100 Countries, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do Paperback - 2011

Excerpt

Unforgettable Nights

The time when travelers paid little attention to the ambiance of their hotel room beyond wanting to sleep well is gone. Nowadays, the quality and originality of lodging play an ever greater role for tour planners. Original and unusual types of lodging in far off places can be costly, but many exotic accommodations guarantee—besides the cultural and sociological aspects—an unforgettable experience by themselves.
The following is a survey of the latest novelties in lodging worldwide. Besides the options listed, there is a vast range of other possibilities—from spending a night in various converted palaces, pagodas, and monasteries to staying in buildings of the Salvation Army, missions, or youth hostels. Th e last few are not only inexpensive but sometimes attractive alternatives.
For extravagance, the ice hotels of Canada and Finland take first place, as much for location as price. These hotels are an evanescent luxury; they have to be rebuilt year after year. To provide 50 rooms, the builders need 20,000 tons of snow and 3,000 tons of ice. The design of these hotels is unique in that everything, from floor to ceiling, including the beds, is made of
ice. Of necessity, the temperature inside seldom reaches even 32ľF. On average, travelers should budget for $400/£260 a night.
Other interesting nighttime refuges are caves. This kind of lodging has been popular for some time. In some regions—for instance, in Matmata, Tunisia, and Cappadocia, Turkey—they are a kind of trademark. Less well known are the cave lodges in western France. The caves are often cool and damp, but have a wonderful atmosphere and can be fairly reasonable at about $500/£325 per week.

Media reviews

“For those who don’t have time to read all the guidebooks or visit all the websites, the staff of National Geographic has put together an elaborate list of 5,000 destination ideas of where and when to go, what to see and what to do in 100 countries.” –Chicago Tribune
 
“Packed with ideas for major cities and rural areas alike.” –The Midwest Book Review