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Be swept up in your own magical fairytale at this Hobbit-meets-Game of Thrones-meets-Star Trek oddball. At La Balade Des Gnomes (the Walk of Gnomes) you can throw yourself into the narrative of your choice in one of 10 peculiar handcrafted rooms. Each is made from natural materials – think mud, lime and straw – and sculpted into an otherworldly masterpiece.
Nab the Trojan Horse suite, complete with a drawbridge entrance and built within (you guessed it) a giant wooden horse, bunk down in the troll’s lair – with running stream and goldfish – or beam yourself up into a spaceship odyssey. One of the rooms even has a mermaid to keep you company.
region: Europe
CasAnus
Add a little quirk to your holiday album and squeeze in a night in a colossal colon at CasAnus. Reminiscent of an oversized slug, this distal digestive tract is plonked on an island in the 30-acre Verbeke Foundation Sculpture Park. Windows illuminate the anatomically correct intestine, while the puckered rear boasts a porthole view.
The bowels of the polyester apartment house a double bed, shower and toilet, as well as a heater to keep you toasty warm. If you’re feeling social, the onsite bar-cum-cafe is full of art lovers looking for a gasbag. While other accommodation options might give you the arse, we’ve got a great gut feeling about this place.
Wiesergut
This alpine hideaway blends traditional Austrian charm with minimalist design – think untreated wood, natural stone, exposed concrete and vast panes of glass. Located two hours outside of Salzburg, owners Sepp and Martina Kröll have transformed what was Sepp’s great-grandmother’s guest house into a chic mountainside retreat.
Tumble from the huge, freestanding tub to a cozy spot by the fire then into bed, without ever losing sight of the mountains outside. Devour a book under the warm glow of hand-blown glass chandeliers or share a glass of wine in the hot tub on the terrace (if you’re in one of the garden suites). The restaurant has several intimate dining areas and much of the produce – meat, eggs, herbs and vegetables – is grown on the hotel’s farm, which will come as a deserved reward after a day of biking, hiking or skiing in the mountains.
Retro drinks at The King of Ladies Man
Want to know a secret? Getting to The King of Ladies Man is like opening a Russian matryoshka doll inside a time machine. Within The Breakfast Club, a 1950s all-day cafe and brunch bar, is a kitsch, bamboo-clad ’80s launderette complete with a fake wall. Slide back the faux panel and – voila! – you’ll be stepping inside a ’70s-style bachelor pad to snag a date with The King. Think pink flamingos, bronzed mirrors and vintage Playboy mags. In the glow of a stained-glass window etched with, well, a penis, bartenders rocking Hawaiian shirts and porn-star moustaches serve up ‘disco drinks’ like Pina Coladas and Mai Tais. For something less sweet, order from the rotating list of craft beer and pair with a toastie fit for royalty.
Play it cool at JuJu
Sidle up to this trendy inner London bar expecting a quaint English pint and you’ll be sorely disappointed. JuJu is one of London’s hippest cocktail bars, whose extensive drinks menu is a roll call of Stolichnaya and Laurent Perrier, not stout and lager. Make sure you dress to impress; this upmarket venue is owned by celebrity couple Lee Chapman and Leslie Ash.
Perch yourself on one of the dark leather lounges, soak up the candlelit ambience and check yourself out in the mirrored ceiling. The porn star martini is to die for, darling, and the Asian tapas will delight your tastebuds.
Bohemian hangout at Hannekes Boom
It may be constructed from salvaged materials, but this beer garden is as cosy as they come. It’s a bohemian hotspot with a beachy vibe, live music and an up-close view of Amsterdam’s busy waterways. You can even moor your boat right out front. Try their organic food or the evening barbecue.
Depending on the day, you might be able to join a craft workshop or yoga class, or scour the onsite vintage market. Chill out in a hammock on the rooftop terrace or claim an armchair by the fire when it’s frosty outside.
All-day affair at Theros Wave Bar
Situated away from the rows of beach clubs that are most commonly associated with Santorini, Theros Wave Bar is the perfect place to kick back and escape the crowds. With the spectacular sandstone formations sparsely dotted with shrubbery, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve arrived on the set of Star Wars.
This is an all-day affair, with lounges along a private beach servicing sun seekers. Take a dip in the sheltered bay or organise a massage between cocktails. There’s a casual-chic restaurant and bar area overlooking the sea that, at night, is beautifully lit and primed for romance. For those who like things a bit more lively, Theros organises a killer full-moon party.
Arena Badeschiff, the almost beach bar
Although situated far from tropical climes, Arena Badeschiff definitely deserves beach-bar status. Created from the hull of an old 32-foot vessel, the bar was originally an art project funded by the city council. Now it is the only safe place to bathe along the banks of the River Spree, and comes into its own during the long summer days. There’s sand, deck chairs, a boardwalk, table tennis and, of course, an open-air bar, making it the perfect place to escape the city heat on a sunny day.
Beers and spicy chicken fajitas are the combination of choice for revellers, as DJs fill the air with chilled-out tunes to compliment the atmosphere. In the colder months it turns into a winter village, with Swedish-inspired wooden huts, ice skating, curling and artisan stalls.
Party at Hula Hula beach bar
Hvar has a reputation for attracting well-heeled types who like to party, and Hula Hula is one spot where you’ll be sure to rub shoulders with them. Built into the rocks that line the island’s coastline, drinks here flow from dawn till well after dark. Okay, in the morning they’re more likely to be fresh juices and coffees, but the harder stuff doesn’t take long to appear.
Choose the pavilion seating areas for a signature seafood platter or a waterside lounge for a cocktail. Rent a private beach or boat, or blend in with the hordes of locals and happy travellers. The club component of Hula Hula, located back over the rocks, opens at 2am so there’s no need to go back to your hotel.
Belgian Trappist Beer Cycling Tour
There’s no better place to indulge in a pint than the Belgian countryside. Begin in Brussels then journey by train and bike to Rochefort’s Abbey Saint-Remy, the first of many breweries on this tour. You’ll work for your liquid reward, cycling 400 kilometres through quaint towns and lush forests of the Ardennes.
Tackle rolling hills and scenic paths, enjoying a goblet of rich amber ale to quench your thirst at each stop along the way. Get stuck into the unique table beer, Orval Vert, at L’Arge Gardien and settle in for mass with the monks at Chimay monastery. Spend your evenings nourishing your weary body with a delicious meal and a beer, of course.
