Unique Accommodations that will make your vacation Unforgettable

A hotel may be your first choice when looking for a place to stay while on vacation, but should it be?
I’ve stayed in a wide range of unique accommodations from convents to apartments. Hotels offer comfort and a promise of a brand name but sometimes you need think outside the box to secure a memorable and affordable stay.

1. Done Orione Artigianelli Cultural Centre, Venice: That Time I Stayed at a Monastery (& I am not religious)

The morality of my staying in a monastery despite my, let’s say, open-mindedness may be questionable for some, but that’s another post. And at these prices, Mary and Joseph wouldn’t have passed them up either. If you want charm, this place has it. The rooms are spacious, breakfast is included each morning if you can stomach the religious talk before your morning cappuccino, and the monastery has a peaceful courtyard to write, contemplate the meaning of life or get a nice tan as you read. The only real downside I found as a 20-something was that they had a curfew. The Cultural Centre is also connected to the Santa Maria del Rosario church and is practically devoid of tourists in the Dorsoduro sestiere.
Check availability and current rates here.

2. Verona & Elsewhere: College & Universities

Another way to save on money is to stay at a college or university. In my case I stayed at a sort of religious college mixed with a monastery. It was something very new to me. The summer students were Italian guys in their twenties, extremely religious, very flirtatious and not fantastic cooks. We shared a kitchen with the locals, were taken to unique spots within the city and even celebrated a couple birthdays with them. There was a Don who monitored the interaction between Canadian girls immodestly dressed for summer and good Italian boys who he made sure didn’t cross any lines within the confines of his domain.

Although, we did learn a while later over a game of Never Have I Ever in broken English/Italian that the boys had ways of sneaking girls into their rooms late at night. I wonder if they take the cross down above their beds while doing the deed? Anyways, it was a very unique experience staying at this religious college or whatever it was with a group of hormonal girls in their twenties looking to see if what happens in Italy stays in Italy….as long as the Don is sleeping.

3. Vancouver’s UBC Campus Accommodations

This year I stayed at the University of British Columbia’s campus. Despite being an alumnus of UBC at the Okanagan campus, I had never set foot on the Vancouver campus. I decided to stay at the Gage Suites, which are spacious dorm rooms turned into hotel rooms. They come equipped with a full kitchenette, coffee maker and are a great option for an affordable and comfortable stay. I wanted to explore the Kitsilano area, which is primarily a locals’ neighbourhood with no hotels to speak of. So UBC was a quick 10-minute drive from the famous Kitsilano beach. Also…I have to confess, I booked UBC because it is also the filming location of Briar U in the Amazon Prime series Off Campus. I am such a millennial mom! But I loved seeing all the familiar locations from the show. I put on about 10,000 steps just wandering the massive campus.

Check availability and rates here.

4. Think Big for a Big Group: Stay in a Castle!

I had the privilege to stay at the Bansha Castle in Bansha, Ireland for BlogHouse Ireland in October of 2013. The castle provided a charming kitchen, dining room where all our lectures took place, a living room with a fireplace for us all to lounge in the late evenings, and an outdoor seating space for cigars to be smoked and beers to be drunk.
The castle was perfectly located in the village of Bansha, where a classic Irish pub called Nelly’s was run by the lovely lady herself.
If you’re like me and have an odd interest in graveyards, you can also take a stroll over to the local cemetery where I found some very moving and eerie Celtic gravestones.

5. VRBO or Airbnb When It Feels Right

I used to be a big fan of Airbnb and VRBO. I mean, I still book apartments when it feels right, but nowadays, hotel rates are nearly the same price, and you don’t need to clean the room prior to check-out time. But back when Airbnb and VRBO were new and affordable, I had the opportunity to stay in some of the most unique apartments and homes from Hawaii to Scotland. As long as you read the previous reviews, communicate well with the host, and read the entire listing, you can ensure your stay will be a success.

Airbnb has also tried to keep up with Expedia’s recent changes, so now you can book hotels and apartments/homes on either platform. Right now Airbnb is offering credit towards your booking should you reserve a hotel on their site.

6. Wineries or Farmstays

Wineries and working farms can offer unique, up-close accommodations for guests seeking an immersive stay. Here in the Okanagan, wineries offer some incredible stays with vineyard views. In Canada’s organic farming capital, Keremeos, you can find farms like Farmersdotter Garlic Farm, which has stylish individual units with freshly baked goods and farm-fresh eggs. At the Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm or Hana Farms you can actually stay for longer durations in exchange for work on the farm.

These are some of the most unique stays I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I’d love to hear about any and all unique accommodations you’ve ever had, good or bad, tell us in the comments below.

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