Rooms, bathrooms and breakfast buffets can be very nice, but North Rhine-Westphalia has much more to offer for unforgettable nights. Whether spending the night in a tree house on Lake Sorpe, sleeping in a four-poster bed in Wittgenstein or on the water - in our list you will find unusual accommodation options in your NRW.
In natureand in the open air
Holidays in a mountain village and sleeping in a tipi, Schmallenberg
An entire mountain village has been built in Schmallenberg in the Sauerland: LiebesGrün, probably the most northerly mountain village in the German-speaking region, is just the thing for anyone looking for real peace and relaxation - cars are taboo here. Handcarts or free luggage transport are available for luggage. For the night, guests are spoilt for choice: sleep in one of the comfortable mountain huts, which boast their own spa area, or would you prefer an Indian tepee? An added bonus in winter: the cosy, warm stove and your own ski lift, which starts right outside the hut door.
www.liebesgruen.de
Spend the night in nature chalets, Eifel National Park
Haus am See, Waldloft or Eifelliebe - in the climatic health resort of Heimbach, visitors can relax in nature chalets far away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities, yet not far from Cologne, Bonn and Aachen. They are located on a waterfront site in the middle of the Eifel National Park and are completely customised. Guests can paddle on the Rursee, hike through the national park or simply relax by the fireplace or in the sauna.
www.herrliche-aussichten.eu
Panoramic views of the natural surroundings of the Eifel National Park
Also in the Eifel, the Vogelsang IP international site naturally offers beautiful accommodation: Small houses for two to four people with panoramic windows, Finnish sauna and fireplace offer an undisturbed winter idyll in the middle of the Eifel National Park - and are starting points for hikers who are travelling along the Eifelsteig trail and want to visit the former Nazi Ordensburg castle and exhibition.
www.neugrad-eifel.de
A bed in the treetopsSleeping in a tree house
Panarbora Nature Discovery Park, Waldbröl
The Panarbora Nature Discovery Park offers a special nature and sleep experience. Panarbora Nature Adventure Park in Waldbröl in the Bergisches Land region: visitors can spend the night in tree houses. Those who are not free from giddiness can also spend the night in African huts, Asian yurts and South American stilt houses. And the next day, a walk along the 1.6-kilometre barrier-free treetop path with its 40-metre-high observation tower is the order of the day.
Tree house with lake view, Sorpesee
Is this Sweden or NRW? Nature lovers can experience a Nordic holiday feeling in the tree houses Nils, Clara, Michel and Nele on Lake Sorpe in the Sauerland region. The tree houses are located directly on the shore of the lake, so guests have a marvellous view of the water. With their own canoes, tree house residents can take a trip across the lake at any time.
www.sorpesee.com
Sleeping in the city forest, Bonn
At the V-Hotel in the centre of Bonn, visitors can spend a night on the outskirts of the city and surrounded by nature at the same time. Birds and squirrels are the only neighbours in three cosy pine tree houses called "Rotkäppchen", "Rostlaube" and "Waldgeist". But if you're thinking of the wooden huts from your childhood, you're wrong: the four metre high tree houses are 20 square metres in size, have a bathroom and balcony and are located in the middle of the Kottenforst city forest. Fruit and eggs from the neighbourhood are served for breakfast, as sustainability plays an important role in the family-run accommodation.family-run accommodation.
Short break in a tree house, Oberhundem
In Oberhundem in the Sauerland region, holidaymakers can spend the night close to nature. The two houses "Emma" and "Eliza" have each been built in a treetop at the "Zu den Linden" inn. The material for the beds, chairs, table and the entire interior furnishings comes mainly from local forests and was specially made by a carpenter.
www.gasthof-zu-den-linden.de
BaumChalets in the Alpenpark, Neuss
There are a total of 22 tree houses in the Hotel Fire & Ice in the Alpenpark Neuss. They have a large terrace and surprise guests with individual highlights such as an outdoor whirlpool, a sauna or a slide into the forest. There are various attractions right next door, such as a climbing park, the unique fun football facility and a cosy beer garden.
www.alpenpark-neuss.de
Off to the tube!Sewage pipes and sludge barrels
Sleeping in a sewage pipe, Bottrop
Perhaps the most unusual hotel rooms in the country have a diameter of 2 metres and a length of 2.60 metres: in the Bernepark in Bottrop, at a former sewage basin, guests can spend the night in standard sewer pipes. Despite the sparse furnishings, the tubes, which can only be used in the summer months, are so popular that they are quickly booked out.
www.dasparkhotel.net
Spend the night in a sleeping barrel, Lindlar
The sleeping barrels at the campsite in Lindlar in the Bergisches Land region are a little more comfortable, although still small and cosy. A maximum of four people can spend the night in a wooden barrel with a view of the mountains. There is even a heating system to ensure that nobody freezes on cooler nights.
www.mein-campingpark.de
Spend the night in a beer barrel, Ostbevern
Guests at the Landhotel Beverland in Ostbevern in Münsterland can sleep in a beer barrel, among other things. They are spoilt for choice with over 60 themed rooms. These range from an Asian suite to a genuine historic beer barrel from the 19th century - all of which are very comfortable in closed rooms and come with many extras.
www.hotel-beverland.de
Swaying to sleepHolidays by and on the water
Sleeping in a houseboat on the Diersfordter Waldsee lake, Lower Rhine
Houseboats are located directly on the Diersfordter Waldsee lake in Wesel, offering guests a unique view of the diverse flora and fauna. They have been appropriately named "cormorant", "common tern" or "kingfisher". Some boats even have a Finnish sauna with a large panoramic window and a view of the lake. The landlord of the houseboats is Volker Dingebauer. DeinNRW visited the houseboat owner and dairy farmer in his natural gem on the Lower Rhine.
www.hausboot-niederrhein.de
"Floating Houses" on the Xanten North Sea, Lower Rhine
The "Floating Houses" on the Xanten North Sea are also very close to nature. The houseboats, which are moored on jetties on the shore of the lake, literally have the water right on their doorstep. Thanks to the small terrace, there is an ideal place for an idyllic breakfast and romantic evenings with lapping water at sunset.
www.rueckenwind-ferien.de
Sleeping in the Fischerhaus, Münster
Guests will find a similarly beautiful idyll at Hof zur Linde in Münster. The romantic hotel offers comfortable suites in its main building. What makes it special, however, is the Fischerhaus, a small house that is located somewhat off the beaten track directly on the banks of the Werse. In summer, guests can set off directly from there on the hotel's own boat for a short tour of the river.
www.hof-zur-linde.de
Jail House, Bollywood & Amber RoomTheme hotels
Sleep in an aviation cabin, Phantasialand Brühl
White steam rises, the pounding of machines in the background and a revolutionary flying machine shoots into the sky - in the world of Rookburgh at Phantasialand, the pulse of progress is omnipresent. And if you want to experience this world beyond your own imagination during the day and at night, you can stay overnight in an aeroplane cabin in the Hotel Charles Lindbergh. Right in the heart of the theme world. And very close to the soaring skies of the Flying Launch Coaster F.L.Y. Your heart will race with a thirst for adventure.
www.phantasialand.de/hotel-charles-lindbergh
Slumber in the American dream, various locations
True America fans will be thrilled by the Road Stop Motels. Guests can sleep in a waterbed in front of a concert stage or between casino tables under a disco ball - and in the Jail House Room, cots hang on top of each other on the bare wall. The food is accompanied by American burgers, steaks and pancakes. The accommodation is available in Dortmund, Münster, Wuppertal and Mettmann.
www.roadstop.de
Art hotel, Lindlar
The perfect hotel for art lovers can be found in Lindlar in the Bergisches Land region, where house and art merge into one: each of the 14 rooms at the Hotel Artgenossen, which is housed in a listed art nouveau building, is both a place to sleep and an original work by an artist. They have unusual names such as "Alice in Wonderland" or "Tender little drizzle", giving guests a taste of what to expect.
www.artgenossen-hotel.de
Sleeping between Bollywood and the Amber Room, Cologne
One of the most unusual hostels is located in Cologne. In the Belgian Quarter, guests can stay in a "shared flat". Each of the 16 rooms is different, so you can spend the night in a boat bed, a glittering Bollywood dream, a photo studio or a magnificent amber room.
www.hostel-wohngemeinschaft.de
Africa in Sauerland, Sundern
The Sunderland Hotel has brought African flair to Sauerland. If you like, you can spend the night in the Kenya suite with handmade Lamu furniture under a mosquito net or indulge in African food and cocktails in the restaurant. The Kenbali Spa also offers massages and treatments accompanied by African sounds.
www.sunderlandhotel.de
Sleeping next to the ski slope, Neuss
The Fire & Ice Hotel in Neuss takes you to much colder climes. Hotel Fire & Ice in Neuss on the Lower Rhine. Bearskins and tiled stoves, alpenglow and mountain panoramas ensure a cosy mountain feeling and a comfortable slumber. And the best thing is: the next morning, the neighbouring indoor ski centre the piste - even in the height of summer.
For real romanticsHistoric walls
For railway romantics: Former signal box, Büren
Nature lovers can spend the night in a listed railway building right next to the Ringelstein Forest. The Ringelstein signal box, which was built in 1941 and decommissioned in 1962, can accommodate two to three people. Neighbouring hiking routes and cycle paths, such as the Almeradweg, lead directly into nature. Simply romantic, the holiday flat right by the tracks!
www.facebook.com/stellwerk-ringelstein
Spend the night in the old brewery, Münster
Where beer used to be brewed, there is now a design hotel. The exposed clinker bricks and steel girders of the listed building of the former Germania brewery can still be seen today, creating a harmonious contrast between history and modernity. Whether a conference, meeting, family celebration or wedding - the Factory Hotel with its purist style is a particularly unusual venue for any type of event. In our Conference planner NRW you will find even more locations for your event.
www.factoryhotel-muenster.de
Dreaming in the Trafohotel, Solingen
For almost 70 years, a transformer tower supplied the historic Gräfrath district of Solingen with electricity - today, guests can spend the night in the lovingly furnished Trafohotel. The living room with its cosy 20.5 square metres offers a sun terrace with a view of the park and an open fireplace. The coffee house right next door serves fresh coffee and a delicious breakfast.
www.hotel-trafohaus.de
Spend the night in the colliery, Essen
The Alte Lohnhalle in Essen tells stories from times gone by. The miners from the Bonifacius colliery used to be paid their money here, and today guests can spend the night in this industrial monument. With this combination of industrial culture and individual hospitality, the hotel is probably unique far and wide. If this alone is not enough history for you, you can also book a guided tour of the colliery.
www.alte-lohnhalle.eu| www.zeche-bonifacius.de
Rest in prison, Petershagen
In the old district court in Petershagen in the Teutoburg Forest, the prison cells have been converted into simple guest rooms and guests can now come and go as they please. For the most authentic experience possible, the cells are still furnished with metal bunk beds, a three-course last meal is served for dinner and those who wish are even given a striped prison suit to sleep in.
www.altes-amtsgericht-petershagen.de
A stately time-out, Altena
If you prefer splendour, a castle or palace is the right choice for you. There are countless of them in North Rhine-Westphalia and guests can also spend the night in some of them. For example at Altena Castlewhich is home to Germany's first youth hostel. However, it is no longer just open to school classes and children's groups: In addition to large rooms for groups, there are also double and triple rooms. And a medieval adventure atmosphere is always included!
www.jugendherberge.de
A night in the historic town gate, Xanten
In Xanten on the Lower Rhine, visitors can spend the night in the historic town gate, the Klever Tor. The 14th century building connects the historic old town with its cosy cafés and individual shops with the town's green belt - an ideal starting point for shopping trips and excursions into the countryside.
www.xanten.de
Sleeping in the old school building
At the Schulhaushotel, guests stay in former classrooms and the former gymnasium houses a restaurant - where pupils used to sweat, Westphalian regional and Asian cuisine is now served. Three function rooms also offer space for conferences and banquets. The former school building in Schwelm dates back to 1915.
www.schulhaushotel.de
Spend the night in the museum
In Alsdorf, you can spend a night in the Energeticon adventure museum. In the exhibition in the former hoisting machine house from 1905, you are expressly allowed to join in and try things out. During the day, a virtual pit cage takes you several hundred metres into the depths and at night, equipped with a miner's lamp and helmet, you can explore the museum on your own.
www.sleeperoo.de/aufregender-streifzug-durchs-erlebnismuseum
Overnight stays with superlativesRecord holder
Spend the night in the "Mini-Hotel", Herdecke
The smallest hotel in North Rhine-Westphalia, aptly named the "Mini-Hotel", is located in Herdecke in the Ruhr region. Just two single rooms, one double room and a living room are housed under the roof of the old half-timbered house. The cosy, 300-year-old house has inspired many a celebrity in the past - from pop singer Roy Black to painter Friedensreich Hundertwasser.
www.koetterhof.de
"842", Winterberg
And another record: the highest hotel in North Rhine-Westphalia can be found in Sauerland, on the Kahler Asten to be precise. At 841 metres plus four storeys above sea level, the hotel with the beautiful name "Dem Himmel so nah" ("So close to heaven"). The mountain inn was rebuilt in 2005 and now offers guests peace and relaxation above the treetops of the Sauerland.
www.astenturm.com
A night in the diplomatic service, Bonn
In the former capital of the Federal Republic of Germany, travellers can dream themselves into the global political contexts of the past: the world's only embassy hotel makes it possible. In faithfully furnished themed rooms from the 60s, 70s and 80s, guests quickly feel like they are part of the state. With the help of original photos from the Bonn city archives and matching furniture and other furnishings, they imagine themselves back in the days of the Bonn Republic.
www.rheinland-hotel.de
