Top Specialty Hotels Around the World Part 1- Stateside

While you can get a great night’s sleep at a chainstore economy hotel, there is so much you would be missing. Expand your horizons and think outside your standard accommodations and check out these amazing specialty hotels around the world. Most of these fall under the category of luxury hotels, but some of these destinations are also affordably priced. Also of note is that many of these specialty hotels are best as Couples Vacation Destinations and are not necessarily family friendly. Here we go.

Blackberry Farm – Walland, Tennessee

As the sun rises over the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the morning mist fades to unveil one of America’s greatest hidden treasures, Blackberry Farm.The farm sits on over 4,200 acres in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. It was rated the best small hotel in America by Zagat Survey in 2004. Bring your appetite and prepare to be delighted with culinary excellence. The menu changes according to items that are seasonally available from the farm itself. Greet the morning with farm-fresh eggs, cornmeal pudding, and buttermilk biscuits smeared in preserves made by the resident “jam lady” with berries all grown on site. You can join her and a nursery-rhyme-worthy cast of characters—the butcher, the baker, the beekeeper, the forger, the gardener, the cheese maker—as they expertly ply their crafts. Or just enjoy the fruits of their labor over a picnic lunch after horseback riding. Come dinner, everyone grabs a rocking chair on the front lawn for bourbon sundowners, before heading into the elegant Amish barn for dinners of bacon-wrapped quail with sweet potato butter or Carolina shrimp with pickled pepper emulsion. Then it’s back to your limestone cottage for a nightcap by the fire. Blackberry Farm is full of romance and ideal for your honeymoon. It is the ultimate luxury Smoky Mountain Vacation. Rates start at $795 with a 2 to 3 night minimum stay.

Post Ranch Inn – Big Sur, California

This amazing cliff hotel sits 1,200ft high, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this upscale, ranch-style boutique hotel is 1.6 miles from the Henry Miller Memorial Library.

The rustic-chic, suites and tree-houses have private decks with mountain or ocean views, and wood-burning fireplaces.. The hotel ticks all of the romance boxes: nighttime stargazing, infinity hot pools overlooking the waves, couples massages, and candlelit restaurant. But there’s also charm in what the hotel lacks, namely, TVs, alarm clocks, pets, and kids. So there’s nothing to distract you from the person cozied up next to you by the fire.

Free perks include full breakfast and loaner cars, as well as yoga, meditation and star-gazing classes. Other amenities include a spa with 2 cliff-top infinity pools, a swimming pool and a fitness center. There’s also a polished restaurant offering ocean-view dining. Rates start at about $1,500 per night.

Airlie – Warrenton, Virginia (Airlie- The Warrenton, VA Hotel, Conference, and Event Center)

Set in 7 buildings surrounding a Georgian Revival–style mansion, this upscale garden hotel on 300 acres is 4 miles from the Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail and 5 miles from the Civil War–era Brentmoor house. Adjacent to the main house, the formal gardens are 118 years old and have largely remained unaltered since their initial plantings. Original garden fixtures include beautiful boxwood hedges, an Italian made bird basin, bird house and sundial.Over 100 varieties of flowers and special ornamental plantings can be viewed on the grounds. With the organic air of a cottage garden, the quiet babbling of a small stream, natural stone fences, and tranquil surroundings, it is designed to attract butterflies. A gazebo serves as the focal point of the garden and has become a favorite backdrop for wedding ceremonies and photo sessions. Produce, flowers, and herbs in the four acre organic garden have been cultivated for more than 20 years. This garden provides a variety of herbs and cut flowers for the restaurants located at Airlie. Find rooms from $335 per night. Find Cheap Flights into Washington Dulles International or Ronald Reagan National Airport- as they are the closest airports to the Airlie.

The Original Treehouse Cottages – Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Feel like a kid again when you stay in this treehouse hotel nestled in the Ozark Mountains. Designed and hand-built by owners Terry and Patsy Miller, the seven treehouses are spread across two locations in Eureka Springs. The three treehouses “in town” are built on a wooded hillside and located just a few minutes from the historic downtown; the four treehouses located in the “hidden forest,” a mile away on 33 acres of tall pine trees, offer complete seclusion. All treehouses are artfully crafted and feature Jacuzzi tubs, vaulted ceilings, picture windows, full kitchenettes and decks as well as easy access to outdoor activities and hiking trails in the Ozarks. You can have your very own private treehouse starting at about $160 per night, making this an incredibly affordable romantic getaway or Cheap Vacation Spot for Your Honeymoon.

You will want to keep in mind that some of these vacation destinations are somewhat rural. You can find the Best Rental Car Deals and flight deals at MySitti.com. We want you to have the most memorable vacation experience possible. Check out part 2 of our blog on Top Specialty Hotels around the World for more amazing “outside the box” lodging.