Unusual places to stay are becoming an increasingly visible part of the travel market, and France has emerged as the country with the largest selection among eight distinctive property types tracked in a new ranking.
The study, produced by Holafly, examined Airbnb listings worldwide across eight categories: caves, castles, treehouses, houseboats, windmills, lighthouses, earth homes and domes. Listings in each category were counted by country and then combined to produce an overall ranking.
France took the top position with 2,947 unusual stays. Its lead is partly explained by the country’s large number of castles, with more than 1,000 available listings included in the research. France also recorded more than 400 houseboats and 30 windmills, giving travellers several very different alternatives to conventional hotels and guesthouses.
The range reflects the variety of accommodation available across the country. A stay in a historic castle offers a very different experience from sleeping on a houseboat, while windmills provide another option for travellers looking for accommodation with a distinctive character.
The United States ranked second with 2,533 listings, followed by Italy with 1,050. Italy’s position is supported by several types of accommodation closely associated with its landscapes and architectural heritage, including castles in Tuscany, the cone-shaped stone trulli of Puglia and cave homes in Matera.
Brazil ranked fourth with 873 listings, while Colombia followed in fifth with 762. The United Kingdom was sixth with 696 listings, making it the second-highest European country after France in the overall ranking.
The UK has a broad mix of unusual accommodation. The study counted almost 250 castles, nearly 150 domes and more than 100 houseboats, as well as 23 lighthouses and 12 windmills. That combination puts the country among the strongest destinations for travellers looking for accommodation that is part of the experience rather than simply a place to sleep.
Mexico ranked seventh with 675 listings, followed by India with 604. Greece came ninth with 599 listings, while Chile completed the top 10 with 548.
Greece stands out for its cave accommodation. The country had 279 cave listings in the research, the highest figure among the destinations examined for that type of stay. Greece also ranked second for windmill accommodation, with 27 listings.
The figures highlight how unusual accommodation can be closely connected to a destination’s history, architecture and landscape. In France, castles and waterways help define the range of options. In Italy, traditional buildings and cave settlements offer distinctive alternatives, while Greece’s cave homes reflect architectural traditions found in parts of the country.
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The broader market now extends well beyond the eight categories included in the study. Travellers can also find converted water towers, specially designed caravans and themed properties, reflecting a growing interest in accommodation that offers something different from a standard hotel room.
The ranking does not measure the quality of the properties or the experience of staying in them. It is based on the number of Airbnb listings identified across the eight selected property types. The figures therefore indicate where travellers are likely to find a wider choice of unusual accommodation rather than which country offers the best individual stay.
For travellers planning a trip around distinctive accommodation, France currently offers the largest pool of options in the ranking, followed by the United States and Italy. Further down the list, countries such as Greece, the UK and India provide their own mix of historic buildings, unusual structures and accommodation shaped by local architecture and landscapes.
