Some holiday destinations are true virgin territory. The point is not always first class or 5-star, but rather an experiential holiday in a place you never believed existed (…well, perhaps only in your dreams).

Ulusaba private game reserve in Southern Africa has rock lodges built into mounds of rock, which rise majestically from the bushveld. There is a hotel in Sweden built entirely from ice. In Spain, a circular lighthouse is at your disposal; designed by architectural maestro, Frank Lloyd Wright with views of the entire La Manga coastline.

Global rooms with views include treehouses, igloos, cave hotels, private desert islands and magnificent Indian palace hotels. Visit the jungles of Western Ghats, India where you can stay in eco-lodges, or a treehouse built 100ft above ground. For the more culturally minded, an art museum in Japan will accommodate you; or go India and have a royal experience in the tents of the Raj.

From mud huts in Indonesia to Native American hogans in Arizona, there are holiday locations that don’t cost a fortune and are a lot more nuanced. Make it your New Year’s resolution to travel more; to places that will blow your mind! Here are a few of them…

Ulusaba Game Reserve, Southern Africa

Carved deep into the Ulusaba rock itself and elevated high above the great Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve stands the Rock Lodge. This fabulous Rock Lodge is located on a cliff face 243.8 metres (800 feet) above the Sabi Sand Reserve, with breathtaking and sweeping panoramic views of the wild African bush.

Each of the Ulusaba Rock Lodge luxurious 10 bedrooms is air conditioned with private decks overlooking the far-reaching savannah below. The Rock Lodge consists of 4 Rock Cliff Rooms; a superb stand alone, split-level Master Suite; and the Rock Suite, a family suite with 2 bedrooms. For guests wishing to treat their beloved to a super-luxurious experience, exclusive pampering and indulgence await at the new Makwela Suites, which boast spacious outdoor decks with private infinity plunge pools offering breathtaking vistas of the magnificent African bush. This unique lodge is sure to provide a spiritual awakening and adventure that will leave you longing to return to this place of wild beauty.

The Ice Hotel, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

The Ice Hotel stands on the shores of the Torne River, in the old village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland. It is constructed from 10 000 tonnes of ice from the ‘ice manufacturing plant’, the Torne River, and 30 000 tonnes of pure snow generously supplied by Mother Nature. The Ice Hotel is rebuilt every year, creating an ever, evolving space. The temperature in the Ice Hotel varies between -4 and -9 degrees centigrade, depending on the temperature outside and the number of overnight guests.

Rio Caliente, Volcanic Springs, Mexico

Accommodation in the middle of a volcano; you don’t get more millennial than that! Recharge from the source at this ancient Huichol healing sanctuary, whilst enjoying perfect spring weather, no matter what time of year you choose to visit.
Enjoy some of the world’s most delicious low-fat organic gourmet cuisine, yoga, and deep massages.

Jules Undersea Lodge, Florida, United States of America

The world’s first and only underwater hotel: Jules’ Undersea Lodge (formerly La Chalupa research lab) also served as the site of the historic 1995 sea-space link-up. The lagoon is also the site of the Leagues Beyond – SCUBA program, which is a technical dive training and adventure program and houses historical artefacts of early ocean exploration. Both Jules’ Undersea Lodge and MarineLab have been used in research on extended space travel.