Extreme Hospitality

The adrenaline junkie's dream destination

December 1, 2006—We generally try to steer clear of the endless parade of gimmicks that dominate the world of travel (thus explaining our reluctance to weigh in on the "mancation"), and instead stick to places a sensible guy may genuinely want to visit. But the new Extreme Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, was just too out-there to ignore. Billing itself as the first boutique hotel aimed exclusively at extreme sports enthusiasts—finally!—the 130-room property veritably oozes adrenaline. Its restaurant has a glass wall looking into the swimming pool so diners can watch their fellow guests practice scuba diving, and elevators are made from recycled shark-diving cages and Alpine cable cars. (If, on the other hand, you'd rather get a workout on your way up, you can always tackle the five-story climbing wall affixed to the building's exterior.) The macho vibe even extends to the men's rooms off the lobby, which feature urinals built out over the building's edge, giving the illusion that you're standing over a very deep—insert your own joke here—chasm. The hotel also provides transportation to and from the area's 50-plus extreme sports bases (offering mountain biking, bungee-jumping, kite-boarding, shark-diving, and even a spin in a British fighter jet) as well as round-the-clock access to certified instructors and guides—assuming, of course, you've got any energy left over after the climb to your room.

Extreme Hotel, New Church and Bree streets, Cape Town, 011-27-21-430-5000, www.proteahotels.com; rooms from $70 per night.