Every Stay In This Ultra-Hip Airbnb Alternative Is Curated For A Maximum 'Coolness' Factor

While traditional booking sites are filled with generic listings and uninspiring accommodations, Coolstays.com provides an ultra-hip alternative, catering to travelers seeking stays with a quirky style and personality. The founders developed this site after becoming frustrated with the run-of-the-mill properties found on mainstream rental platforms, most of which are, well, not very cool. 

Launched in the U.K. in 2013 and now boasting over 3,000 properties worldwide, Cool Stays handpicks unique and unusual places to stay — take your pick from restored vintage trains, a working windmill, a 16th-century fort overlooking the sea, and even an 18th-century jail turned hotel. And to top it all off, sustainability is an important part of the company ethos. The company is officially certified as carbon neutral, has partnerships with wildlife organizations, and uses a rating system to highlight eco-friendly stays, many of which are powered by renewable energy. Hip indeed.  

Unusual stays range from the dreamy to the unexpected to the way off the map. Have you ever wanted to rest your head in an actual castle? Look no further; through Cool Stays you can spend the night (with your family, extended family, and many of your friends) in the fairy-tale-like Middleton Castle, which sleeps up to 30 guests in 15 bedrooms! Located in the eastern part of England, it was built in the 15th century and is completely surrounded by a moat. After nights of sleeping like royalty, explore the nearby beaches of Heacham Beach or embark on safari-like tours in the Watatunga Wildlife Reserve. The spiritually or romantically inclined can choose a stay in a restored Gothic church in Somerset, with decorative touches like beautiful stained glass windows, a hot tub, and a homey cinema room. In Southern Italy, guests can sleep in hotel suites that have been carved into ancient caves overlooking Murgia National Park. 

Those willing to venture pretty far off the map should consider heading to the Peace and Quiet Hotel in the Swedish Lapland countryside. This luxury lodge is a magical Arctic destination to experience the Polar Night and is only accessible by dogsled, snowmobile, or boat. These rooms with glass ceilings and fronts are perfect for viewing the Northern Lights at night, after spending days enjoying the spa's cryotherapy treatment or saunas, interacting with reindeer, skiing, or dogsledding.

Cool Stays allows you to conduct specific searches for sustainable properties and rates each property according to its eco-friendliness. For example, on the western coast of Scotland's Isle of Mull, the Treshnish Shepherd's Hut delivers a cozy glamping experience. It's received a Green Tourism Gold Award along with a 5-leaf eco-rating from Coolstays, the highest you can receive on the site. Go off-grid in this self-catering hut, complete with an ensuite bathroom with a shower and toilet, a wood-burning stove inside to keep you warm, and a small kitchenette. Soak up the ocean views from the private outdoor bathtub, while sheep and lambs wander about in the neighboring fields, adding to the rural ambiance. There's even a wood-fired pizza oven outside for alfresco dining. There's plenty to do here, including the scenic Treshnish Headland walk and wildlife tours to spot dolphins, whales, basking sharks, and puffins on nearby protected uninhabited islands.

Or imagine staying in an upscale, environmentally friendly treehouse perched high in a forest. The Wolf Wood Spa Treehouse, located near Devon, England, features an outdoor hot tub, a sauna, a fully equipped kitchen, and lots of floor-to-ceiling windows to take in all the leafy views. This property has also earned a Green Tourism Gold award for their use of solar panels and biodiversity efforts, like planting over 600 trees since 2017. And after just a short drive from the treehouse, you can reach one of Britain's oldest forests in a national park and a rainforest waterfall hike near a lush river gorge.

For those wanting something swankier and more modern, Cool Stays even features an eco-friendly converted Boeing 727 plane, the PYTCHAir. Located in Bristol, England, this eco-retreat is powered entirely by over 300 solar panels. Even though it's among the highest-scoring properties for eco-friendliness, you won't be lacking in creature comforts here: the plane is decked out with a retro-glam wooden interior with glitzy lounges, an outdoor private hot tub and shower, and a fully fitted cockpit. Experience your own private jet without the jet lag!