When it comes to vacation planning, many of us spend weeks, if not months, searching for the perfect getaway.
We want to make our trips count, making memories in places worth the money and time spent. But finding these destinations and navigating which one best fits our needs isn’t always easy.
So we decided to do the legwork for you.
We’ve found six unique places that we believe would make for a remarkable holiday for just about anyone.
From igloos to luxury cottages to underwater suites, each retreat offers its own twist on relaxation and rejuvenation. Your most challenging task will likely be deciding which one suits you best!
Sheldon Chalet, Alaska
Discovering the comforts of home on top of North America’s highest mountain may seem impossible, but The Sheldon Chalet provides that and more.
Located 10 miles from Denali’s summit at an elevation of 6,000 feet, this awe-inspiring lodge is only accessible by helicopter. Once there, you’ll find yourself in a winter wonderland, surrounded by snow-covered mountains.
The chalet features five bedrooms, accommodating up to 10 people and with floor-to-ceiling windows that offer unforgettable views. Another perk is a skilled chef who is at your beck and call.
Considered one of the most remote accommodations on the planet, The Sheldon Chalet is also one of the best places to witness the spectacular aurora borealis.
When guests aren’t indoors relaxing, they have the option to explore ice caves and glaciers or try sledding and snowshoeing. But don’t expect to spend time scrolling on your phone here — Wi-Fi is nonexistent, which, let’s face it, is probably a good thing for all of us.
To learn more, visit sheldonchalet.com.
Beckham Creek Cave Lodge, Arkansas
Arkansas may not be one of the first states that come to mind when planning a destination vacation, but we are about to give you a compelling reason to put it on the top of your bucket list.
In the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas, you’ll find Beckham Creek Cave Lodge, a 5,800-square-foot luxury vacation home rental carved into the mountainside.
Transforming this cave into a vacation home was no easy feat. The builders were careful not to destroy the rock walls, nor did they touch the natural waterfalls, which is why there is an indoor waterfall sourced from a spring beneath the cave itself in the living room.
The home, once a former bomb shelter, has four luxury bedrooms, four bathrooms and a full-size gourmet kitchen. There’s even a helipad for those who prefer air travel, and guests can also enjoy the nearby lake and horse stables.
The cave itself stretches for a mile and a half, with guests able to explore picturesque waterfalls and tunnels by simply opening the back door.
To learn more, visit beckhamcave.com.
Winvian Farm, Connecticut
When you book your stay at Winvian Farm in Western Connecticut, you are definitely in for a treat.
Perhaps you’ll get to stay in the upscale treehouse or the cabin built inside a helicopter. Or maybe you’ll choose the beaver lodge, reminiscent of a rustic New England trapper’s cottage with an actual tiny beaver den above the bed.
Winvian Farm, located in Morris, Conn., about two hours north of New York City, is extraordinary for a reason — its 18 luxury cottages were designed by 15 different architects. Each cottage has its unique theme, making the farm part fairytale and part Disney for adults.
Winvian is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux Society, a group of 580 of the finest hotels and restaurants worldwide.
Each cottage comes with a pair of bicycles, while kayaks and canoes await at a nearby lake. Adventurous activities include fencing and hot air balloon rides, but if you’re looking for something more relaxing, there is a 5,000-square-foot spa on-site, as well as a five-star seed-to-table restaurant that has been touted by guests as “extraordinary to perfection.”
To learn more, visit winvian.com.
Reefsuites, Australia
Deep beneath the Coral Sea in Australia lies a stunning marine world most of us may never see — unless your vacation takes you to Reefsuites, the country’s first underwater hotel.
Here you can literally sleep among the fishes in a suite suspended beneath a floating pontoon, surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, which stretches more than 1,600 miles along the coast of Queensland. Lounge on your bed as sea turtles, jellyfish and sharks swim by. Cruise Whitsundays, the tourism operator, assures guests are safe behind the floor to the ceiling glass walls that serve as a private bedroom aquarium.
It’s a three-hour boat ride to Reefsuites, but guests say it’s worth the trek. If you don’t want to stay in the suites, you can visit the gigantic pontoon for the day and snorkel, swim or dive. There is also a sleeping area complete with beds in tents that sit on the deck of the pontoon but given that guests have described Reefsuites as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we wholeheartedly recommend the undersea experience.
To learn more, visit cruisewhitsundays.com.
Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos, Finland
Next, we take you from sea to land, where you can still marvel at Mother Nature’s beauty above ground in an igloo, surrounded by a snowy paradise in Lapland, Finland.
Each igloo features a 360-degree glass roof that provides epic views of starry skies and, with luck, a glimpse of the northern lights. While the appearance of the aurora borealis remains unpredictable, the owners are optimistic, having installed an “aurora alarm” in each igloo (with the option to mute it).
Underfloor heating keeps the igloo interiors cozy, as does the heated glass roof, which melts snow and ice.
The SnowHotel, just a few steps away, serves as an alternative if the igloos are fully booked. This hotel is made entirely out of snow and ice and is demolished and rebuilt every year.
At this unique resort, you can borrow snowshoes, toboggans and sleds. You can enjoy a meal at the restaurant and a drink at The Ice Bar, where your beverage of choice comes in an ice glass. After you’re finished, you can toss the glass against the wall, watching it shatter into icicles.
To learn more, visit arcticsnowhotel.fi.
Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador
Admiring the Amazon rainforest from afar is beautiful. But being able to stay smack dab in the middle of one? That would simply be magical.
Mashpi Lodge in Ecuador is a luxury retreat nestled 3,117 feet above sea level in Ecuador’s Cloud Forest, part of the Andes mountain range.
The lodge itself is in the middle of nowhere, with the closest city almost four hours away. Here, you truly feel as if you’re in an entirely different world.
Activities include climbing an eight-story observation tower, pedaling through the treetops on a sky bike safari and riding in an open-air cable car called “The Dragonfly” for a closer look at the forest and the animals that call it home.
Constructed from recycled steel, glass, stone and tropical wood, Mashpi Lodge offers rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow visitors to admire everything from the forest floor to the grand canopy that towers above.
Notably, there are no television sets in the rooms, but this absence is hardly missed. Instead, you’ll find comfy beds, hot showers and, our favorite feature, windows that open so you can fall asleep to the tranquil sounds of the rainforest.
To learn more, visit mashpilodge.com.