Weird & Wonderful
PLACES TO STAY
Oneta Resort
Ono Island, Fiji
There are no roads into Ono Island; only boats. This gives you an idea of life in Fiji’s remote south, where life feels disconnected from mainland Fiji — let alone the rest of the world.
Weird & Wonderful
PLACES TO STAY
Oneta Resort
Ono Island, Fiji
There are no roads or flights into Ono Island; only boats. In the best possible way, life feels disconnected here from mainland Fiji - let alone the rest of the world.
Weird & Wonderful
There are only five traditional bures (sleeping two) and two villas (groups) at Oneta, so it’s incredibly quiet and secluded, although there’s an old-school communal feel which gives the place an indelible quality you won’t find at mega-resorts. The snorkelling and diving here are epic — manta rays swim elegantly right out the front in the bay from April to October, plus the 114km long Great Astrolabe Reef is one of the world’s most pristine diving environments. Plenty come just to fish giant trevally. And then there are the smiles and laughs of the local staff, most from villages nearby, who make you feel as if you’re home even when you’re possibly further from it than you’ve ever been.
From AU$568 per night.
B2 Hotel
Zürich, Switzerland
A stunningly slick operation, B2 is perched above the buzzing metropolis of Zürich, a city best seen from the vantage point of the hotel’s heated rooftop pool.
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There’s a bunch of gorgeous indoor pools too, as well as a library which is surely the world’s best hotel library. No less than 33,000 books are housed in umpteen-metres high shelves which are surely a complete pain in the arse to maintain, but undoubtedly worth it for the aesthetic. Eat dinner and then flick through a novel with a glass on the rocks in one a mega-comfy armchair after charging one of the world’s coolest cities. Merci vilmal.
From AU$760 per night.
PituRooms
THE WORLD’S SKINNIEST HOTEL
Salatiga, Indonesia
This brand-new hotel in Indonesia claims it is the world’s skinniest: seven rooms across six floors, packed into a space just 2.8 metres wide.
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A man named Ary Indra has built the Kate Moss of hotels in his hometown after coming across an unwanted bit of land which no-one wanted to develop, due to its strange dimensions. It certainly passes the eye test — that thing is like a pencil. It’s legit though; a proper hotel and strange enough as it is to say this — it looks pretty cool. If you can navigate an incredibly narrow staircase, and you aren’t one of those people that hurls their shit everywhere as soon as they check-in. This could be a fun little adventure off the beaten track in Indo — a reason to visit an area you might have missed out on otherwise.
From AU$84 per night
Inhabit
London, England
Excuse us if we sound cliche, but Inhabit— on Southwick Street in London’s Paddington neighbourhood—is less of a hotel and more of a home. Think cosy. Think velvet. Think your dream London home, if only you could actually afford to buy a home in Paddington.
Weird & Wonderful
There’s also a real focus on mindful living here. The six-storey Georgian townhouse has a library, an atrium for yoga, a meditation pod and an infrared sauna. If your days of London raves are over, or you’re just looking for a peaceful place to rest and recuperate from aforementioned rave scene, Inhabit is it.
From AU$294 per day
The Nami Project
Vancouver Island, Canada
Vancouver Island was already one of the coolest places on planet Earth, and then the Nami Project came along.
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A boutique hotel with just four suites, plus four cabins, the project is small scale, at least in terms of numbers and size. It’s built where a lush forest meets a rocky coastline, and does that thing great accommodation does — blends into the landscape around it. A Scandinavian style design (inside and outside) blends nicely with some more Canadian influences, like the Cedar Saunas – great for warming up after whatever epic adventure you’ve just tackled. Situated 40 minutes south of Canadian surf mecca Tofino, and within striking distance of epic hikes and rivers, this is an incredible place for people to come and be a part of a great wilderness.
From AU$475 per night
Kutchire Lodge
Liwonde, Malawi
If you’ve ever wanted to go on safari, but haven’t been able to afford it, this is your call to book flights to Malawi.
Weird & Wonderful
A landlocked East African country with pristine jungles and national parks, the Republic of Malawi is home to Liwonde National Park, where elephants, crocodiles, hippos, buffalo, antelope and the rare and critically endangered black rhino are free to roam, and where space and solitude are found easily. This is not the Hilton Hotel — this is a raw experience in the middle of a wildlife haven. Wake up with the sun (or before it) and look out over the nearby river and mopane woodlands, high enough to be out of reach, but not so high as to be too far from all the action.
From AU$75 per night
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