Five Crazy Places to Sleep in Australia

There are plenty of places to lay your head for the night while traveling in Australia, but who wants a boring hotel experience? With so much diversity in this huge, amazing country, we have picked our five favorite weird places you could call home for a night or three during your stay.

The Old Mount Gambier Gaol

A functioning jail from 1866 until 1995, The Old Mount Gambier Gaol now offers backpackers the chance to spend the night in prison-chic. The Gaol is recently under new management and has been completely refurbished, with the former chapel now serving as the common room, and all cells facing into the open yard pictured above. A must-see if traveling through Southern Australia.

 

Canopy Tree Houses

Among many Cairns Hotels, this treehouse stay is one of two jungle picks. Located in the tropical Cairns Highlands, this hotel boasts a location close to volcanic rainforest national parks, barramundi fishing and extended wildlife and birding tours. Tours can be tailored to meet your needs, and there is a fantastic spa on premises as well for those who need a little extra pampering.

 

Desert Cave Hotel

There are several cave hotels in Australia, capitalizing on the previous history surrounding opal mining to give guests a truly unique underground experience. The Desert Cave Hotel located in the semi-desert region of Coober Pedy has been around since 1981, and offers underground as well as above ground accommodations for those who’s claustrophobia gets the best of them.

 

Gagudju Crocodile Hotel

 

This pick is something of a cheat, as from the inside, you might barely register the fact that you are staying inside a hotel that is the shape of a crocodile, a call back to the salt water crocodiles you will spot regularly in Kakadu National Park, where the hotel is located. This Northern Australian park is a huge tourist draw for it’s wilderness beauty, including stunning waterfalls, gorges and Aboriginal rock art. This is also the region of the country where the Crocidile Dundee films were shot, and really, who can resist the temptation of being able to tell their friends “I slept in a crocodile while vacationing in Australia”.

 

Daintree Eco Lodge

Our last pick is another Treehouse Lodge, boasting even more spectacular tree house accommodations along with the requisite spa availability (apparently climbing up to your lodging will require at least one hour-long hot stone session to take the kinks out of your back from the hike up). Also featuring fully sustainable, eco friendly tourism packages, this beautiful Queensland hotel nesteled next to the Daintree River was an easy pick for us.

 

We’ve given you five wacky hotels to visit during your trip to Australia. Did we miss any? What are your picks?