Don't knock this alternative form of housing before you see these.
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When you think about buying a home—or even renting one for a short period of time—your mind likely doesn’t go to a shipping container. However, in the same way that whimsical tiny homes in general have completely captivated homeowners and renters on a budget or those who simply don’t have a lot of possessions to store, shipping container homes have come to be a hot commodity in alternative housing communities. Though these unexpected structures can run cheaper than your average house, that doesn’t mean they’re cheap, and it definitely doesn’t mean they look cheap.
From mountain getaways to seaside retreats with increasingly interesting architecture, these 25 shipping container homes and hotels are absolutely breathtaking—prepare to be shocked by them. A big plus is that these structures are generally pretty eco-friendly too—they’re giving these gigantic boxes a second life, in a sense. This housing solution is a global phenomenon, as you can find these luxury spaces in places like Portugal, Norway, Brazil, and more. Keep scrolling to learn more about these cool containers, and find out which ones you can actually stay in.
For more about alternatives to traditional housing:
If you want a unique sleeping experience while you’re in Waco, Texas to visit the Magnolia Market, consider staying in this two-story shipping container Airbnb. It’s decorated with that classic pine shiplap and even has a chic rooftop deck.
Related: I Stayed at Chip and Joanna Gaines's New Hotel—Here's What It's Like
Get a breathtaking view of the Northern Lights while staying in this shipping container Airbnb rental, located in Lofoten, Norway. You’ll be right along the shoreline, so even if you miss the aurora borealis, you'll still be able to take in the gorgeous water views.
Related: 8 Best Tiny House Resorts for a One-of-a-Kind Getaway
This is essentially a shipping container community, as there are three units shown here. This Airbnb in Twentynine Palms, California, is perfect for your group of friends who love the desert and don’t mind a little dust. It’s private and has a lap pool, two hot tubs, eight hammocks, and two outdoor showers.
This Brazilian Airbnb is any tropical vacation lover’s dream. The shipping container home is surrounded by greenery and set at the top of a hill with a view of the sea from the living room. It’s a tranquil getaway in an unexpected package.
Related: This Stunning Brazilian Home Was Rebuilt With Local Materials
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, more than 1,000 square-feet of deck space—this shipping container home in the Capitol Reef area of Utah truly is like no other. Stay in this Airbnb to take advantage of the sauna, the stargazing, the privacy, and the mountain views.
Related: 22 Hotels With Breathtaking Views You'll Want To Book Now
This quaint little shipping container home in Utah is available to rent on Airbnb, and could serve as the perfect trial run for deciding if you want to embrace the tiny home lifestyle. It does fit a queen-size bed and has plenty of outdoor room, but we suggest only staying in it with someone who won’t get on your last nerve.
This relatively spacious shipping container house in Atalaia, Portugal, is right on the Atlantic Ocean. The Airbnb host explains that it’s an eco-friendly space perfect for those who wish to get out of the city and experience privacy in nature.
Spanning 3,000 square feet, this shipping container home in Denver, Colorado, has an industrial aesthetic with rustic elements. Inside, a massive double-height great room is the core of the space.
Architecture firm River and Rain created this indoor-outdoor oasis in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It’s crafted from parts of four recycled shipping containers.
The Quadrum Ski & Yoga Resort in Gudauri, Georgia, features stacked shipping containers clad in wood paneling, creating a modernist ski lodge that contrasts greatly with the Caucasus Mountains backdrop.
The Seven Havens luxury hotel is located on a hillside in Lombok, Indonesia, and has one of the best views on the island it sits on. There are four individual rooms available for rent, as well as a three-bedroom villa.
Architecture firm Cumulus designed the facilities for this winery in Tasmania, Australia, from repurposed shipping containers. Beyond a tasting room, there’s a lookout tower where visitors can take in the surrounding scenery.
Owners Gabriela Calvo and Marca Peralta had a budget of just $40,000 to build their dream home near San Jose, Costa Rica. Architecture firm Studio Saxe recycled two shipping containers to keep the project within budget.
Located in the port town of Warnemünde, Germany, this hostel offers 64 guest rooms with 188 beds, all built into old shipping containers. Reclaimed materials make appearances throughout the property, like the shipping pallets that were used to create seating in the lounge.
Architecture firm James & Mau partnered modular home company Infiniski on Manifesto House, a shipping container home in Curacaví, Chile. It’s clad in recycled slatted wood pallets, which can be opened to help regulate the temperature inside.
One of the most striking shipping container buildings in the world, Joshua Tree Residence by Whitaker Studio is set in the California desert and comprised of a starburst-like conglomeration of white containers.
This Airbnb in Brooklyn was one of the first shipping container homes in the city. Its interiors have an industrial-meets-bohemian aesthetic.
There are many mansions in the Hamptons, but there’s only one shipping-container mansion in town: the beachfront Beach Box in Amagansett. Its developer listed it in 2012 for $1.4 million.
Travis Price Architects built the Sea Container Housing DC as a student dormitory in Washington, D.C. It only took seven months to build from conception to full occupancy.
This Priceline vacation home in Wellington, New Zealand, was built from three stacked shipping containers. The rental has its own screening room and hydrotherapy spa.
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