If you know me well, or you read my book, it will become clear that I have a penchant for hip hotels. Accordingly, it is with great excitement that I reveal this year's countdown of the top 50 hip hotels. These hotels represent the most innovative, unique and viral hotels that popped up during the year.
If you need more, cruise to our hip hotels database, which has over 1,700 hip hotels.
If you are looking for professional trend research, check out Trend Hunter PRO our 2010 Trend Reports, or our FREE Video of the Top 20 Trends in 2010.
Top 50 Hip Hotels in 2009
50
Droplet Architecture
Hi-Tech Resort Design Especially for Humid Coastlines
49
Bizarre Themed Hotel Rooms
Sleep in Coffins and Lion Cages At Berlin's Propeller Island
48
Hotels on Stilts
Angsana's InOcean Villas are Island-Free Vacations in the Maldives
47
Rockin' Hotel Rooms
The Vegas Hard Rock Hotel Paradise Tower is a Rock 'n' Roll Haven
46
Mobile Hotel Pods
The SLEEPBOX Could Make Hotel Reservations Obsolete
45
Lavish Lavatories
The Upper House Luxurious Bathrooms Impress on Many Levels
44
Self-Service Hotels
Base2stay in London is Budget-Friendly, Looks like a Dorm
43
Shipping Container Hotels
$20 Rooms at 41 Berangan Hotel for Credit Crunch Travel
42
Ice-Age Superstructures
Herzog & De Meuron's Elbe Philharmonic Hall
41
Luxury Bunk Bed Hotels
The Pod Hotel Offers Cute Manhattan Rooms Under $100
40
Billion Dollar Hotels
The Mardan Palace Luxury Surpasses Larger Than Life Status
39
Singing Disco Showers
Retro-Chic Butlins Ocean Hotel Features a Fun Party Vibe
38
Indian Princess Baths
The Alva Park Resort & Spa Features 6-Star Luxury in Costa Brava
37
Stellar Fantasy Suites
Sin City's The Palms Hotel Houses Sizzling Themed Rooms
36
Tree House Resorts
Club Med in Senegal Looks Like Peanuts, Costs Many Sheckels
35
Hoax Hotelicopters
Faux Flying Hotel Sends Bloggers Who Don't Fact Check Into a Frenzy
34
British-American Boutique Hotels
Firmdale Opens the Crosby Street Hotel in NYC
33
Self Serve Nightclubs
Amsterdam's Bartenderless MiniBar is World's First
32
Recycled Aircraft Suites
Costa Verde Hotel's Boeing 727 Airframe Room
31
Stone House Hotels
Amanresorts Villa Milocer Montenegro is a Modern Escape in Historic Setting
30
Drug Themed Nightclubs
Miami's "Opium" is Designed to be a Modern Day Opium Den
29
Vibrant Rainbow Hotels
The G Hotel in Ireland is a Contemporary Design Lover's Pot of Gold
28
Black & White Boutique Hotels
Habita Monterrey Delivers Affordable Luxury
27
Oil Rig Resorts
Sustainable Developments to Beautify Floating Gulf Coast Eyesores
26
Zero Star Hotels
The Null Stern Hotel in Switzerland Is In An Old Bomb Shelter
25
Tacky Travel Destinations
Madonna Inn Shares Name, Age + Gaudy Style With the Material Girl
24
Floating Swedish Hotels
The Salt & Sill is Sweden's First
23
Teeny Boutique Hotels
David Carter Designs the Interior of London's Smallest Hotel
22
Recession Worthy Hotels
The Ace Hotel in NYC Offers Bunkbed Rooms Starting at $99
21
Desert Skyscraper Hotels
The Stone Towers in Cairo, Egypt by Zaha Hadid Are a Cool Oasis
20
Candy-Colored Spas
Rogner's Bad Blumau in Austria is Swank and Sweet
19
Pennies as Floor Tiles
The Standard Hotel New York Uses Currency as Interior Decor
18
Hotels That Inspire Creativity
Groovy Retro-Themed '25Hours Hotel' in Hamburg
17
Docked Cruise Ship Hotels
Vancouver 2010 Olympics Opt For Floating Tourism Solution
16
In-Room Coffee Bars
Viceroy Miami Brings Hollywood Sensibilities to the East Coast
15
Hip Hotel Recession Marketing
Luxury Hotspots Offer Travelers a One Night Stand
14
California Eco-Resorts
Monterey Bay Shores Will Be World's Greenest Getaway
13
Salt Hotels
Please Do Not Lick The Walls in This Bolivian Inn Made Entirely of Salt
12
Competitive Ice Hoteling
Designers Sculpt Their Way to Sweden's Heart
11
Scattered Accommodation
The Pixel Hotel of Linz Has Random Rooms Around the City
10
Artistic Hotel Promos
Eden Rock in St. Barts Offers Free Painting Lesson for Kids
9
Greek Luxury Resorts
La Marquise Rhodes Has Views, a Lagoon Pool. Fitness Suites
8
Seychelles Sanctuaries
Maia Hotel Luxury Villas Offer Pristine Views & Personal Butlers
7
Romantic African Hideaways
Bilila Lodge Kempinski in Serengeti National Park
6
Urban Beekeeping
Rooftop of Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel Is A Hive Heaven
5
Fairy Tale Themed Hotels
Grand Daddy's Goldilocks Trailer in South Africa
4
Eco-Friendly Hotels for Oenophiles
Fall Asleep Inside a Wine Cask at De Vrouwe van Stavoren
3
Seaside Coworking Campuses
The 'Healthy HouZe of Work and Rest Ithaca' For Freelancers
2
Holidays with Monks
The Augustine Hotel Prague Envelops A Historic Monastery
1
Beachside Casino Hotels
The Westin Dawn Beach Resort & Spa in St. Maarten
Related Ideas
Topless Poolside Lounges
Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas Launches Bare
56 Bold Bathroom Decor Ideas
From Luxurious Fixtures to Bloody Shower Curtains
99 Bizarre Global Hotels
Sleep in a Plane, Prison, Museum, Rugby Ball or Glowing Igloo
Droplet Architecture
Hi-Tech Resort Design Especially for Humid Coastlines
42 Lovely Luxury Hotels
From Cobweb Architecture to Billion Dollar Hotels
Hipster Photoblogs
Global Blogs Document Underground Hotspots, Style & Nightlife
Sinister Hotel Room Fashion
Rock & Republic's Forbidden Love in S/S 2009
Self-Service Hotels
Base2stay in London is Budget-Friendly, Looks like a Dorm
40 Extravagant Getaways
From Estates With Personal Butlers to Fashionable Hotels Like the Palazzo
Space-Saving Baby Furniture
Bloom Makes Smaller Cribs for Your Smaller Crib
Shipping Container Hotels
$20 Rooms at 41 Berangan Hotel for Credit Crunch Travel
Ultra Luxury Apartments
W Residences & Hotel Spreads Opulence in Manhattan Skies
Water-Saving Bathrooms
Jang WooSeok's 'Eco Bath System' Sends Sink Water to Toilet
Spicy Burlesque Shows
Mel B Takes to the Stage at ‘Peepshow' in Las Vegas
35 Reasons to Love Las Vegas
High Tech Beds
9 Designer Sleep Pads To Sweeten Slumber
Luxury Bunk Bed Hotels
The Pod Hotel Offers Cute Manhattan Rooms Under $100
Billion Dollar Hotels
The Mardan Palace Luxury Surpasses Larger Than Life Status
Uber Modern Bathrooms
Reece Bathroom Innovation Award Honors Loveliest Loo
Minimalist Oasis Bathrooms
The Omvivo Latis Bathroom Collection is Fresh and Clean
Top 22 Hip Hotels in Q1 2009
Futuristic Greenchitecture
Burnham Eco Pavilions by Zaha Hadid and UNStudio
Stellar Fantasy Suites
Sin City's The Palms Hotel Houses Sizzling Themed Rooms
Iceberg Architecture
Dubai's 'Blue Crystal' World Blends Sustainability and High Class
Tree House Resorts
Club Med in Senegal Looks Like Peanuts, Costs Many Sheckels
Balinese Pavilion Weddings
The Conrad Bali Resort Offers a Paradise for Relaxation or Exchanging V
In-Room iPods
The Upper House Ditches Paper Directories
Thunderstorm Architecture
Tornado-Like 'Helix' Building Blows Them Away in Abu Dhabi
Living Rooftops
Green Roof Designs Bring Sustainability to Architecture
Recycled Aircraft Suites
Costa Verde Hotel's Boeing 727 Airframe Room
Lavish Hi-Tech Hotels
Touch Screen Phones and TV Mirrors at the Chicago Elysian Hotel
Stone House Hotels
Amanresorts Villa Milocer Montenegro is a Modern Escape in Historic Setting
Futuristic Washrooms
The Hi-Tech Global Bathroom is an All-In-One Restroom
Vibrant Rainbow Hotels
The G Hotel in Ireland is a Contemporary Design Lover's Pot of Gold
Black & White Boutique Hotels
Habita Monterrey Delivers Affordable Luxury
Floating Apartment Complexes
The Citadel in the Netherlands is Built for Changing Water Levels
Curvy Sculpted Bathrooms
Wei Chung Lee's Undulating 'Wavflow' is an Ideal Place to Relax
Stunning Waterfront Hotels
The Four Seasons Seattle Returns to Puget Sound
Zero Star Hotels
The Null Stern Hotel in Switzerland Is In An Old Bomb Shelter
Recession Worthy Hotels
The Ace Hotel in NYC Offers Bunkbed Rooms Starting at $99
Papercut Architecture
Polish Pavilion at Expo 2010 Channels Cultural Tradition
Tidal Wave Architecture
Tsunami Museum is Covered in Water Walls, Filled With History
Desert Skyscraper Hotels
The Stone Towers in Cairo, Egypt by Zaha Hadid Are a Cool Oasis
Seductive International Spas
Shangri-La's Villingili Resort and Spa Offers Piece of Paradise
Sand Dune Architecture
UAE Pavilion Will Shimmer, Morph and Change Color
Book Stack Architecture
Zaha Hadid Creates Offset Design for Edifici Campus in Barcelona
Flying Hotels
The ‘Hotelicopter' Is Elevated Lodging For the Adventurous and Affluent
Boutique Hotel Fashion
W Hotels Launches Apparel and Accessories Line
Celebrity-Run Restaurants
Robert DeNiro Opens ‘Locanda Verde' in the Greenwich Hotel
Art Gallery Hotels
The LALALA Arthotel Features Rooms by 7 Different Artists
Fold-Away Bedrooms
'The Room' by Oda Expands to Reveal a Fully Furnished Suite
Floating Green Micro-Cities
The SESU Seastead Ocean Society is Tomorrow's Utopia
Flowing River Architecture
Cairo Expo City by Zaha Hadid Was Inspired by Egypt's Nile
Spaceship Spas
The Exedra Nice Hotel Wellness Centre is Out of This World
Modern Nightlife Paintings
The Artistic Wonders of Mosh Pits Captured By Dan Witz
Mod Hotels
Palacio del Retiro Has A Classical Shell Harboring Modern Romanticism
Hip Hotel Recession Marketing
Luxury Hotspots Offer Travelers a One Night Stand
Home Theater Beds
The HiCan is the Perfect Tech-Savvy Home System
Sneaker-Branded Showers
Hideki Kawata's Puma Smart Bathroom Designs Bring Tech to the Tub
15 Rad Recession-Worthy Hotels
From Ultra Luxe Accommodations to Zero-Star Motels
Cobweb Architecture
The Villamoda Galleries Frame Hotel Weaves into the WAN Awards 2009
Time Capsule Hotels
The Algonquin in NYC Stays True to its History
Parisian Lux Lodgings
The Hotel De Sers Maintains Its Chic Mansion Origins
Tropical Beach Hutels
Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay Hotel and Beach House Residences
22 Soothing Spas
From Sleek Mountainside Chalets to Portable Jacuzzis
Scattered Accommodation
The Pixel Hotel of Linz Has Random Rooms Around the City
Socialite Party Editorials
‘I Love The Nightlife” in Vogue
Artistic Hotel Promos
Eden Rock in St. Barts Offers Free Painting Lesson for Kids
Greek Luxury Resorts
La Marquise Rhodes Has Views, a Lagoon Pool. Fitness Suites
Seychelles Sanctuaries
Maia Hotel Luxury Villas Offer Pristine Views & Personal Butlers
Portable Work Spaces
The Pop-Up 'Standby Office' Gives You Mobility and Privacy
Spherical Car Showrooms
Manuelle Gautrand Architecture's Store of the Future
Sleek Wall-Mounted Bars
The 'Lounge Bar' by De Dietrich is Futuristic Fabulosity
Penny Jewelry
Coin Accessories for Fashionable Recessionistas
Wild Eco Retreats
West Africa's Resort Spa Channels the African Wild
Passion Prisons
The Slammer-Themed Rock Love Hotel is Every Woman's Fantasy
Icy Architecture
Blu Apple Ice Cream & Pancake Shop In Indonesia Inspired by Ice Floes
Holidays with Monks
The Augustine Hotel Prague Envelops A Historic Monastery
Microclimate Retreats
The Eagles Nest Resort Offers 320 Degree View of New Zealand
Revolving Hotels
Hotel Marmara Antalya Rotates, Flotates and... Awesometates
14 Glacierrific Inspirations
Frozen Giants, from Island Architecture to Home Decor
Rock Formation Hotels
Tanzania's ‘House of Peace' Project Mimics Mother Nature
Jell-O Mold Hotels
The Yas Hotel in Abu Dhabi Features Veiled Design
Oriental Art Deco Architecture
Shanghai's Historical Peace Hotel Ready to Reopen
Traveling Cigar Bars
Private Smoking Lounge Lets You Light Up and Stay Warm at Special Events
Birthday Pennies
Lincoln Penny Celebrates His 200th Anniversary
Cheese Grater Architecture
The 'O House' by Philippe Stubbei is a Celebration of Circles
Solar Powered Luxe Hotels
Bardessono Eco-Resort Nestled in the Napa Valley
Ecoclectic Luxury Hotels
Hilton Denizen Brand Targets Globally-Conscious Modern Travelers
Supporting Struggling Businesses
President Obama Stays at a Hotel Facing Foreclosure While in AZ
Minuscule Floating Vacation Spots
The Polygon Resort Fits Up to 6 Visitors
Healthy Hotels
10 American Chains That Promise to Leave You Feeling Recharged
Stacked Crate Skyscrapers
The Lotto Turm in Stuttgart is Made of 55 Shipping Containers
Atmosphere-Attuned Beds
The Panasonic Bed Controls the Environment for Perfect Slumber
Hotel Bedtime Stories
London Hotel Offers Reader-in-Residence Program For Lonely Guests
Whimsical Washrooms
Cosmogres' Unica Bathrooms Make Pee Pee Time Pleasant
Metal Cloud Architecture
The Experience Music Project in Seattle by Frank Gehry Houses a Sci-Fi Mu
Green Golf Resorts
Moshulu Golf Course Houses Filtration Plant Beneath Driving Range
Mobile Nightlife Finders
Gigotron iPhone App Lets You Find Local Music in a Touch
Public Privacy Pods
The 'Nucleo' Pod for Personal Space or Quiet Meeting Place
YouTube For Hoax Debunking
Is Big Brother Watching? Hidden Camera In Digital TV Converter
$84,000 Eco Beds
Vi-Spring Releases Environmentally-Friendly Majesty Bed
Ultra-Clean Hotels
No-Swine-Flu Guarantee to Revive Mexican Tourism
Diamond Glow Architecture
The AKBANK Creates Modern Shapes in a Basic Building