50 places to stay to blow your mind

From glass igloos in Finnish Lapland to wooden spheres suspended in the treetops in Canada; geodesic domes in the Patagonian wilderness to old-school opulence at New York's Plaza Hotel; these are the ultimate in overnight experiences. Not every place is a budget buster; sometimes it's about the spectacular locations, like the gravity-defying Bivacco Gervasutti on Mont Blanc in Italy (page 50). There are places that literally disappear into their surroundings like the Mirrorcube in Harads, Sweden (page 42), and others that stand tall and command attention like the Frank Gehry-designed Hotel Marques de Riscal in Spain (page 92). We've only included a place if it gives us a thrill, opens our eyes, makes us catch our breath and inspires us to see the world through different eyes. We hope they make you smile, make you marvel, and that they motivate you to go on a journey to a new destination.