This former elementary school (built in 1915) has been brought back to life as possibly the most unusual hotel in town. There's colorful hand-painted art on the walls, a couch-filled movie-theater pub, a brewery, and a saltwater soaking pool outdoors, for starters. Choose from two restaurants, which continue the quirky decorating vibe with paintings and other artwork. Staying here will take you back to your school days: The guest rooms still have original blackboards from when they were used as classrooms, and the water fountains are barely thigh-high. No fewer than three bars are on premises (naughty!)—the two-level Boiler Room, the tiny Honors Bar, and a cigar bar called, of course, the Detention Bar. It's totally unique, the kind of place people tend to love or hate, but if you're among the former (like me), you'll be telling your friends about it for years. Note: This is a historic building with architectural features that can’t be altered, so be aware that some guests complain that these big windows let in too much sun in the summer and don’t adequately muffle traffic noise from NE 33rd right outside. Newer and quieter rooms have been created in the English (as in literature) Wing behind the school; this wing, with rooms named after books the McMenamin brothers are particularly fond of, opened in 2012.