The World's 10 Weirdest Hotels

V8 HOTEL, GERMANY

This hotel is one of the most popular car-themed hotels. Guests sleep under a extremely large pump canopy stained with "petrol grime" and emblazoned with the Shell logo. The room is decked out with authentic 1920s Shell memorabilia, including a genuine Shell pump station and petrol canisters.

THE "DOUGHNUT HOTEL", CHINA

One look at China's "Doughnut Hotel", also known as the Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort, and it's a surprise that its architect, Ma Yansong, has been named as one of the most creative people in the field of architecture. The newly opened resort actually consists of three buildings, two of which curve to form a 27-storey torus that towers over Taihu Lake, west of Shanghai.

ECOCAMP, CHILE

The Ecocamp's design is inspired by the dwellings of the Kawesqar, the nomadic seafarers who devised domed huts to withstand 160km/h winds. Although the 24 geodesic domes, which run entirely on hydro- and solar power, provide some domestic comforts (bathrooms have flushable toilets and running water), this one isn't for anybody who's unwilling to be immersed in the elements.

FREE SPIRIT SPHERES, CANADA

Each of the couple's three rentable spheres was designed to blend into its natural surroundings. The modules are strung to 4.5 metres off the ground with heavy-duty ropes and are anchored by timber nearby. The room sways as guests move about inside. The orbs are wired with electricity and stay toasty warm in winter.

BIVACCO GERVASUTTI, ITALY

Bivacco Gervasutti is nearly 3,000 metres above sea level. It is designed to prevent snow accumulation, against avalanches and withstand high-altitude conditions, and it can provide sleeping, dining, and living space for 12 people. The only trick is getting there. The ascent from Val Ferret Valley to Mont Blanc's Frebouze Glacier takes about four hours.

TREEBONES RESORT, USA

Five years of permits and another two years of construction later, this collection of 16 yurts runs on its own generator, has a 20 metre ocean view bar, sources all of the vegetables within 70 kilometres, and feeds the leftovers from its restaurant and sushi bar to 18 resident chickens. Every yurt has hot and cold running water, but no showers or toilets (those are in the main house).

WHITEPOD, SWITZERLAND

Leave it to the French-speaking Swiss to make a romantic geodesic dome. These 15 pods come with wood-burning fireplaces, private baths, organic-cotton sheets, and a minimalist-yet-groovy decor.

THE "BARBIE SUITE", USA

THE "BARBIE SUITE" brings Barbie's Dream House to the real world. This lovely pink paradise has all the details, where girls of any age can live out their Barbie fantasies (the room can hold up to 50 people though). Corsetted "dress" chairs, custom wall coverings, a two-way fireplace, an oversized jacuzzi, and a sunburst-styled mirror constructed from 65 actual Barbie dolls are just a few of the amenities you'll enjoy in these ultra-girlie digs.

HOTEL COSTA VERDE, COSTA RICA

The plane has two guest rooms, both have air conditioning, bathrooms and kitchens. The plane is perched on a 15 meters pedestal and juts out across the rainforest canopy. You can rab a drink on the hardwood deck built on the wing, or head to El Avion, the hotel bar built inside a Fairchild C-123 plane.

TREEHOTEL, SWEDEN

The Scandinavian design of this tree house villa pays a huge attention to sustainability. Rooms are outfitted with LED lights, hydroelectric power, and toilets odorlessly combust or freeze waste. Showers are located in a separate unit, and so is the tree sauna.