Monday, March 12, 2012

Cedar Creek Treehouse “Stairway to Heaven,”Mount Rainier, WA

If you’re afraid of heights, this staircase is definitely not for you. The “Stairway to Heaven” begins at the base of a fir tree and spirals round and round, reaching 82 feet into the sky. Climbers arrive and face another challenge: a rainbow-colored suspension bridge that stretches 43 feet over the forest floor. It’s the only way to reach the Treehouse Observatory, which provides expansive views of Mount Rainier and the Nisqually Valley. Guided tours cost $80 for two people; make a weekend of it and book the Cedar Creek Treehouse ($300 a night, observatory tour included), which is 50 feet up a nearby tree.

The Gray, Milan, Italy

Florentine architect Guido Ciompi came up with distinctive flourishes for each of the 21 rooms and suites at this boutique hotel in central Milan. One of the most spectacular results is a sprawling duplex suite connected by this floating stairway with futuristic wooden steps that resemble hollowed boxes. Wenge wood floors, ebony furniture, animal-print fabrics, and suspended beds only add to the hotel’s design pedigree.

Chand Baori, Abhaneri, India

This small village outside the northern city of Jaipur has a concentration of distinctive step wells called baoris, developed for collecting rainwater. Chand Baori is one of the deepest and largest of these wells, with some 3,500 steps that descend 13 stories deep. While it is possible to see down all 13 flights, it isn’t currently used as a well as the bottom few stories are gated off. Dating from around the ninth century, this step well is located in front of the medieval Harshat Mata Temple.

World's coolest staircases

It looks like any old roller coaster, with curves and heart-stopping loops. But instead of zooming by, people are walking—on inclines fitted with steps. This creation in Germany's Rhine Valley is an interactive sculpture, but it’s also one of the world’s most unique staircases.