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USA Holiday Homes with the Wow Factor

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Some holiday homes know how to make you look twice. From architectural delights to fabulously OTT creations this collection of unusual places to stay around the United States will have you dreaming of a getaway to remember.

The Mirrored House, California

An unexpected and stunning contrast against its natural surroundings, the Mirrored House is made from the same kind of mirrored, tempered glass that you’d usually find on a skyscraper in a city.

As you can see in the image above, the home’s unique architectural design has it slightly elevated above the ground so it almost looks like it’s floating from some angles. Inside is the modern open floor plan includes a 30-meter indoor swimming pool, a day bed, a living area with a flat-screen TV, DVD library and WIFI connection for endless entertainment.

The Mirrored House has room for up to six guests in three bedrooms with four bathrooms to share. Prepare meals in the state-of-the-art kitchen and enjoy your mirror-home-cooked meal in the open dining area. Go hiking and sightseeing, or pay a visit to Downtown Joshua Tree which is just 10-minutes away before coming home to watch the way those desert sunsets are reflected on your holiday home.

The Mirrored House bedroom
The Mirrored House pool

The Bloomhouse by Lodgewell, Texas

Looking like something out of a fairytale, the Bloomhouse by Lodgewell is a magical holiday retreat. Its unique shell-like interior doesn’t have a single straight line to be found, and whether you’re inside or out you can expect to be spellbound by its flowing shapes.

Read: The most amazing themed hotel rooms in the world

Found in West Austin, the Bloomhouse only has one bedroom but manages to sleep up to four. Hang out in the sunken living room, sit in one of the benches in the tower, or relax on the outdoor patio and just look back at the sculpture you’re calling home for the night.

The Bloomhouse by Lodgewell exterior
The Bloomhouse by Lodgewell interior
The Bloomhouse by Lodgewell bedroom

The Birdcage, California

You may be a long way from Miami’s South Beach, but at The Birdcage in Palm Springs it’s all about Miami Glam fabulousness. Inspired by Mike Nichol’s 1996 cult comedy classic, the Birdcage is full of pops of colour and retro fun. 

Read: Where to go glamping on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast

The Birdcage sleeps up to six guests in three bedrooms, the Toucan Room, the Flamingo Room and the Peacock Room. Take a dip in the saltwater pool or star gaze from the hot tub, enjoy a backyard barbecue and toast marshmallows over the fire. There’s even a newspaper stand mural of the Birdcage bus stop complete with a newspaper stand for when you take turns playing Armand and Albert.

The Birdcage Palm Springs living area
The Birdcage Palm Springs bedroom flamingo
The Birdcage Palm Springs exterior

The Swinging Sixties, California

Old Hollywood glamour with a funky twist, The Swinging Sixties is an explosion of vibrant greens, sunny yellows and hot pinks. Designed by Cary Bigman, built by Milton Seidner and decorated by Vera Seidner, the home has been kept in meticulous condition to become a one of a kind time capsule in Palm Springs. 

The vintage furnishings extend from the decadent dining area to the brightly coloured bedrooms and bathrooms where you can lie back in the huge sunken poured terrazzo tub. Whip up a cocktail in the wood-panelled Tom Jones lounge and put on a tune on the fully restored Wurlitzer jukebox, before heading out to lounge by the pool and spa with views of the San Jacinto Mountains.

Swinging Sixties bedroom
Swinging Sixties lounge
Swinging Sixties bath

Warhol and Wine, California

The eye popping Palm Springs looks continue at Warhol and Wine where there’s a whole lot going on inside and out.  There are four individually themed bedrooms including a Barbie room with some classic and collectible dolls on display, and a blue room where Kate Moss and Twiggy watch over you.

Outside Atlas and friends can be found around the pool where a cocktail bar is waiting for you to create your favourite tipple. Grab a seat by or in the pool to watch the sunset then gather around the gas fire pit to roast marshmallows and look at the stars.

Warhol and Wine pool
Warhol and Wine lounge
Warhol and Wine bedroom

The Plant at Kyle, Texas

Known as “the world’s largest screened-in porch,” this limestone and steel masterpiece is not your average family or friends getaway.

The Plant at Kyle started life as a shed at the Alamo Cement Plant and has now been moved to a new location outside of Austin and transformed into a private residence and holiday home. The pet-friendly house, which has won a number of architectural awards, sleeps up to ten guests in six bedrooms.

The large living space has a huge inglenook fireplace to gather around, while outside there’s a pool to splash in and lie beside.

The Plant at Kyle exterior
The Plant at Kyle dining area
The Plant at Kyle Interior

The Old Life-Saving Station, New York

If you have a penchant for vintage-style holiday retreats then the Old Life-Saving Station is for you. This former coastguard station dates back to the 1800s and has been featured in Lena Dunham’s Girls and the Undoing with Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman. Fall in love with the gorgeously renovated interiors, preserving the farmhouse feel with high windows inviting the natural light, vintage furniture, and a fireplace to curl up beside during the winter nights.

Read: The spookiest haunted hotels and Airbnbs

The lovely home can accommodate up to 14 guests in six bedrooms with four bathrooms, and there’s plenty of room for everyone around the huge dining table. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the outdoors walking towards the spectacular private beach or spend some time exploring the local farms and nearby North Fork wine trail. 

The Old Life-Saving Station exterior
The Old Life-Saving Station interior.
The Old Life-Saving Station kitchen

Montana Treehouse Retreat, Montana

Fulfill your childhood fantasy of staying in a treehouse at the Montana Tree House Retreat.  This holiday home’s unique craftsmanship earned it a segment on the DIY Network where viewers could see its spiral staircase has been custom crafted around a giant Douglas fir tree.

The treehouse may only have one bedroom but it can sleep up to four guests on three beds, and has two bathrooms to share. With padded benches to sit back with a cup of hot chocolate and look out over the woodland the treehouse is a lovely setting for both a romantic retreat or family getaway.

Montana Treehouse exterior
Montana Treehouse bedroom
Montana Treehouse interior

The Shire of Montana, Montana

Feel the magic of Tolkien’s Hobbit at The Shire of Montana. Explore the Elven village that comes to life at night with a display of lights before spending the night in your Hobbit-themed home.

The cottage has one king bedroom and one very small guest bedroom, and while there’s a wood-burning stove to sit around because the cottage is entirely underground it stays a nice and constant 55 degrees. Grill up dinner on the outdoor barbecue and if you’re a stargazer you lose track of time as you look up at the Milky Way.

The Shire of Montana entrance
The Shire of Montana Shaun's Castle
The Shire of Montana interior

The Blackthorne, California

About an hour north of San Francisco, just outside of Point Reyes, The Blackthorne feels like a magical treehouse where four fabulous floors are connected by a handmade cedar spiral staircase.

Sitting on three private acres and surrounded by National Park this unusual holiday home is a serene yet quirky retreat for family and friends. The Blackthorne sleeps up to 12 guests in six bedrooms with six bathrooms. There’s a walk-in stone fireplace, castle-like turrets, an atrium built with floor-to-ceiling glass doors from San Francisco’s former train station, and a family room to hang out and watch movies and play board games.

Read: The best glamping holidays in America

You can do yoga on the main deck, play tennis on your private tennis court, and hike to the nearby national park before relaxing in the hot tub after a fun-filled day. There’s also plenty of parking if you want to ship a vehicle here for an extended stay or to road trip your way back from California.

The Blackthorne Exterior
The Blackthorne bedroom
The Blackthorne deck

Sunset View Mansion, California

Up in the Hollywood Hills this two-storey home is an explosion of entertainment and fun. From the moment you step through the front door there’s a lot to take in from the giant Popeyes to the incredible dining table with floating candles and the Buddhas in the bathroom.

Mix a cocktail in the bar before taking a seat in the cinema room or heading into the poker room to see who’s got the best poker face. The Sunset View Mansion has five luxurious bedrooms for up to ten guests, and while they all have their charms if you move fast you can snag the master bedroom with its own freestanding tub in the en suite bathroom and glass walls leading out onto the upper deck, or the outdoor bedroom with faux jungle and Buddha statues. Well, that’s if you don’t mind sleeping next to the bar. Wherever you sleep make the most of the infinity pool, hot tub, and outdoor dining looking out over the city from your perch in the hills.

Sunset View Mansion entrance
Sunset View Mansion pool
Sunset View Mansion dining

Chantilly Cream, California

In the exclusive streets of LA’s Bel Air, Chantilly Cream is a modern architectural masterpiece where everything is set in concrete, including the infinity pool and fire pit.

There are eight bedrooms, each with their own fireplaces and access to a balcony or terrace. Walls of glass welcome the natural light into the home where bright pop art and neon furniture bounce off one another, and the chef’s kitchen is a work of art in itself with its LED-lit kitchen countertop made of handblown glass.

Read: The most romantic London hotels

Enjoy a movie night in the home cinema with a projector screen and ten big recliners, and see who has the best form with a cue with a game of billiards, have cocktails around the sunken firepit or grab one of the spots on the loungers submerged in the infinity pool. This luxury property has spacious car park, gym and spa, and welcomes furry friends for an additional fee.

Chantilly Cream exterior
Chantilly Cream firepit
Chantilly Cream interior

The Great Escape Parkside, Florida

Dreaming of an epic family holiday retreat? The Great Escape Parkside has got you covered. All of you.

This mini theme park sleeps up to 54 guests in 15 rooms game-themed bedrooms and has loads of interactive spaces including game rooms, a Jumanji themed movie theatre, two escape rooms, and a laser maze. Expect a lot of laughter and fun in this holiday home where the pool is designed like a huge billiard table, there’s giant waterslide, lazy river, life-size bowling, whack-a-mole, and a ‘big top tent’ where you can play carnival and arcade games. Boredom is not an option.

The Great Escape movie room
The Great Escape game room
The Great Escape pacman room

Reunion Resort Themed Home, Florida

There is a range of Reunion Resort-themed homes near Disney in Orlando, and this one has a sweet boat bed and an out of this world bedroom amongst its themed rooms.

This Reunion Resort home sleeps up to 12 in five bedrooms and has a game room, a New York cab style pool table to play on. There’s a fully equipped kitchen and outdoor dining beside the pool and hot tub, and when it’s time to watch a movie you can get comfy on the bed in the back of the truck in your vintage indoor “Moonlite Drive-In” theatre. Apart from being fun at home, the house comes with unlimited water park entry.

Reunion Resort space room
Reunion Resort boat bed
Reunion Resort drive in

Oodles of Doodles

While it’s safe to say this home wouldn’t be for everyone, for fans of Las Vegas-based artist Pretty Done it’s a chance to sleep in one of his artworks.

Every available surface in this Glendale studio apartment has been given the Pretty Done treatment. The abstract pop artist has covered (almost) every wall floor and ceiling with his work with only the bathroom retaining its plain old grey and marble tiling. The outside of the building is also a work of art with a huge mural covering one of the corners, and art lovers can find even more to admire with the Museum of Contemporary Art just ten minutes’ drive away.

Oodles of Doodles bed and dining
Oodles of Doodles kitchen
Oodles of Doodles living area

So there we have it, some one of a kind homes that you won’t find anywhere else. Which one is calling your name?

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