Weird & Wonderful
PLACES TO STAY
Weird & Wonderful
PLACES TO STAY
CLIFF-SIDE SLEEPING
OVO
Patagonia, Argentina
Once you’ve slept on a cliff, normal hotel rooms feel… well, flat.
Weird & Wonderful
If dangling off the side of a mountain in a luxury glass pod isn’t on your bucket list yet, keep reading and it will be. OVO in Patagonia is not just a place to sleep, it’s a full-on “Is this real life?” experience suspended 300 metres above the actual ground. You don’t just check in — you ascend, baby.
First, you hike through a forest, then scale a cliff like Edward Cullen climbed that tree with Bella on his back in Twilight. And at the top, a spaceship-like pod with views so wild they should come with a warning label.
Sleep under the stars (and above the clouds), sip wine like a Bond villain, and eat gourmet meals delivered via mountaineering butlers. Yes, really.
Your pod has three levels: one for sleeping, one for lounging, and one for dangling dramatically. Enjoy absolutely all of it.
This place is luxury with altitude. And attitude.
From AU$2,500 per night
WET & WILD
Wildwaters Lodge
River Nile, Uganda
This place is where the Nile meets your bucket list.
Weird & Wonderful
Okay so, you’re in the middle of the River Nile, on a private island, with a view so stunning it might actually make you rethink your entire life. But you’re not in Egypt. You’re in Uganda, staying at the Lemala Wildwaters Lodge where luxury and nature combine to make the African resort of your dreams.
Accessed only by boat (of course it is), this lodge has 10 elevated, thatched suites, each with a private deck that overlooks the mighty Nile. There’s even a freestanding granite bath in your room because nothing says "I’m living my best life" like soaking in style while watching otters frolic in the river below.
And if you’re feeling extra adventurous (and a little brave), dive into white-water rafting, horse riding, or kayaking at various locations nearby. Or, just kick back by the pool, which, no big deal, appears to float above the water, offering views that might just have you hatching plans to escape returning to your life at home.
What’s that we hear? Oh, it’s just your riverfront oasis calling.
From AU$547 per night
GLAMPING
Bosko
Guatape, Colombia
If you’ve ever said “I like nature… but I also like mattresses,” then Bosko is your spirit animal in hotel form.
Weird & Wonderful
This place promises the kind of glamping that scoffs at sleeping bags and says, “How about a king-size bed and a view of paradise instead?” Nestled in the lush hills of Guatapé, Bosko doesn’t just let you stay in nature, it completely wraps you in it, adds a hot tub, and throws in a bit of room service for good measure.
The rooms are a perfect blend of comfort and nature. You've got plush king-sized beds, open-air showers, and private decks where you can sip wine while overlooking the serene reservoir. Some even come with hot tubs (because you deserve a good soak).
Beyond the jaw-dropping views, this place offers a range of activities to get the heart racing. Kayaking? Check. Paddleboarding? Check. Speedboat tours that make you feel like you’re in a Bond movie? Definitely.
Whether you're after relaxation or adventure, Bosko serves both on a silver platter (with a side of amazing scenery). It’s camping for people who don’t like camping, in the best possible way.
From AU$507 per night
CITY ESCAPE
Hotel 850 SVB
Los Angeles, USA
Checking into Hotel 850 SVB is like accidentally booking a stay in your dream Pinterest board.
Weird & Wonderful
Tucked away in West Hollywood, this boutique beauty was dreamt up by Jeff Klein (the guy behind Sunset Tower Hotel, so yeah, he knows a thing or two about swank), and designed by British style queen Rita Konig. Expect custom wallpaper, plush furniture you’ll mentally price for your own place, and lighting so flattering you’ll consider cancelling your future botox appointments (just us?)
And the location is pure Hollywood gold. You’re a short stumble from Sunset Strip, fabulous food, and plenty of people watching; is that you, Johnny Depp?! Plus, there’s a rooftop lounge for lazy mornings, wine-fuelled sunsets, or pretending you’re working remotely.
You’ll leave refreshed, inspired, and wondering why your own house doesn’t smell like artisanal fig soap.
From AU$569 per night
PRIVATE ISLAND
Wai Resort
Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Feel like falling off the grid and landing in a screensaver?
Weird & Wonderful
Born from a desire to create an off-the-beaten-path paradise (without sacrificing hot showers or decent coffee), Wai Resort sits on a private island in the heart of one of the most biodiverse marine areas on Earth. That’s right, the fish here probably have better lives than you and most of your friends.
The resort itself is delightfully rustic, think eco-luxury bungalows perched above gin-clear water that basically screams “Make a TikTok in me”. You can dive with manta rays, snorkel for hours, paddleboard at sunrise, or just lie in a hammock thinking about how smart booking this place was.
Little PSA: there’s no Wi-Fi in the bungalows — on purpose. Staying here, it’s easy to forget what day it is. But that’s the point. Those work emails can wait.
And when your stay is over, you’ll return home tan, smug, and casually dropping “when I was in Raja Ampat…” into every conversation.
From AU$293 per night
DESERT MEETS COAST
Ras Abrouq
Arabian Gulf, Qatar
This place is Qatar’s answer to the question, “What if luxury and lunar landscapes had a baby”?
Weird & Wonderful
Set on a remote stretch of wild desert coastline, Ras Abrouq is where you come to escape emails, people, and your own overwhelming schedule. It’s not so much a resort, more like a ridiculously good-looking mirage that serves cocktails.
By day, explore strange moonscape terrain or float in water so still you’d wonder if it was glass (that is, if you weren’t in it). By night, it’s fire pits, stars, and the smug satisfaction of knowing you’re nowhere near a city centre.
And the decor is to-die-for minimalist desert glam. No, it’s not really a thing, but yes, it definitely should be. The resort’s rich textures, dramatic curves and neutral tones will have you feeling like you’re staying inside a very tasteful dune. In the best way.
You might even spot an oryx wandering past like it owns the place; well, it kinda does.
From AU$914 per night
get in the know Despite being a desert nation, Saudi Arabia has imported sand from countries like Australia for certain construction projects, as theirs is too fine.
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