift off to the sound of gently rolling waves at the West Point Lighthouse Inn on Prince Edward Island. Each of the 13 rooms features a breathtaking view of the Northumberland Strait.
Further south along the Atlantic, in Massachusetts, the Wings Neck Lighthouse (formerly a US Coast Guard Lighthouse) features a 360-degree ocean view.
4. Glamping
If you’re a little too high maintenance for camping, give “glamping” a go. It’s a more luxurious alternative. Some of your options include campervans, safari tents, tipis and yurts.
READ MORE: Not up for roughing it? Try ‘comfort camping’ in Alberta
A Tourism Saskatchewan representative told us making love in a yurt “might be the second most spiritual experience you’ve ever had.”
5. Castle
If glamping isn’t fancy enough for you, perhaps a castle may be more to your liking. There are plenty of them in Scotland for you to choose from, and some of them are actually relatively affordable.
If money is no expense, try Exclusive Castle Rentals. “Divide your time between two castles,” the site suggests. “Enjoy a stay in a British city, followed by a castle weekend in the countryside.” Their castles come “fully-staffed, with a chef, a butler, waiters and cleaning staff.” Their smallest property sleeps 18 people.
READ MORE: 6 unique Airbnb listings around the world
Travel expert Claire Newell offers a few more unusual places to stay in the world, including a Canadian ice hotel and a cave in Turkey.
READ MORE: How to score the best deal when booking a hotel
For the more sexually-adventurous among us, there’s KinkBNB (think Airbnb but with sex dungeons), proving there’s something out there for everyone.
You can find more unique accommodations in our “hidden gems in Canada” road trip guide.
With files from Claire Newell and Gloria Henriquez, Global News
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