The Spitbank Fort is a small luxury hotel located in a Victorian-era sea fort off the coast of Portsmouth, England. It is one of the largest in the Solent, or the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.
The fort has nine rooms and three restaurants and bars, along with all of the other top-class amenities. Some of the fort's original features have been retained, such as the brick walls, the fortress windows and a few old cannons.
14. The Balancing Barn Hotel, United Kingdom
Ever heard of a hotel that's off-balance? The Balancing Barn Hotel located a few miles inland from the Suffolk coast was designed by the Dutch design firm MVRDV to be one of a kind.
The Barn is about 30 meters (98ft.) long with 15 meters of that plunging over the slope of a hill. The building was designed in such a way to maximize the linear experience of nature. Even from its height, the guest experiences his natural surroundings as if he or she were at ground level and then at tree height.
15. Desert Lotus Hotel, Mongolia
In the isolated Xiangshawan Desert in Mongolia lies a magnificent hotel surrounded by a circle of white tents. The tents were rotated at 45 degrees and connected together to look a lotus flower.
The resort was built without tiles and bricks due to the rugged climate, and instead with 'greener' materials that take advantage of the solar, water and wind energy in the desert. The tents were erected to protect the hotel against the elements.
Due to its difficult geographic condition, a new structural system was developed by the builders of the hotel to keep it in place. Instead of using concrete or water, the building is fixed with steel panels with sand at its base.
The hotel is very popular amongst Chinese tourists because it is located 800 km (500 miles) from Beijing and even closer to a number of other large Chinese towns.
16. Lake Palace, India
Yet another hotel floating on water, the Lake Palace has 83 rooms and suites all decked with marble floors. The hotel is located on a large rock called Jag Niwas Island in Lake Pichola.
The hotel has a speed boat that transports guests to and fro. It has many times been voted the most romantic hotel in India and in the world.
The hotel was built between 1743 - 1746 under the direction of Maharana Jagat Singh II, the 62nd successor to the royal dynasty of Mewar. It was meant to be a royal summer palace and was originally called Jagniwas or Jan Niwas after its founder. Commercial ownership of the summer palace was assumed in 1971 and another 75 rooms were added to accommodate all of the guests.
