So you’ve done the back packer thing but it all seems a bit tired now. You want some unabashed luxury and you are not ready for the treadmill of the dreaded package holiday. The idea of going into the identikit high street holiday shop sends a shiver down your spine.

You still have that spirit of adventure. You want to explore, experience something out of the ordinary and why shouldn’t you? Well it’s becoming ever easier via the good old internet to find some extraordinary places to stay on the other side of the globe or even on your own doorstep. We’ve picked out some of our favourite escapes from a cave house to a remote log cabin. Not so much unique hotels and resorts, but places that set the heart racing and head swimming.

 

Covered Wild West Wagon, USA

If you’ve always secretly had a yearning for the old wild west lifestyle then how about a covered wagon for a real cowboy getaway? A 1930s shepherds’ wagon is bound to deliver that ‘home, home on the range’ experience with the good old Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. This trip includes accommodation that has all you’ll need including a full sized bed and table for two. You get to rustle up some bacon and beans under the stars with your very own fire pit.

For more information go to the Wagons West

Ultimate Tree House, France

If you’re still a big kid at heart or you want to wow your actual kids then nothing is quite so magical as a Treehouse. And now you can stay in some extraordinarily magical ones around the world. One of our personal favourites is this treehouse based in the Breton countryside. This is no poky back garden affair either and houses up to 5 guests. The large main room is built around the trunk of the tree and the treehouse includes electricity, toilets and a large terrace where you can admire the stunning views.

For more go to the Glamping Hub Website

Mountain Log Cabin, USA

Sometimes you just want to get away from it all. Abandon the 9 to 5 and find a little hideaway where you can relax and recharge the batteries. Well how does this sound? An old style log cabin hidden in the mountains near the Cherokee national Forest in the US. But it doesn’t have to be a harsh existence. This cabin is packed to the rafters with mod cons and all those little luxuries we all pine for. So you’ll find a hot tub and Wi-Fi as well as the all-important woodstove and porch where you can survey the creek set out below you.

For more on this Treehouse go to ValleCrucis Log Cabins

Cave House, Southern Italy

For something truly remarkable you could venture to the remarkable Basilicata village of Matera in Southern Italy. It is famed for its cave dwellings and that is where you have the chance to stay in a fully restored cave house. This is the brainchild of Swedish-Italian entrepreneur, hotelier and philanthropist Daniele Kihlgren. He has restored 18 of the original cave houses and turned them into historically preserved rooms for the discerning tourist. Though they look like faithful restorations of their ancient glory, they are in fact fully modernised – it’s just that everything is has been well hidden in the walls, floors and ceilings. Thanks to entrepreneurs like Daniele this once impoverished town is undergoing something of a renaissance with its breathing position and historic importance.

To find out more about the Cave Houses go to Unusualhotelsoftheworld.com

Unique Luxury Villas

If you want to treat yourself to some unabashed luxury then there are some truly unique and inspiring villas out there that are way out of the ordinary. From high end ultra-modern chic villas perched on a precipice above the sea to country classics surrounded by rolling hills you can spoil yourself rotten with some extraordinary properties including restored palaces and converted Trulli. It’s all so easy these days – you can go on the website of a trusted agency such as Luxury Villa and there it is all laid out for you with professional photography and informative descriptions. They can even lay on any service your heart may desire during your stay with their White Glove Personal Concierge service. So if you need a private chef, a personal winery tour or inside information on your locales’ hidden gems, it’s all just a call away. Put a dose of luxury on your list of extraordinary places to stay!

For more information go to the Luxury Retreats