BA - The Club - When is a hotel not a hotel?

Hotel du Petit Moulin, Paris, France

You’ll think... it’s a boulangerie.
What you’ll find: One of the most fashionable and theatrical hotels in Paris, behind a quaint vintage bakery storefront in Marais. Hotel du Petit Moulin is a 17-room hotel designed by flamboyant fashion legend Christian Lacroix. Replacing the croissants and cakes are eclectic interiors with bold patterns, bright colours, antique furnishings and contemporary art pieces.

Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

You’ll think... it’s a forest.
What you’ll find: A collection of five “tree rooms” in the canopy of a pine forest in northern Sweden. Each room at Treehotel is between four and six metres above the ground and is themed (think UFO, the Bird’s Nest and the Dragonfly), but it is the Mirrorcube that attracts the most attention – its mirror-covered external walls make it blend in perfectly with the surrounding forest.

Featherbed Railroad, California, USA

You’ll think... it’s a railway carriage.
What you’ll find: The unusual lakeside Featherbed Railroad in California, with nine rooms, all built inside converted vintage railway cabooses. Each one is themed on concepts such as Wild Wild West, Wine Country, the Orient Express and Easy Rider. The countryside setting is perfect for long pastoral walks, cycling, hiking and fishing, while the lake is prime bass territory.

Hüttenpalast, Berlin, Germany

You’ll think... it’s an abandoned warehouse.
What you’ll find: Possibly one of the most unusual warehouse conversions in Berlin. Rather than turn the space into a club or gallery, the owners of Hüttenpalast have created an indoor campsite, with six hotel rooms in camper vans or small wooden huts, a café and a garden.

Montaña Mágica Lodge, Huilo Huilo Reserve, Chile

You’ll think... it’s a fairy-tale mountain.
What you’ll find: A secret lair hidden in a mountain, which may seem like something from a Bond film, but Montaña Magica Lodge is actually a 55-room hotel. A waterfall cascades down the sides, which are covered in local plants. Rooms are rustic but stylish, with local materials and artwork giving a distinctly Chilean vibe.

Seaventures Rig Dive Resort, Sipadan Island, Malaysia

You’ll think... it’s an oil rig.
What you’ll find: One of the world’s most spectacular dive locations – so what is an oil rig doing in the middle of it? Actually, this oil rig is a PADI 5 star IDC dive resort, with direct access to the depths. Divers enter the water from a lift in the hotel that descends into the waters, home to barracuda, turtles, eels and even the occasional whale shark.

Q Station Retreat, Sydney, Australia

You’ll think... it’s a quarantine station.
What you’ll find: In the 19^th century, Q Station Retreat had a pretty inauspicious beginning as a quarantine station for immigrants to Australia, but today it is a beautifully restored hotel with impressive views over Sydney Harbour. Guests can go swimming, kayaking, bushwalking – or on a ghost tour, which runs four nights a week.

When is a hotel not a hotel?

Hotel du Petit Moulin, Paris, France

Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

Featherbed Railroad, California, USA

Hüttenpalast, Berlin, Germany

Montaña Mágica Lodge, Huilo Huilo Reserve, Chile

Seaventures Rig Dive Resort, Sipadan Island, Malaysia

Q Station Retreat, Sydney, Australia

Hotel du Petit Moulin, Paris, France

Treehotel, Harads, Sweden

Featherbed Railroad, California, USA

Hüttenpalast, Berlin, Germany

Montaña Mágica Lodge, Huilo Huilo Reserve, Chile

Seaventures Rig Dive Resort, Sipadan Island, Malaysia

Q Station Retreat, Sydney, Australia

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