5 of Europe’s most unique stays

From Liverpool’s Yellow Submarine to a Romanian water mill or a glamping site in Spain, we’ve put together a list of Europe’s most extraordinary and unusual homes for travellers that want an unforgettable holiday.

A disused train station in Portugal

Trainspotters and architecture enthusiasts alike will be drawn to Train Spot Guesthouse, a disused 19th-century train station that’s been lovingly restored as a modern guesthouse. Once the last train station before the Spanish border, the guesthouse now stands as an ode to the industrial era. The original platform serves as the entrance and what was formerly the main hub of the station, is now a gorgeously tiled living and dining room, complete with dark wood ceilings, shuttered windows and small rustic tables.

No need to wait for a train to reach your room however, a short clamber upstairs and you’ll be greeted with a minimal Balearic style space, including a light platform bed and striped wall-hangings for a colourful kick. Try the one-bedroom apartment for a classically Iberian view – all lush green gardens and rocky mountains beyond – before you head down for a breakfast buffet. Right on schedule.

An old water mill in Romania

Housed in an century-old water mill, Pensiunea Moara Lu Antone is a reminder of a time gone by, where agriculture thrived and life was simpler. A family run guest house named after the current owners grandfather, it’s both a preservation of the business that has supported recent generations and a loving testament to the man that started it all. Listening to the babble of the Grădişte River that courses beneath the property, while the mill gently churns and grinds the flour and wheat, is an unblemished snapshot of idyllic country life.

The rest of the property will fulfill all your holiday needs too; spacious bedrooms (some with mountain views), attentive hosts, and homemade breakfasts and dinners, all served from the shaded terrace, overlooking the water and cherry trees beyond.

Tree houses and historic trailers in Austria

Along the shoreline of Lake Hallstatt, Park am See is likely to be the most unusual sight in the area. Here, historic, restored trailers – from ornate wooden numbers to candy-coloured wagons – perch in leafy groves, looking out on the park’s private beach and the lake.

While they’re often decked out in glowing festoon lights and lanterns, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. ‘La Cantarella’ lodge is a 19th-century carved wood wagon complete with a luxurious four poster bed, while ‘Django le gitan’ is a 1930s wagon named after celebrated jazz musician Django Reinhardt, and decorated in punchy art deco style (think swirling red bedspreads and gold lamps). There’s a even a tiny tree house dubbed ‘La Bohème’, complete with a double bed, desk and outdoor terrace – perfect for a well-deserved sundowner.

A musically-themed houseboat in the UK

Never a city to forget its musical heritage, Liverpool’s Yellow Sub draws its inspiration quite literally from The Beatles’ LP. Though not quite a submarine, this 60s-inspired houseboat is a riotous psychedelic retreat and celebration of all things rock.

The living room greets you with a feature wall that’s a wave of bright yellows and purples, and the rest of the space doesn’t hold back on statements either: golden Beatles records hang framed on the other wall, while monochrome leather furniture, zebra-print cushions and the mod scooter from film Quadrophenia help amplify the 60s feel.

Black and gold reign supreme in the bedroom, so lie back, take in the view of the Marina, and stick on a Beatles record. It’s only right.

Bell tents in Spain

Deep within the olive groves of Andalucia, you’ll stumble upon the pretty bell tents of Hidden Valley Andalucia, a secluded glamping spot overlooking the Guadalhorce Valley. More than just your average campsite, these billowing white tents are little Moorish gems on the hilltops that bring you close to the region’s rugged heartland, without scrimping on any luxuries. Generously-sized beds and soft pile Persian rugs keep the floor padded in every tent, and some even have their own private toilet.

Treat yourself to gorgeous plates of sesame seed prawns and pesto mustard salad at dinner, while the setting sun soaks the tents in its afterglow, before the night sky lights up and your little tents are just another dot on the horizon. Surely glamping has never looked this good.