Staying in a hotel usually means vacation time, which is already fun enough; but staying in an exceptional one can really take it to the next level. Whether it’s top notch service, authentic design elements, or a unique feature that makes the home-away-from-home one of a kind, guests are likely to tell others about it.
Today, we have an entire list of pictures of hotels that were so interesting or cool, people just had to share it. Scroll down to see what made them stand out from all the rest for these guests and start planning your next getaway; maybe to a unique hotel somewhere?
#1 I Accidentally Left My 3-Year-Old’s Favorite Bunny At A Hotel For A Week. The Hospitality Was Top-Tier
Image credits: partiallyanonymous
#2 My Favorite Thing About Coming Back To The Hotel Was To See What My Dog Was Doing Each Day
Image credits: im_smog_
#3 Tokyo Hotel Services Are So Good
Image credits: tiredopcl
Leaving a lasting impression and making sure the guest has a pleasant experience is arguably the mission of every hotel out there. And it’s not difficult to see why; with competition this huge, any little thing that might make it stand out from the rest can put it one step ahead of said competition.
According to data from 2023, there are roughly 700,000 hotels and 17.5 million guest rooms worldwide.
#4 Whenever I Stay At A Hotel, I Always Request A Photo Of John Goodman By The Nightstand. Legoland Is The Only Hotel That Delivered In The 10+ Years I've Been Requesting It
Image credits: CeleryintheButt
#5 The Bars Of Soap At The Hotel I'm Staying At Have The National Human Trafficking Hotline
Image credits: icemage27
In order for hotels to remain competitive and profitable, the people responsible have to make sure they have their ducks in a row in regards to their commercial strategy. According to a seasoned hospitality professional, Glenn Carroll, this includes working on three levels: performance, process, and people.
In a piece for the Glion Hospitality school, Carroll pointed out that it’s crucial to know your position in the industry. “To begin with, it’s important to look in detail at the current situation, by carrying out a commercial audit. For example, which segment or segments are you operating in? Where does your business come from channel-wise? Who are your competitors and what do they do? It’s absolutely crucial for a hotel to establish where it is today before it can look at where it wants to be tomorrow.”
#6 Humans Are So Cute
Image credits: LouisPeitzman
#7 Cleaned A Hotel Room With A Shark Plush On The Bed. Left This Little Scene For The Guests To Find
Image credits: OkiDokiPanic
#8 This Hotel In Paris Shows Which Languages The Employees Speak
Image credits: AROMAXXEM
After successfully identifying the hotel’s place in the field, it might be time to work on certain strategies or perks that might benefit the guests. These often include promotions or, as seen in some of the pictures of this list, exceptional features that might make the guests come time and again (or at least tell their friends about it, this way enabling word of mouth marketing).
According to SiteMinder, only 14% of travelers say that their chosen property is “simply a place to sleep”, meaning that providing them with the most basic amenities is unlikely to be enough.
#9 This Sticker In A Hostel In Ghent Preventing People From Walking Into A Glass Door
Image credits: GermanicUnion
#10 Hotel Stores Their Automated Lawnmower In A Dog House
Image credits: YOUSHOUTEDTHIS
#11 Hotel Has Plants You Can Borrow For Your Room
Image credits: TuxedoFloorca
SiteMinder also revealed that over one-in-four globetrotters start their research using a search engine like Google, showing just how important it is for hoteliers to work on their websites and online presence.
And while tending to their websites or social media platforms, it’s crucial for hotels to provide all the information regarding what they have to offer, as netizens seem to be quite specific with their searches - statistics show that 70% of hotel searches on mobile devices are for a specific type of amenity; for example, “hotel with an indoor pool” or “hotel with jacuzzi in room.”
As a matter of fact, mobile searches with the “hotel with …” combination have grown over 60% over the past couple of years, meaning that it’s important to make sure the websites are mobile-friendly, too.
#12 The Airbnb I'm Staying At Has A Glow-In-The-Dark Toilet Seat
Image credits: ActuallyStephen
#13 My Hotel Room Shower Has A Circular Cutout In The Glass That Lets You Turn On The Water Without Getting Wet
Image credits: Patarokun
#14 Original Inca Wall In My Hotel Room In Cusco, Peru. It Has Been Around For 800 Years And Belonged To The Palace Of The Ancient Capital Of The Inca Empire
Image credits: Agmm-cr
An Oracle survey from 2022 found that the pandemic has been a major influence on people’s preferences and desires regarding accommodation options; nowadays, more than 70% of respondents reportedly want hotels to offer technology that minimizes contact with the staff and other guests.
“The pandemic has established technology’s role in the guest and associate journey, and the industry is never going back,” said the senior vice president and general manager at Oracle Hospitality, Alex Alt. “Whether a hotel organization has two properties or 2,000, guests are looking for the highly digital, self-service experience they have come to expect in other parts of their lives, from banking to ordering food. For hoteliers to meet these demands, especially with constrained property staffing, they need systems that will enable them to quickly adapt, ‘plug in’ new services, and better and more efficiently serve a diverse group of travelers.”
#15 There Is A Hotel In Madrid That Labels Room Items By Their Name
Image credits: doesnot_matter
#16 Pool-Themed Restrooms In A Hotel
Image credits: Stahlwachtel
#17 My Hotel Has A Nutella Dispenser
Image credits: khazzaam
According to the Oracle survey, more than nine-in-ten travelers admit not missing being around other people while staying on a hotel property. In addition to that, roughly four-in-ten of them say that they now want a fully self-service model, with staff only available upon request.
The data from the survey also emphasized the importance of convenience that technology can provide the hotel guests: nearly half of respondents said that on-demand entertainment access, which seamlessly connects to their personal streaming or gaming accounts, tops the list of the must-have amenities during their stay.
In addition to that, more than 40% of respondents said they’d like to have voice-activated controls for all amenities in their rooms—such as lights, curtains, and door locks, among other things—while roughly one-in-four reported wishing for room controls that auto-adjust temperature, lighting, and even digital art based on pre-shared preferences.
#18 I’m Obsessed With The Housekeeping Staff In This Hotel. Every Time They Make Up The Bed, They Lay My Sylvanian Figurine Down. It's A 10/10 Moment That Brightens My Day
Image credits: wkd_witch0
#19 The Reasons This Hotel Gives You For Not Wanting Anyone To Enter
Image credits: Accomplished_Cook508
#20 This Awesome Chocolate Fountain At The Hotel I’m Staying At
Image credits: Puzzleheaded-Scar589
Oracle also revealed what amenities or exceptional features people are willing to pay additionally for, the most popular of which being a beautiful view; or at least the chance to choose their view. Next in line was the option to choose the room itself, followed by a spa, wellness, or fitness services, and choosing which floor to live on.
Some of the amenities on this list seemingly surpass the benefits of choosing one’s floor or the room, often becoming the detail that makes the hotel stand out from the rest. If you’d like to browse more hotels that ought to stand out as one-of-a-kind, too, check out the unique features of hotels on this list or browse this one for more similar content.
#21 This Hotel Has More Exit Signs On The Ground Than On The Ceiling
Image credits: FishFearMe1
#22 This "Black Cloth" In The Hotel Bathroom
Image credits: NativeSonSF
#23 The Hotel I'm Staying At Has Three Different Types Of Plug Sockets
Image credits: McMrChip
#24 My Hotel Tonight Has A Titanic-Themed Pool
Image credits: mazey20
#25 The Phone In My Hotel Room Has A Button For Bedtime Stories
Image credits: agelesstiger
#26 Wooden Floor Imitation Carpet In My Hotel Room
Image credits: nebuchadonezzar
#27 This Honey Container From My Hotel Breakfast Buffet Is Edible
Image credits: Tanakaaa1998
#28 This Hotel I'm Staying At Writes Happy Notes On Their Bananas
Image credits: TheMicMic
#29 Spent The Evening In A Hotel Made Of Ice
Image credits: KCousins4President
#30 My Hotel Has This Shower
Image credits: sergeyager
#31 There Is A Ridiculous "Pillow Menu" At The 110-Year-Old Hotel We Are Staying At
Image credits: socksaremygame
#32 There's A $100 Fine For Eating Durian Fruit In My Hotel In Vietnam
Image credits: Schmargen
#33 My Hotel In Istanbul Served A Whole Honeycomb For Breakfast
Image credits: theyouarehere
#34 This Hotel Room Door Has A Second Peephole For Handicapped People
Image credits: trickworm
#35 The Hotel I’m Staying In Has A DVD Player And A Collection Of DVDs You Can Watch
Image credits: Shoelesshobos
#36 A Hotel Where The Rooms Have Location Names Rather Than Numbers
Image credits: Jojuj
#37 The Hotel I’m Staying At Has One Room Door With A Microwave Mounted In It
Image credits: Katsaj
#38 My Hotel In Tokyo Has An Emergency Seat In The Elevator
Image credits: Kiriketsuki
#39 This Hotel Has Potato Express Room Service
Image credits: pablo_the_bear
#40 Our Hotel Room's Bath Filled Up From The Ceiling
Image credits: westy1980
#41 This Hotel Gives You A Phone To Use While You're Staying
Image credits: luckandfun
#42 The Hotel I'm At Changes The Elevator Mats Throughout The Day
Image credits: cwm2355
#43 The Hotel Mirror Has A Built-In Heater To Prevent Fogging
Image credits: Gone_Mads
#44 This Hotel Alarm Clock Shows The Time On 3 Sides
Image credits: Beatrixie
#45 My London Hotel Room Has An Arrow Pointing To Mecca
Image credits: Jcee95
#46 This Hotel Has Different Soda Brands On Different Floors
Image credits: Impracticalweeb
#47 This Hilton Hotel Had A Poster In The Elevator That Described The Average Wait Times And Traffic For Breakfast Service
Image credits: jkSmartBoy
#48 My Hotel Has A Bunch Of Trophies From Various Years For "Most Original Tub"
Image credits: birdswithfriends
#49 These "Complimentary" Dumbbells In My Hotel Room
Image credits: Pigbenis33
#50 Hotel Bookshelf Levels Out Book Height
Image credits: bumada
