Major online hotel reservation aggregators like Hotels.com and Expedia can leave travellers still searching if what you're after is something a little bit different – an Austrian castle, for example, a North American dude ranch, or even a converted European prison.
"If you're planning a visit to a popular tourist area and you're interested in a moderate to upscale hotel (a chain in particular), the major sites will absolutely do the job. But for out-of-the-ordinary places to stay — which are often the most memorable, for better and for worse — take a look at these out-of-the-ordinary Web sites."
CNN has an excellent list of websites with frankly cool hotel accomodations. On their list: resources for French Chalets, historic English inns, world wide Bed & Breakfasts, and the Unusual Hotels of the World site for converted caves, prisons and lighthouses. To this list I would add the site for finding and booking Spain's excellent Parador hotels – historic and unusual Spanish accomodation in the country's most fantastic locations.
March 18th, 2007 on 4:42 pm
I think you are absolutely right – as everything becomes available, the value of “different” will keep on going up.
jon