Why settle for a minibar and a bathrobe… when you could sleep in a UFO, a bird’s nest, or inside Godzilla?
When you think of hotels, you probably picture plush pillows, mood lighting, and sleek lobbies dressed in velvet drapes and polished marble. A place to unwind in style—with a hot shower, breakfast buffet, and room service just a call away. But what if your next getaway looked a little less… expected? For the curious and the bold, there’s a whole world of weird hotels in Asia offering stays that are anything but ordinary. These offbeat escapes turn the typical hotel experience on its head—in the best, most Instagrammable way.
Imagine living in a hotel underwater, or perhaps one inside an animal or even an iconic monster brought to life in 1954. Curious to find out more about what we are talking about? Great! Today, we’ll be listing down 10 weird hotels around Asia that offers a different kind of escape while still giving you that sense of enjoyment you get from taking a holiday from your usual routine!
Time Capsule Retreat – Pahang, Malaysia
Time Capsule Retreat, one of Malaysia’s most unusual hotels, is built from giant concrete pipes and shipping containers. It is one of those quirky hotels in our neighborhood that allows its visitors to go back-to-basic with nature while living in a staying in a capsule. Each capsule room comes with queen beds, A/C, lighting as well as plugs for your maximum enjoyment. It also comes with a peephole or a glass door which allows you to overlook its beautiful, green forest. The space is just enough for one or two people but there’s barely space for luggage and for you to move around so be sure to travel light. They do have another room option which is their ‘Parallel Discovery’ containers that offers more comfort such as their en-suite bathroom, lounge area, wooden deck, BBQ facilities, and a private jacuzzi.
Sleep in a Pipe, Wake Up in the Jungle
Given their outdoor placement, you might encounter mosquitos, so be sure to bring bug repellent! Capsule guests use communal bathrooms and toiletries aren’t provided so be sure to bring your own. What sells this place as a bizarre hotel in Asia is how you’re living in a capsule but at the same time, you’re accompanied by nature and not too far from this location, there’s the Rainbow Watefall, Bukit Panorama and mining museum to really make you feel one with nature. So, if you’re looking to immerse yourself with nature while enjoying a few days of living in a weird setting, Time Capsule Retreat is definitely worth the visit. A stay over here per night goes for RM130.
Desert Lotus Hotel – Xiangshawan Desert, China
Ever wondered what it’s like to sleep in the middle of a desert, surrounded by golden dunes and futuristic architecture? If your next trip takes you to China, make a detour to one of the most surreal and weird hotels in Asia — the Desert Lotus Hotel. Rising like a white lotus blooming from the sands of the Xiangshawan Desert, this architectural wonder blends science, sustainability, and style. Built from triangular modules arranged in concentric rings, the hotel isn’t just a visual masterpiece — its design helps it withstand desert winds, collect rainwater, and provide shade. What’s more? It doesn’t sit on a concrete foundation but rather ‘floats’ atop steel panels filled with sand, allowing the structure to adapt to the shifting landscape. Desert living, but make it design-forward.
Luxury Meets Sci-Fi in the Sands of Xiangshawan
The rather futuristic-like hotel also features swimming pools, cultural shows, camel rides, and Mongolian performances to keep its guests entertained. With such a jaw-dropping design as well as so many ways to keep yourself busy with the things you could do here, it earns its spot as one of those strange hotels in Asia. If you’re planning to stay here alone for a couple of nights, a single room costs around $1,900 a night while a two-bedroom villa can go for $8,500 per night.
Equarius Ocean Suites – Sentosa, Singapore
Are you someone who has a strong love towards the ocean rather than land? Ever wanted to have a relaxing sleep while the blue waters accompany you along with its deep-sea critters? What if I told you all of this was possible? Situated in Sentosa Island lies a resort that is a fusion of a luxury resort and a surreal marine habitat. This underwater-themed hotel has bedrooms that features a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling glass pane that allows you to directly view the S.E.A. Aquarium’s open habitat. With over 40,000 marine creatures such as sharks, rays, and tunas that’ll be floating over your bed as you observe the intricate yet compelling sea creatures. Another thing that makes this a weird but cool visit is how upstairs is a totally different vibe all together.
Deep-Dive into Deep Sleep, Underwater!
As you head upstairs, you’ll be welcomed with a living area that opens onto a private patio with a jacuzzi. Imagine this, under you exists this serene ocean view while upstairs gives you a land view above which makes this a bizarre yet intriguing experience. The kind of people who would enjoy this out-of-the-norm aesthetic are the ones who are marine lovers, those looking to update their Instagram with fancy stories and pictures, and couples looking to enjoy their honeymoon in a very different way. Being that its set underwater, the price does go abit high with it being approximately US $1,350–1,550 per night, before taxes & fees.
Hang Nga “Crazy House” – Dalat, Vietnam
Ever dreamed of living in a fairy-tale house, like something out of Snow White, enchanting and surrounded by nature? In Dalat, the Hang Nga guesthouse, or ‘Crazy House’, merges art, architecture, and accommodation into a truly unique hotel.
Opened in 1990, its design mimics a giant, five-story banyan tree with mushroom and cave-like shapes, spider-web windows, twisting staircases, and hidden nooks. Clearly, Disney fantasy inspired the place. What’s even more remarkable is that its creator, Dr. Dang Viet Nga, built it without blueprints, instead painting her ideas. She then hired local craftspeople who brought it to life using wood, steel, and concrete.
A Fairy Tale Brought to Life – Inside Dalat’s Crazy House
The guesthouse also has 10 differently themed room with each of them sculpted like a cave or tree trunk to reflect towards its given theme. What also makes this place a weird but also great place to check and stay in is how you’re essentially living under someone’s work of art that you can be comfortable in. The guests can find themselves wandering through an enchanted maze of tunnels and bridges inside and outside the building. If you’re someone who’s really big into Disney and love the aesthetic of fairy tales, this is definitely a out-of-the-ordinary hotel worth visiting. As for the price, per adult is charged 80,000 VND.
Godzilla Hotel Gracery – Shinjuku, Tokyo
We all know this iconic monster that was born from nuclear radiation and hailed from Japan known as Godzilla, right? Godzilla is a very iconic monster that had its debut film way back in 1954 and even till now, they are still making movies about the so called ‘King of Monsters’ and has a massive following towards the genre. Whether you’re a fan of Godzilla or not, you’ve definitely seen this overgrown, radioactive lizard referenced or shown on the big screen. Our question is, have you ever thought what it would be like to live inside of Godzilla? Located in Tokyo’s Kabukichō district, lies Hotel Gracery Shinjuk or better known as Godzilla Hotel. Perched on the 8th floor of the establishment lies an 80-ton Godzilla model which design was from the 1992 movie that has glowing eyes and smoky breath.
It’s Godzilla! Crash Into Bed with the King of Monsters
As you’d expect, the hotel has Godzilla-themed rooms such as the one on the 30th floor that features a giant Godzilla hand crashing in the building that also has black-light murals, secret effects, toys, and even film memorabilia. Theres also the Godzilla view rooms in which offers a bedside view of Godzillas head that makes you feel like the King of Monsters himself is keeping an eye on you as you sleep. Lastly, its themed-rooms also features ‘trick walls’ surprise effects and exclusive Godzilla merch such as its pens, towels, and figures for those die-hard fans of the reptilian king. The price of the room from around US$187 per night, with prices varying based on room type, time of year, and specific deals.
Hotel Tavinos – Tokyo
Next up on our list is yet another hotel that comes from Tokyo but for a different kind of fandom. Happen to be a fan of manga more than anime? Are you someone who enjoys the intricate details in manga or someone who enjoys the art and creative process put into it? What if we told you that you could live in these drawings? Available in locations such as Hamamatsucho and Asakusa, Hotel Tavinos is a manga-themed ‘lifestyle’ hotel brand that allows fans of manga to enjoy literal art pieces around their accommodation. Bold manga-style and Roy Lichtenstein-inspired pop-art panels fill the hotel’s lobby, lounge, and guest rooms, covering them with speech bubbles, comical visuals, and themed linens. The lobby also has an AI concierge that features a giant touchscreen map with AI voice guidance that is in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
Manga Meets Minimalism – A Comic-Inspired Stay in Japan
The main selling-point of this hotel is that rather than being just a typical hotel, it instead challenges itself by being a theme-park chic kind of hotel with its interior coming from comic books. The service they offer is also considered rather ‘unusual’ with how it has a digital concierge and automated check-in kiosks, which means minimal staff interaction for those who are more introverted. Last but not least, with it being a hotel based off of manga, they also have a manga browsing section for you to discover possible new manga to follow! The price of staying at this hotel can be considered as quite affordable as it charges its visitors ~¥10 000 per night.
Keemala – Phuket, Thailand
Keemala, a resort hidden in the beautiful jungle-clad hills of Kamala Beach, offers a surreal and mythical escape. The villas here, whimsical and organic, immerse you in nature, making for a cool and quirky stay in Southeast Asia. You can choose from four villas, each drawing inspiration from Phuket’s four fictional clans. The four options being Earth, Wanderers, Sky, and Nest with each of them offering a unique villa style. In addition to that, the lush resort also includes modern amenities such as a private plunge pool for your absolute enjoyment of connecting with nature in a tribe-like aesthetic stay.
Live Like a Mythical Clan Member at Thailand’s Fantasy Forest Resort
Each villa also comes with a lavish bathroom, touchscreen media and a spa, all within a pod-like structure that are accessed by their forest walkaways. As you can already tell, what makes this resort one of those weird hotels in Asia is how it feels like glamping but with a much more complex approach by it. Staying over here feels like you’re living within a fantasy of a being part of the 4 fictional Phuket clans while at the same time, it serves as a nature retreat for those who love admiring our beautiful mother nature and is yearning for an escape from their busy and hectic life. Lastly, the price for staying here goes from ≈£400–600 per night, depending on the villa you choose.
Kumbuk River Eco Resort – Buttala, Sri Lanka
Located in Buttala, Sri Lanka, Kumbuk River Eco Resort gets to be on this list because of how you’re basically living inside a resort which design is literally an elephant eco-lodge. The two-story villa resembles a full-size elephant and is large enough to accommodate 10-12 guests with bedroom upstairs and communal spaces, bathrooms, and a plunge pool downstairs. Besides from the elephant-shaped villa, guests can also choose to go for their Tree Luxuria, a treehouse built around living trees. They offer other accommodations like their Jungle Cabin, designed over a vintage truck, rustic cottages, and a floating boathouse, and each provides its own unique eco-narrative.
Sleep Inside a Giant Elephant – Sri Lanka’s Wildest Eco Stay
Another fact about this resort is that it runs on solar power, thatch and wood, with minimal lighting and natural water access. Needless to say, the structure around this villa can be described as wild with its design giving you the opportunity to experience fantasy lodging in the jungle and of course, living inside a trojan-sized elephant that comes with tribal digs and organic shaping. One more thing that makes this place an attractive stay for the people is how you get to interact with its unique wildlife. Located on Yala, you can spot real elephants, peacocks, and other fauna right from your lodge, especially at night. The rates of staying here per night depends on which villa you stay at with it starting from US $140 and goes up to US $260.
Container Hotel – Singapore
You ever just see those large containers in the ships that carry them and wondered to yourself how it would be like to live inside one? No? Well, now the thought is in your mind and we’re sure you’re curious especially with how much space is in those. Situated in Singapore, Container Hotel, also known as Shipping Container Hotel is exactly what you think it is. In this weird hotel situated in Singapore, its visitors can experience the wide and vast room of living in a container that comes with queen beds, bathrooms, kitchens, TVs, and WiFi. They even have a four-unit duplex complex built from 10 containers which has 2 floors linked by spiral staircases that comes with solar panels and mirrored exteriors.
Think Inside the Box
To some, the idea of spending a night, living in a container sounds strange but also weirdly charming at the same time. Don’t be fooled, too by these containers as the inside of them delivers an entirely different luxury stay for the curious souls who are seeking for their next stop. Container Hotel is situated in urban parks and nature zones, making it feel like you’re experiencing a modern way of camping with amenities such as WiFi, kitchen, and solar panel. The price for staying at one of these containers go from $150-$200 while their Garden pod goes for $500-$600.
Perched above the Ayung River valley lies a towering bamboo villa that is six-story high that is nestled in Bali’s Green Village. Sharma Springs located in Indonesia is a villa made out of bamboos that is covered by a beautiful-greens surrounding it and offers close-to-nature experience while also having access to the modern world convenience. The 6 floored villa features 5 themed bedrooms with each of them having an ensuite bathrooms. On the fourth level, guests can find themselves entertained in their playroom, library, media room, as well as an open-air kitchen area. The 6th floor is great to enjoy a panoramic view of the sunset and conveniently located below it is a private plunge pool and bamboo garden longue, perfect for unwinding.
Six Stories of Bamboo Bliss – A Fantasy-Like Stay in Bali
Despite it being close to nature, the accommodation is fully equipped with air-conditions and also provides other self-care facilities such as their spa, yoga, and pool. What makes this spot deserving to be on the list as a weird hotel in Asia is due to how the design of the place feels something out of a fantasy story. Not only that, visitors who choose to stay over here can enjoy the open-air each floor provide that makes them feel reconnected to nature while also enjoying the unusual aesthetic of the villa. A night over at this villa goes around 11.8 million Indonesian Rupiah.
The world’s too wide to sleep in the ordinary — sometimes, the best memories come with a touch of the weird.
You’ve made it to the end of the article! Kudos to you! We as human beings are always so curious and we love heading towards the unknown. When we are so used to experiencing the same thing over and over again, our soul craves for something different. It could just be a visit to an unusual hotel that has a out-of-the-norm design that attracts not only our curiosity but also gives us an incentive to pay it a visit. To some, they wish to know what its like to sleep underwater as the fishes accompany them while for others, they’d love to experience what it feels like to live beside a popular pop-culture monster that originated from Japan. Whichever it is your preference is, we hope that this article about these odd and cool hotels in Asia has been insightful! Till next time! Take it easy.
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