Weird & Wonderful
PLACES TO STAY
CHOLE MINJI
Mafia Island, Tanzania
Mafia Island, off the south coast of Zanzibar in East Africa, conjures images of men in black suits with brown paper bags and guns walking up and down beaches. But fear not, there are no guns here; just stunning lagoons, a tropical climate, and a penchant for sleeping in trees.
Weird & Wonderful
PLACES TO STAY
CHOLE MINJI
Mafia Island, Tanzania
Mafia Island, off the south coast of Zanzibar in East Africa, conjures images of men in black suits with brown paper bags and guns walking up and down beaches. But fear not, there are no guns here; just stunning lagoons, a tropical climate, and a penchant for sleeping in trees.
Weird & Wonderful
Each tree house at Chole Minji took between six months and a year to complete, because they were built completely by hand, using traditional tools and materials sourced only from traders who were living there. The word unique is thrown around pretty loosely these days, but there is a level of dedication that has gone into making these treehouses that makes them literally impossible to replicate.
Sandy paths lead to houses built into and around ancient Boab and Tamarind trees, all with views of mangrove-lined shorelines. The only way to get closer to nature is probably a Greenpeace protest.
From AU$222 per night
PRIVATE JET VILLA
Uluwatu, Indonesia
A villa, but make it a private jet. And park that private jet on the edge of a cliff. In Indonesia. And then, there you have it: Private Jet Villa.
Weird & Wonderful
There’s no mucking around with this place, it is exactly as it sounds, and it sounds out-of-this-world awesome. Perched precariously over the edge of a 150 metre cliff in Uluwatu is a thirty-tonne Boeing 737 aeroplane. Its right wing serves as one of the most epic decks we’ve ever seen, and the designs of inside are gorgeous.
It took five days to transport the previously disused and neglected plane into place, which was divided into five separate chunks, and then reassembled.
It is expected to be ready by the end of the year.
Price TBC
TOMMIE HOLLYWOOD
Los Angeles, USA
In a city where there’s no shortage of places-to-be, the Tommie is the new place to be in Los Angeles.
Weird & Wonderful
It’s not difficult to see why this Hollywood hotspot has racked up this reputation in six short months. During the day, go full maxo-relaxo at the rooftop pool, a relaxed oasis which feels miles away from the craziness of the day-to-day L.A.
By night, debauchery seekers should head around the corner to the Desert 5 Bar, a hedonistic treat in the form of sweeping city skyline views, endless pitchers of margaritas, live music and a serious, serious vibe.
In between these two bookends you’ve got sleek 1960s-themed rooms to kick back in, and a restaurant with a very meat-strong menu from an award-winning chef (Wes Avila) to eat at.
From AU$263 per person
NEST AND NATURE
Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
This is luxury… bush luxury.
Weird & Wonderful
Nest and Nature is a brand new stay in the southernmost reaches of Australia, a bit over an hour’s drive from Adelaide. Built into the Inman Valley, the two stunning studios feature floor-to-ceiling glazed windows that make sunsets and sunrises seem like an IMAX movie that you can watch from the luxury of your own bed.
Outside, there’s a bush TV (fireplace) as well as a truly epic concrete bathtub overlooking the valley that may well be one of the best places to relax with a beer in Australia the world.
If this is going bush, count us in.
From AU$599 per night.
THE CRANE
Amsterdam, Netherlands
A crane, generally speaking, is a large beam that suspends and moves very heavy objects. In Amsterdam, they’re for sleeping as well.
Weird & Wonderful
Perched up in the air and overlooking the city’s east (and pretty much everywhere else) is this pod tucked into a massive piece of construction equipment. It’s really, really nice on the inside as well – surprisingly roomy and with a luxurious bathroom and kitchen. It’s easily the best of the (admittedly niche) category of building apparatus/accommodation that we’ve come across.
We’re not sure whose idea this was, or why they did it, but we’re so glad it exists.
From AU$736 per night.
BABYLONSTOREN
Western Cape, South Africa
Staying at Babylonstoren in South Africa’s Western Cape is like being a kid again.
Weird & Wonderful
There’s a carefree exuberance that seems to saturate the entire farm and its guests, from riding a bike to the stunning lake and going for a swim at dusk, to feeding the resident donkeys and chooks and picking fruit from the 717-hectares of land. Opening a few bottles of wine from the on-site winery is probably where that comparison ends.
There’s also a lap pool, spa with massages, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and salt room on the premises – treat yo’self.
From AU$850 per night.
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