Urban Cowboy
Looking for a more authentic Big Apple stay than a chain hotel can provide? You'll find it at Urban Cowboy Bed & Breakfast. Designed to offer guests the feeling of staying in a modern Brooklyn townhouse, this unique accommodation offers four bedrooms in the freestanding townhouse as well as a rustic cabin the backyard and an open parlor floor that combines both modern and rustic elements — just like the rest of the property — and offers a place for guests to meet and mingle, possibly with native Brooklynites on nights when the owner is throwing a dinner party.
One Happo
Not feeling up to a typical luxury ski resort? One Happo offers all the amenities of a five-star accommodation with one major missing ingredient: the people. This private chalet offers five bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, and room for up to 10 spread across three floors. Up top you'll find the gourmet kitchen, stunning glass wine room, a heated deck with grill, a bar, and a lounge with a Bang and Olufsen TV. The second floor is home to all five bedrooms — including two with mountain views — while the first floor houses a gym, boxing dojo, spa, dry room, and laundry room. Of course, we've left out the best part, which is the direct access to the main Happo resort gondola and Olympic slopes, making this one of the most desirable ski accommodations in the world.
Villa Kalyana
Resort getaways are all well and good, but sometimes a retreat calls for a little more privacy — and it's hard to get more private than Villa Kalyana. And not just you, either. This spacious private estate sits on a private bay, and features 10 bedrooms, giving it space for up to 18 adults and several kids. Hand-carved wood, modern furnishings, and architecture designed to blend into the lush jungle-like surroundings provide a terrific backdrop for the massive chemical-free pool, gardens, movie room, game room, and beachside seating. And don't worry about having to go it alone — a full staff is on hand to cater to your every need, including housekeeping, maintenance, and cooking. All you have to do is lay back and relax.
Apes Hill Club
If you're one who prefers to rent a whole house instead of just a room when you vacation, the Apes Hill Club is an ideal place to go. Located in the center of the island, the Club is set on 470 acres, 1,000 feet above the shoreline, affording it great views of both the west and east coasts. The rental properties include a number of polo field- and championship golf course-hugging villas, as well as a massive 10,000 square foot mansion with 5 bedrooms, an infinity pool, and a host of other amenities. There's a restaurant and lounge located in the golf club house, as well as another restaurant and bar located at the yacht club just a few minutes west. Like what you see? Luckily, there are plenty of properties available for sale — so if you have the cash, you don't really ever have to go home.
Brody House
Is it a hotel? A residence? Actually, Brody House is a little of both. This unique collections of rooms, apartments, and venues is centered around Brody 10, a Palace Quarter residence built in 1896 and slowly being restored to its former glory by the Brody House team. While there are 11 bedrooms available at Brody 10, the collection also includes a number of more spacious and generally longer-term rentals in apartments and residences around the city, all of which are designed and furnished with the same spirit of taste and great design. [via]
Villa Yin
Escape from the daily grind in grand fashion with a stay at Villa Yin. This high-end rental property sits perched on a cliff overlooking the Andaman Sea, and offers four bedrooms — including a king-sized master with outdoor hot tub and deck and a separate guest house — spread across five Thai-style pavilions, an 18-meter marble swimming pool, a huge outdoor area for entertaining, a full-time chef, and a home theater. But nearly as spectacular as the amenities are the views and the stunning architecture that perfectly blends local antiques with modern art and furnishings to create a distinctive look all its own.
Yosemite A Frame Cabin
Sometimes when you want to get away, a hotel just doesn't cut it — you need a private residence. And this Yosemite A Frame Cabin is an ideal option. Set in a scenic spot off the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway in Yosemite National Park, 7,000 feet above the sea and fourteen miles from Bass Lake, this property offers two separate lofts each with its own twin bed, a modern bathroom, a twin futon for a fifth person (if necessary, and a full kitchen). Oh, and if you just can't leave work behind, it has Internet access, as well — but we'd way rather be unplugged, enjoying the nearby swimming holes, meadows, and hiking trails.
Adare Manor
As accommodations go, it's pretty tough to beat a castle — especially one as charming as Adare Manor. Built in the mid-1800s by the Dunraven family, this interesting piece of architecture is laid out as a Calendar House, with 365 stained windows and 52 chimneys to mark the days and weeks, and interior references to the 7 days of the week and 12 months of the year. There's 62 bedrooms to choose from, including the original quarters of Lady Caroline Dunraven, as well as an 18-hole Championship Course — the last major golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. — a cottage spa, two restaurants, and a cellar-style bar with live-music. [via]
The Beer Moth
Despite the name, this isn't some cleverly-monikered hipster bar. Instead, The Beer Moth is a unique accommodation in the Scottish countryside. A former fire service truck, this two-person "room" is built in the bed of the truck, and features an oak parquet floor from a Tudor mansion, a hearth made from a salvaged snooker table slate, a Victorian double bed, a fire escape staircase, an old cottage door, a fabric roof, and a side wall that folds down to offer grand views of the surrounding natural beauty. Just don't get too rowdy, lest your bed — indeed, your whole room — roll away.
Casa Caleta
There's no shortage of hotel options in Puerto Vallarta — but if you're seeking something a little more private, Casa Caleta might be just what you're looking for. This grand ocean-side villa features six bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom, sound system, and climate control. The top-floor Presidential suite also features dual outdoor showers and a two-person jacuzzi, while the second-floor Master offers a jacuzzi and a large private terrace. The main level also offers a living room with fireplace, a gourmet kitchen, a dining room, and a media room, while outside, you'll find an outdoor dining and kitchen area, a bar fridge, a Viking gas grill, a gas/wood-burning fireplace, a heated Infinity pool, and a waterfall hot tub, as well as an interior staircase to secured beach access. And don't worry about upkeep — there's a full staff on board for housekeeping duties, as well as a chef that will prepare breakfast and your choice of lunch or dinner. In other words, it's got all the luxuries of a resort, without all the people.
Bing Crosby Estate
We're not sure what's more impressive: the house, or the list of people who've stayed there. Located near Palm Springs, the Bing Crosby Estate is a sprawling single-level ranch, offering six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a theater room with a projector, a chef's kitchen, and tons of indoor and outdoor living space. Rumor has it that President John F. Kennedy spent a weekend here with Marilyn Monroe back in the day; more recently, Daft Punk could be found relaxing poolside before venturing to Coachella to watch the premiere of the one-minute "Get Lucky" preview. Sounds like the perfect getaway spot for those times when you need to bring the whole family with you — or better yet, an ideal venue for a relaxed bachelor's weekend.
Casa Olivi
Enjoy the history of a 300-year-old home with all the modern comfort you'd expect from a brand-new resort at Casa Olivi. This three-story farmhouse was nearly destroyed in a fire several years ago, but has since been completely restored with modern furnishings that blend perfectly with the existing structure. Features include five bedrooms, indoor and outdoor kitchen and dining areas, a home theater, Phillipe Starck bathrooms, a spacious outdoor terrace, a rectangular infinity pool, and 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. With a host of dining options nearby and the Mediterranean less than 30 miles away, it's an ideal home base for a fantastic vacation. [via]
