Next time you’re looking for a hotel, why not rest your weary head somewhere a little unusual? From survival-pod hotels in Amsterdam to dog-themed motels in the U.S., there are plenty of strange places out there in which to catch some shut-eye:

Dog Bark Park Inn: Pit stops to kitschy roadside attractions are a staple of any family car trip across America. So if you find yourself passing through Cottonwood, Idaho, be sure to stay at the Dog Bark Park Inn, www.dogbarkparkinn.com, a B&B guesthouse inside the World’s Biggest Beagle. This two-storey wooden structure, built to look like a big dog, offers simple accommodations at $92 US/night (including breakfast, which thankfully isn’t kibble). For a lasting souvenir, check out the gift shop’s “chainsaw art,” a collection of wooden beagle carvings.

The Capsule INN: If you’re claustrophobic, Japan’s Capsule Inn, capsuleinn.com, may not be for you. Located in Akihabara, an electronics district of Tokyo, the hotel has 10 floors offering space-efficient sleeps in coffin-like suites. Each capsule has blinds, a TV, radio, alarm clock, lights and air-conditioning, all of which must be controlled while in the sleeping position — the capsule is so small, you can’t stand up.

Capsule Hotel: Seems like small spaces are all the rage these days. Amsterdam’s Capsule Hotel, capsulehotel.info, offers oil rig survival pods in which to spend the night. Originally built in 1972, these bright orange life rafts are now being used as quirky accommodations. They’re a bit of a tight squeeze but for those who want to get in touch with their inner survivor this sounds like an interesting way to do it.

Woodlyn Park: This New Zealand complex has an eclectic mix of strange lodging choices. You can sleep in a 1950s Bristol Freighter Plane, which is said to have been one of the last Allied planes out of Vietnam.

You can hop on the Waitomo Express, a refurbished rail carriage that sleeps six or you can pretend you’re in Bilbo Baggins’ Shire, sleeping in an underground Hobbit-esque cottage. Woodlyn Park’s newest motel attraction is the Waitanic, a converted WWII patrol boat. See woodlynpark.co.nz.

Hoia-Baciu Forest,
Hemp Hotel – As the name suggests, hemp is the theme of the décor. There are five rooms all decorated with THC-free goods. The curtains, the bedding, the soap, the shampoo, even the breakfast are all made from hemp. Their Hemple Temple Night Bar serves up hemp ice cream, seeds and a dozen kinds of hemp beer. Only in Amsterdam! www.hemp-hotel.com

Hoia-Baciu Forest,
Karosta Prison Experience: Just outside Latvia’s capital city, tourists pay to be treated like prisoners and sleep overnight in a former military prison. Karosta (an active prison as recently as 1997) is now a controversial tourist attraction. For those who want to sleep over, visitors should know that luxury has long left the building. Guest “rooms” are former prison cells that are moldy, damp and dark. You can sleep on a wooden plank or a dusty single bed. The bathroom is horrendous and smells like it hasn’t been cleaned since the Soviet era. Overnight at the Karosta prison is a crazy, creepy, comfortless experience…that’s what makes it so awesome. www.karostascietums.lv

– Julia Dimon is co-host of Word Travels, airing on OLN; www.juliadimon.com.