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arking Up a Different Kind of Tree

For starters here’s one that’s really sweet… or should we say tweet? If you feel like going all the way to Sweden there are a series of tree house hotels. The best part? The original designs. For example the outside of one looks like a gigantic bird’s nest… and yes you have to climb a ladder up against a tree to get to it. But that’s not all. The owners (who promise they have both feet on the ground although they sure do have their heads in the clouds) have actually come up with a bunch of unusually designed hotel tree rooms. They include “The UFO ” which looks like a just-landed spaceship among the trees also accessible by ladder and “The Mirrorcube ” also hanging in the trees and with its outer mirror walls reflecting the scenic view.

I know the saying is “Don’t judge a book by its cover ” but nobody ever said that about a hotel room now did they? In case you’re wondering the outsides of these rooms are the attraction – the insides are like regular hotel rooms anywhere with comfortable beds bathrooms amenities and free Wi-Fi. Still it’s located in a cute little village and apparently visitors find it hard to… leaf. (You knew that was coming right?)

(Not!) Wanted

Here’s an option that will make your cozy bed at home seem like a five-star hotel. And believe it or not plenty of people from around the world are willing to pay the $16 fee to spend a night in the former Karosta Prison in Latvia. The weirdest part? They advertise that guests can enjoy the “full prisoner experience” including death threats warning gunfire and the privilege of sleeping on a thin mattress on the floor behind bars! How strange that back in this prison’s heyday during World War II prisoners were trying to escape from it… and now some folks are actually willing to pay good money to get in.

And this isn’t the only prison hotel in the world either. Some brave souls in the US and other countries have created high-class hotels but just worked some of the original jail features into the décor like the bars on the windows… Alcatraz Hotel in Germany (not related to the infamous Alcatraz) even offers striped prison pajamas which you have to admit is a nice perk. Not every hotel offers complimentary pj’s…

Something’s Fishy…

If you’re into exploring new things and have always been intrigued by scuba diving or snorkeling this one’s for you particularly if you enjoy riding scooters or Segways. What on earth do the two have to do with each other? Turns out someone actually thought of combining the two… and now if you head to Maunalua Bay Oahu Hawaii you can tour the local reef on an underwater submarine scooter. Yes you read that right. The adventure starts on board a scenic cruise to the dive site and then off you go on a bright yellow submarine scooter complete with a bubble around your face like a submarine. (Excerpted from Teen Pages Issue 667)