It may come as a surprise to some that not every motel in the world looks like Motel 6 or Holiday Inn.  My childhood was filled with stays at Best Western, Ramada Inn, and similar establishments, and if a place had an indoor pool, that was exotic and special to me.  I realize now that I had no idea what "exotic" meant.  In Bed in a Tree: And Other Amazing Hotels Around the World I have learned that it is possible to make reservations at an ice hotel, a cave, a prison, an underwater resort, a tree house, and a wine barrel. 

Caves and anything under water are definitely out for me (bats and sharks...need I say more?), but spending the night in an airplane, or the world's biggest beagle (located in Idaho, and don't worry - it's not a real beagle) might be interesting options for the Howard Johnson crowd.