Stay At These Unique and Original Hostels

Gyreum: Sligo, Ireland
Stuck in the ground at the end of the plateau of Moytura in Ireland's County Sligo, Gyreum is a huge, spacious, hobbit-like building that has been dug into the hillside. The mammoth, round, 100-foot wide structure is aligned to the dawns and dusks of both the summer and winter solstices when beams of sunlight light up the central hall. Guests can stay in dorms circling the "round hall" which is perfect for yoga and meditation.

Praakli Farm: Saaremaa, West Estonia, Estonia
This farmhouse, built from natural wood and flagstone, is steeped in 400 years of history. It enjoys a beautiful location in a peaceful place surrounded by organic fields and a forest. On the hostel's farm are sheep, chickens, cats, dogs and bees. Guests can stay in the main guestroom, a separate barn house or a "sauna cottage" and eat fresh, organic breads, vegetables, honey and other foods made right on the farm. There's even a playground making it a good destination for family trips to nature.

Sumpter Stockade & Hostel: Sumpter, Oregon, US
This hostel, located in a mining town of 175 people, was built by the owners' own hands in the spirit of the way things were done so long ago. Once inside this real stockade, you will find yourself immersed in an Old West military fort setting, complete with barracks, saloon and mercantile, all surrounded by a 10-foot high stockade wall. Patrons sleep on old-style cots in the upstairs of the barracks, which is equipped with modern bathroom and shower, and even laundry facilities.

Carbisdale Castle Youth Hostel: Carbisdale, Scotland
Carbisdale Castle Youth Hostel was built for the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland. Since then it has housed the wealthy and influential and even served as a royal refuge. Today, reborn as a hostel, the Castle treats its guests like royalty with a large art collection and an impressive collection of Italian marble statues on display in a main gallery. And, of course, rumor has it that the hostel is haunted. Staying here is an amazing experience not to be missed.
                                     

Skalkaho Poor Farm: Hamilton, Montana, USA
The Skalkaho Poor Farm is nestled in the Bitteroot Valley near Hamilton, Montana. Originally built in 1910, this Skalkaho ("Land of the Beaver") homestead was one of the original farms on the east side of the valley. Its orchard has produced apples, pears, apricots and plums. The owners raise and train Arabian horses. Lodging consists of one dormitory style room with four beds as well as an authentic-style crow teepee for camping with an awe-inspiring view of the Bitteroot and Sapphire mountains.

Villa Rivercat: North Goa, India
Nestled behind the sand dunes of the sleepy Goan fishing village of Mandrem is the Villa Rivercat, situated between ocean and river. This is the vision of Rinoo Sehgal, a creative mind and traveler; all that lay before him when he found the site in 1991 was a beautiful river creek flowing into the Arabian Sea. Inspired by the surrounding nature, he designed and built a spacious retreat from local stone and wood, and then furnished the building with artifacts both from his travels and from artists who have stayed in the hostel. In fact, artists get a 10 percent discount.

Guests will enjoy a close relationship with the tropical environment; exotic trees, shrubs and creepers line the garden that merges with the lush creek beyond. If rooms aren't available, the riverfront hammock is for rent as well.

Sepilok Jungle Resort: Sandakan, Malaysia
The Sepilok Jungle Resort, enclosed inside a tropical virgin rainforest, will take its travelers back in time and closer to nature. It is set amidst beautiful landscape gardens and thousands of acres of tropical rainforest. The Sepilok Jungle Resort is truly the perfect getaway for a rejuvenating experience with a garden setty, pavilion,restaurant, watchtower and more.

Shiplake Mountain Hostel:
Dunmanway, Cork, Ireland
In this hostel in West Cork, guests can stay in a charming traditionally stone built farmhouse or in one of the romantic gypsy barrel-top caravans. This amazing location is nestled in a superb setting on the foothills of the Sheehy Mountains. Just 30 kilometers from the southwest coast, this hostel is a true paradise for walkers, cyclists and other lovers of the great outdoors.

Bali Homestay Program: Tabanan, Indonesia
Bali Homestay Program is located in a beautiful Balinese village near the mountains and surrounded by rice fields. What is most intriguing about this hostel is that it is dedicated to help improve the education and environment of the village.

Guests stay with a host family, and can sign up for programs that include a lesson in Balinese culture, give an English lesson to the local children or make hiking visits to the west and east villages.
In fact, the accommodation cost covers all of these along with a charitable donation to the village's children.

HI-Point Montara Lighthouse: Montara, USA
On the rugged California coast, just 25 miles south of San Francisco, sits the Point Montara Fog Signal and Light Station. Established in 1875, the historic lighthouse and turn-of-the-century buildings have been preserved and restored by HI-AYH and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard. The hostel offers great views of the annual migration of gray whales between November and April.

For more information, visit Hostelworld.

(Source: Hostelworld)