Mount Shasta (Waka-nunee-Tuki-Wuki and Uhataahkoo)

decortoday — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 02:35:08 +0000

These landmarks are not just breathtakingly beautiful—they also carry spiritual significance for Native Americans

MBRubin/Getty Images

While travelers from all over the world marvel at the grandeur of California’s landscapes, for indigenous people the state’s mountain peaks, waterfalls, and other natural landmarks have a deeper cultural and spiritual significance. Beyond their beauty, these features hold symbolic and mythical meanings and, to this day, serve as sites for ceremonies and rituals that help California’s native peoples maintain an enduring connection with their ancestors.

Numerous locations throughout California hold spiritual significance. Many, however, are understandably kept secret or don’t have established public access. So the places listed below were chosen both for their cultural prominence and because they’re primarily on state, local, or national park land. As you visit these destinations for hikes or mountain bike rides, please treat them with respect. And if you do come upon a Native American ceremony, act as respectfully as you would behave in any other house of worship.

Hotel and Airbnb Moments That Had Guests Doing a Double-Take

decortoday — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 03:44:59 +0000

Whether on a work trip or a vacation, there’s nothing like returning to a comfy hotel room or rental after a day out. It’s no wonder why many people spend hours scouring the internet before choosing their accommodation for any upcoming travel. But sometimes, no matter how much research you do, things don’t turn out how they were supposed to. That’s what happened to the guests on this list – their hotels and Airbnbs missed the mark so badly that they just had to take a picture for the rest of us to laugh at.

Is It Clever Photography or Photoshop?

Anyone with an interest in photography will know all about the importance of angles. In this case, the Hotel Alicja in Poland has worked those angles like we’ve never seen before! What initially looks like a quaint boutique hotel listing, reminiscent of something from a sleepy Mediterranean village, is, in actual fact, a green blob underneath an industrial monstrosity. Still, if you were advertising this vacation resort, what choice would you have?

Twitter/cavidaga

The Hotel Alicja also has a restaurant, although we wouldn’t recommend that any guests opt for al fresco dining. You’d be better off sticking to room service — with the windows closed, of course!

Glassless Window Into the Bathtub - But Don't Worry, the Bathroom Door Has a Lock

Lots of people travel solo, whether it’s a work trip or even a vacation. That being said, the majority of hotel guests come as a pair or even a group. That’s why these hotel guests were so surprised to find their room was a little too open when it came to bathroom privacy. Sure, there was a curtain, but even that was virtually see-through! At least these two were able to see the funny side.

Instagram/alex_the_mindful_baker

We’re not sure what the thinking was behind this design. Emergency access to the bathroom in case of food poisoning? The option to watch television from the bath? Who knows.

We Appreciate the Honesty

One thing that can be said for the owner of this Airbnb is that while they might have no idea how their apartment works, at least their communication is on point. It’s not uncommon for homes to have the odd phantom light switch; we just hope these three aren’t connected to anything too important — like the fridge or the oven. Perhaps the person renting this Airbnb could investigate and report back to the owner.

Reddit/julieeeeeeeeeeeee

The lesson here is that if you’re considering renting out your apartment as an Airbnb, it’s probably a good idea to understand your electrics; otherwise, you might end up on a list like this!

Things Took a Dark Turn Here

Lots of fancy hotels enjoy delighting their guests with little touches or unexpected details, like placing a little chocolate underneath the pillow or creating cute animal origami out of towels. Sure, the little dog lying on the bed here is adorable, but what’s with the rotisserie chicken strung up from the chandelier? This must have been an unnerving start to the guest’s vacation. Room service? As long as it’s not chicken, thanks.

Reddit/Trekker519

In fairness, the hotel staff who clean and make the rooms must get pretty bored of doing the same thing time after time. Still, we’d rather they stick to a swan next time.

Welcome to the Headbanger Hotel

There’s nothing quite like waking up from a good night’s sleep in a comfy hotel or Airbnb bed, having a good stretch, and then sitting up to read a book or drink some coffee. You might regret that in this room. For some insane reason, a thick wooden shelf has been erected directly above the pillow, perfectly positioned to knock someone out and send them straight back to sleep.

Reddit/dosnos

Even more hilarious is the bizarre attempt to disguise this carpentry faux pas with the addition of a plant pot on the shelf. All is forgiven for the sore head because the flowers looked pretty. Or not!

When the Antifog Mirror Section Is Only for Tall Guests

The best hotels and Airbnbs should attempt to cater to as many different people as possible, whether that’s families, solo travelers, or shorter guests. Unfortunately, this hotel seems to think that all of its guests are at least 6 feet tall. They invested in a genius antifog mirror, but the part that doesn’t fog up is only visible to people who are at least 5 feet, four inches. We’re sure they can take the technology and make the antifog part bigger and more inclusive!

Reddit/Bommie20

Let’s hope the hotel reception was able to make up for this slightly embarrassing design fault by delivering a stool to their guest alongside some complimentary room service.

No, There Are No Other Outlets in the Room

It’s one thing having a plug socket on the ceiling, which is kind of weird, but it’s another thing when this plug socket is the only outlet in the entire hotel room. The thing is, in what world did the contractor think that installing a socket in the ceiling was a good idea? Was it originally meant for a mounted television or a fan? We really hope so.

Reddit/GrinOfTheCat

Still, a massive shout out to the guest of the room who, rather than demand to be moved, has made the best of a bad situation by charging their phone in the most precarious way possible.

Finding a Hidden Camera Is Our Worst Nightmare

A lot of the hotel room and Airbnb features on this list are pretty funny, but this one is downright creepy. The eagle-eyed guest at this Airbnb spotted that what looked like a clock was, in fact, a hidden camera. We’re not sure where this “clock” was placed on the property, but it’s likely that it was found in the bedroom. Not only is this illegal, but it’s morally wrong.