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If ever proof was needed that Switzerland is far from boring, the country’s range of bizarre hotels and lodgings provides it.

It’s a country with a penchant for theme hotels and spectacularly odd buildings. Make no mistake, the country that invented LSD is more than capable of inventing accommodation that looks like it was designed whilst under the influence of it...

The cross-border bed
Where: Hotel Arbez Franco-Suisse

It’s a small mercy that the Europeans aren’t quite as tetchy about border crossing formalities as they once were. If things started getting pernickety again, this cross-border hotel would be a nightmare – imagine having to get your passport stamped every time you go for breakfast. The Arbez Franco-Suisse sits in a rather unique position, directly on top of the border. The rooms are divided into ‘French’ and ‘Swiss’ apart from the honeymoon suite. That’s in both nations, and the boundary line cuts the bed neatly in two. And who could resist consummating a marriage in two countries at once?
More information: www.arbezie-hotel.com

The nuclear bunker
Where: Null Stern Hotel, Teufen

They’ve had a couple of trial runs, and Swiss twins Frank and Patrik Riklin are now preparing to properly open the world’s first zero star hotel. The artist duo have essentially just stuck a few beds into a nuclear bunker, and they’re not pulling any punches about the standards, although they do range from "luxury" (beds from closed-down 4 or 5 star hotels in the region), "first class" (antique beds), to "standard" (military bunk beds). Guests are given ear plugs to block out the noise of the ventilation system, showers are communal and and an entertaining "Wheel of Fate" system is used to decide the showering order. Oh yes, and there are no windows either. They can’t furnish it too much, as under Swiss law they have to be able to convert it back into a nuclear bunker within 24 hours. Still – it’ll be cheap. Prices start at around 10 Swiss Francs per night.
More information: www.null-stern-hotel.ch

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