Photograph by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
The Wilds, Cumberland, Ohio
Overnight in one of 14 yurts nestled among the trees at The Wilds’s Nomad Ridge. The yurt—a round, portable, tent-like structure traditionally used by nomads across Central Asia—has gotten a serious upgrade here: king-sized beds, bamboo floors, en-suite bathrooms, climate control, and private viewing decks to catch the sunset over the valley of this former strip mine. Breakfast, dinner, and a safari tour of the property are included. The concierge has swapped out yak butter tea for beer and wine, and roaming Bactrian deer provide the soundtrack. “They make kind of a burping, bellowing sound,” says Wilds spokesperson Patty Peters. “You’ll be serenaded by them at night.” thewilds.columbuszoo.org
Photograph by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Jailer’s Inn Bed & Breakfast, Bardstown, Kentucky
Planning on drinking your way along Bardstown’s bourbon trail? Be prepared: by day’s end you might find yourself in jail. The Jailer’s Inn Bed & Breakfast owned by Paul McCoy, formerly known as the Nelson County Jail, was a working prison from 1819 to 1987. McCoy’s parents bought the property at auction in 1988 and six months later opened it as a B&B. The 1819 Room has shed its shackles in favor of a queen bed and double Jacuzzi tub, but the 18-inch thick, hand-hewn beams remain. The Cell Room is just that: a former cell that still has its steel door (with food slot) and original bunk beds. Says McCoy, “It’s basic, but a fun room if you have the right mentality.” jailersinn.com
Photograph courtesy Jailer's Inn
Wisteria Heights, Carmel, Indiana
What’s it like to live like a mogul? Spend a night at the former residence of tech entrepreneur Scott Jones (if you use voicemail, you’re familiar with his work). Jones, who now lives full-time in Hawaii, offers up five bedrooms in his sprawling mansion. But to truly live large, if even for just a night, book the master suite with its king-size bed, brass claw-foot tub for two, and waterfall shower. The breakfast buffet is laid out down the hall from a 2,500-gallon salt-water fish aquarium. Guests also have access to the gym, indoor basketball court, and a 27-foot mahogany slide, which delivers you to the home theater and bar. Of course. airbnb.com/rooms/12348970
Photograph courtesy John Bragg
Photograph courtesy Danny Sullivan
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