Spend a night in a fairy-tale tower

The Tangled Tower in the village of Háj, Slovakia, is an 18-metre stone and timber tower built single-handedly by Peter Šimkanin over 12 years – 150 tons of local stone, 3,500 hand-shaped slate tiles and 3,500 hours of work, without a construction company or heavy machinery. Its roof was inspired by the tower in the film Tangled.

What you get: the whole tower just for you – a living room with a steampunk interior full of books, maps and travel souvenirs, a bedroom under the roof, a small kitchen, a bathroom in a hobbit house carved partly into the rock, and a garden with a fire pit. From the balcony you look out over the village and Turna Castle. Two escape room games are included in your stay.

Good to know: the tower was built as a private dream, not a hotel. You enter the living room through a floor hatch, the bedroom stairs are ladder-steep and the bathroom is outside. Best for two adults (extra bed for one child); not recommended for children under 5, people with limited mobility or fear of heights. No dogs.

Around the tower: walk straight from the village to the Zádiel Gorge (300 m limestone cliffs), the Háj Waterfalls and the ruins of Turna Castle. Within 30 minutes by car: UNESCO-listed Jasov Cave, Krasná Hôrka Castle and the city of Košice. Hungary is just a few kilometres away.

Price: €180 per night, €150 per night for 2+ nights. Book directly here and pay no platform fees.