When was the last time you took a sled from the airport to your hotel? Photo / Snow Hotel
When was the last time you took a sled from the airport to your hotel? Photo / Snow Hotel
Fancy arriving at your hotel by motorbike, Rolls Royce or dogsled? From paragliding into the foyer to private water taxis, these are the world’s most unforgettable hotel transfers, writes Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey.
As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and that goes forhotels as much as people.
Where some hotels around the world might offer a shuttle picking you up at the airport, most rely on you finding your own way, often resulting in you arriving frazzled after an already exhausting journey.
But there are some, who have taken customer service to heart and offer their guests some seriously snazzy ways to arrive in true style, allowing you to get into your holiday frame of mind from the moment you step out of that plane. While these special transfers are not necessarily included in your stay, they are worthwhile splashing out for.
Here are some of the world’s most unique hotel transfers.
If you find yourself in northern Norway, some 400km north of the Arctic Circle, in winter, chances are that you are there for the snowy delights this region offers.
And one definite must-do when in Lapland, the region that stretches across Norway and Finland and is home to the reindeer-herding Sami, is a sled-ride, pulled by huskies. If you are staying at the Snow Hotel outside of Kirkenes, either sleeping in an ice room or a cosy wooden chalet, you can start your adventure right outside the small airport.
The so-called Huski Taxi might not come cheap, at roughly $850 per person, but the start to the holiday enjoyment is immediate and it must surely count as one of the most fun ways of transferring from airport to hotel ever.
Stay at the Snow Hotel outside Kirkenes in Norway. Photo / Snow Hotel
Water tractor, Burgh Island in Devon, England
The stylish Art Deco Burgh Island Hotel is located on the tidal Burgh Island off the Devon coast in the south of England.
At low tide a sand spit connects the island with the mainland, with the hotel’s private Land Rover taking you across, but at high tide walking or driving by car is not an option.
Instead, included in your stay, there is a hydraulic sea tractor specially adapted to allow guests to sit high above the waves while the large wheels securely manoeuvre the waters. It is a unique way of arriving, with the sea tractor especially designed for the hotel in 1969, in exchange for a case of champagne.
Burgh Island Hotel offers a hydraulic sea tractor specially adapted to allow guests to sit high above the waves. Photo / Getty Images
Vintage Rolls Royce, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, St Moritz, Switzerland
In St Moritz, you don’t arrive by plane, but by train. And there will be a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom, once owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II, waiting to carry you in style to the legendary Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, where Audrey Hepburn and Charlie Chaplin once lived the highlife. You can indulge in polo on a frozen lake or get the hotel’s personal shopper to show you the latest in the nearby Chanel boutique. The Rolls Royce is included in your room rate, but needs to be booked in advance, while the Chanel goodies are extra.
Arrive at the famous Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St Moritz, Switzerland, in a Rolls Royce. Photo / Badrutt’s Palace Hotel
Water taxi, Cipriani, Venice, Italy
Just walking out of Venice’s Marco Polo Airport and looking at La Serenissima across the lagoon is special. But having your own gleaming water taxi waiting for you, complete with liveried captain, is so much better. When staying at Hotel Cipriani, guests will be welcomed and whisked across the lagoon on an elegant wooden boat, taking the scenic route along the Canale Grande, below the Rialto Bridge, and past palaces before arriving at the hotel’s own landing spot. Very stylish indeed, and all included in your stay.
Guests of Hotel Cipriani will be welcomed and whisked across the lagoon on an elegant wooden boat. Photo / Getty Images
Paraglider, Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
After a drive from Dubai Airport, and crossing into the Sultanate of Oman, this luxury resort snuggles deep below in a rocky cave. How can you get down there to check in? You can either take the rugged road by 4WD, or, much preferred, leave the suitcases in the car, get strapped onto an experienced paraglider, and jump off the cliff. This region of Oman is famous for its stunning cliffs bordering the Indian Ocean, with endless views along the coast. You might even spot dolphins while sailing down to reception. Surely worth the extra $400 per head?
Paraglide arrival is a unique experience where guests land on the resort beach at Six Senses Zighy Bay. Photo / Six Senses Zighy Bay
Wild water rafting, Pacuare Lodge , Costa Rica
Even if you feel tired after the flight to Costa Rica, this transfer to your hotel will wake you up and put that spring in your step. Staying in the Pacuare eco-lodge promises plenty of adventure and nature galore, so why not get into the right mood from the word go, and arrive by white water rafting down the river famous for its rapids? That should wake you up. And because of the remote location, transfers are included in your stay.
Motorbike taxi, Paris, France
If you are travelling light, and want to get into the Paris city centre beating all the crowds, one of the most fun and thrilling ways to arrive in the city is by motorbike taxi. Any airport, any hotel, just book this in advance, don the provided helmet, hop on the back of the motorbike, and zoom through the traffic, beating public transport every time. Great fun, and quite a different way of arriving in Paris. Alas, you are restricted to a carry-on case plus laptop bag.
Arrive at your hotel in Paris by motorbike taxi. Photo / Ahtziri Lagarde on Unsplash
