Five of the World’s Weirdest Hotels

Forget the Hilton. These hotels market their unique, and occasionally bizarre, approach to hospitality.

For adventurous travellers looking for more than just a memorable trip, these five hotels will guarantee that your accommodations are equally unforgettable.

Caves of Civita

Where: Sextantio, Italy

Opened in 2009, Caves of Civita creates a primitive ambiance with 18 cave-like guest rooms. The walls are rock, linens are hand-sewn, and the furniture is furbished using ancient techniques. You certainly won't find a minibar or widescreen television here. The hotel blends near-seamlessly into the surrounding landscape and has earned a 4-star rating for its romantic hideaway feel.

Hotel Alcatraz

Where: London, UK

The new Hotel Alcatraz opened its doors in London last week, completing the UKTV's marketing stunt to promote JJ Abrams' new television drama series, 'Alcatraz'. The hotel contains four 1.5 by 2.7 metre rooms which have been constructed to accurately represent cells of the infamous San Francisco prison, which closed in 1963. Each room is appropriately utilitarian, containing a mattress, sink, prison-style toilet and two shelves. Intrigued guests must pose for mug-shots upon check-in, and are then issued prison uniforms and metal food trays by the 'prison wardens' -- hotel staff. The new 'inmates' are also subjected to historical prison activities, including exercise sessions and tailoring.

Capsule Hotel

Where: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Capsule Hotel in Amsterdam offers 1972 oil rig survival pods as overnight accommodation. It's a tight squeeze into these electric orange life rafts, perhaps not suitable to the claustrophobic traveler - or an arguing couple, for that matter.

Sandcastle Hotel

Where: Weymouth Beach, Dorset, UK

Sculpted from 1000 tonnes of sand, the Sandcastle Hotel blows the sand creations of our childhood out of the water. A stunt to draw Brits back to the country's beaches, the hotel offered guests both a twin and a double sized bed, entirely made of sand - until rain washed the 100 hours of manpower away. Laterooms.com, which commissioned the sculpture, insists that if guests do not mind sandy toes (or sandy everything for that matter), a night spent stargazing in this open-roofed getaway would be perfectly romantic.

Das Park Hotel

Where: Ottensheim, Austria

The charmingly utilitarian rooms at Das Park Hotel are snug inside re-imagined drainpipes. Providing guests will just enough space for a bed and for storage, these rooms are strictly minimalist; the only decor is the painting work of Austrian artist Thomas Latzel Ochoa. The accommodations are available for rental from May through to October under a "pay as you wish" policy; guests are encouraged to leave only as much as they can afford to support Das Park's project.