5 unusual places to sleep

Bert’s luxury floating barge is moored up on a quiet and pretty stretch of the Regent’s Canal. The interiors are incredibly stylish, with a modern Scandinavian feel. The barge is equipped with a wood burning stove, underground heating, king size bed and has a roof terrace.

Renowned interior designer David Carter invites you to enjoy 40 Winks at his own residence, a ‘micro-boutique’ hotel with only two rooms. Entering his historic 1717 house near Stepney Green in east London is to encounter a magical atmosphere, each room having its own distinctive, unique character.

Ever fancied a sleepover at the zoo? Well now it’s possible to stay within roaring distance of the asiatic lions (and other animals) at London Zoo in one of nine colourful Gujarati-style wooden lodges. The unique experience includes torchlight and early morning tours complete with animal interactions.

This large floating hotel in the Docklands was a Dutch detention centre before it crossed the channel. On the trip over it gained smart industrial interiors, cosy cabin-like rooms, a roof terrace garden with a bar, and a relaxed communal vibe. Reasonably priced, the Good Hotel works with the local community to train the unemployed.

Remarkably, the Landmark Trust rents out an apartment within the grounds of the Hampton Court Palace residence of King Henry VIII, in an imposing and elegant 1719 brick house that was once the Prince of Wales’s kitchen. Guests are free to walk the extensive and magnificent gardens and courtyards, and will glimpse Palace life beyond the public’s gaze.