Sweden's five weirdest hotels

The Tree Hotel, which opens in northern Sweden this week and gives tourists the chance to live in one of several ultra-modernist treehouses, is just the latest addition to and impressive line-up of eccentric Swedish hostelries. The Ice Hotel is perhaps the most famous, but here are some of the others:

• Seven Swedish designs that will blow your mind (9 Feb 12)
• What's On in Sweden (9 Feb 12)
• Q&A with Swenglish comedy star Ben Kersley (2 Feb 12)

1. Hobbit life: the Norrqvarn Hotel in the town of Lyrestad by the Göta Kanal offers guests the chance to live like Frodo in dinky little cabins built in the shape of tree stumps. The hotel calls them ‘Trollstubbar’ or ‘Troll Stumps’, and they are simply furnished. There are two cabins, one with a double bed, and another with a double bed and a bunk bed. They cost from 890 kronor per night. Phone: +46 501-507 70, Email: reception@norrqvarn.se

2. The high-life: well, not so high really. Jumbo Stay might be a hotel in a Boeing 747, but these days the plane stays firmly on the ground. The plane, which is parked at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, has three-bed hostel rooms with shared bathrooms, plus a cockpit suite with views over the airport. Prices from 400 kronor per night. Phone: +46 8 593 604 00, Email: info@jumbostay.com  

PICTURE GALLERY OF SWEDEN'S WEIRDEST HOTELS

3. Forest life: it’s billed as Sweden’s most primitive hotel, but the huts at Kolarbyn in the woods of Bergslagen are cosy nonetheless. The hard beds are equipped with warm sheepskin rugs and wood-burning fires. You fetch fresh water from the spring and wash your dishes in the creek. If you want to explore the area, you are provided with a canoe and a wooden rowing boat. You can also sweat in Kolarbyn’s floating sauna. The huts are available between June 11 and August 15 and cost 350 kronor per person per night. Breakfast costs an extra 65 kronor. Phone: +46 70 400 7053 Email: info@kolarbyn.se

4. Bird life: the Tree Hotel was not the first place in Sweden to offer tourists treetop living. For the past twelve years, adventurous holidaymakers have been able to head to Hotell Hackspett, or Hotel Woodpecker, 13 metres above Västerås’s Vasaparken. The brainchild of artist Mikael Genberg, the treehouse is reached by a hand operated lift and has space for two people. You choose to go half board and get breakfast and dinner delivered to your terrace. Phone: +46 21-39 01 00, Email: malarstaden@vasteras.se

5. Underwater life: perhaps the most eccentric of all, Utter Inn is located three metres under Lake Mälaren. Like Hotell Hackspett, Utter Inn was created by Mikael Genberg. With space for just two people, the ‘hotel’ is entered via a little red and white floating cottage, which also contains a toilet and a kitchen. The Utter Inn (literally Otter Inn) also has a sun deck on which to while away the lazy summer days. Phone: Tel: 021-39 01 00, Email: malarstaden@vasteras.se

SEE ALSO: SWEDEN'S LATEST HOTEL EXPERIENCE - UP A TREE