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Showing posts with label Hotel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hotel. Show all posts

Friday, August 19, 2011

Russia's $165,000 per night space hotel

From: http://theweek.com/

Russia may have come in second in the race to the moon, but it plans on being first in the race for boutique space hotels

Russia's planned Commercial Space Station hotel may be a steal at $165,000 per night, but you may want to consider the $410,000 travel costs.
Russia's planned Commercial Space Station hotel may be a steal at $165,000 per night, but you may want to consider the $410,000 travel costs. Photo: Orbital Technologies SEE ALL 78 PHOTOS
Best Opinion:  Nation, Business Insider
The image: Russian company Orbital Technologies wants to take luxury hotels to new hights — orbiting 217 miles above the Earth — by 2016. The proposed Commercial Space Station (CSS) would house seven guests in four cabins, including such space luxuries as precooked gourmet meals, sealed showers, and spectacular views of the home planet (see images below). Though the accommodations are more likely to evoke a high-tech dentist's office more than a chic Miami getaway, the space hotel will be "far more comfortable" than the even more spartan International Space Station, says Orbital chief executive Sergei Kostenko.
The reaction: "Russia may have lost the first space race to America," but it's dead set on winning the space-hotel race, says M.O. in Pakistan's The Nation. If you're lucky enough to make the trip, though, be aware that "aside from the spectacular view, there’s not much else to do, so you'd be wise to take a good book." Lucky, indeed, say Linette Lopez and Dina Spector in Business Insider. At about $165,000 per person for a five-night stay, and $410,000 for the trip up there on a Russian Soyuz rocket, "experiencing the final frontier from your bedroom window... won't be cheap."



Friday, January 7, 2011

Floating 'Slinky' Hotel Can Survive Rising Seas

by A.K. Streeter

Slinky Hotel rendering
Rendering courtesy of Remistudio.

Remember Biosphere 2? Well, fast forward to the Ark, designer Alexander Remizov's floating (or not) eco-friendly, energy-generating bubble hotel.
Remizov came up with the Ark's plans as part of a program on architecture and disaster relief through the International Union of Architects (UIA). According to the Remizov's Remistudio web site, the Ark is designed as: "an integrated energy system with an uninterruptible power supply using alternative energy sources." And instead of glass and steel, the Ark is made of durable 'self-cleaning' and reportedly recyclable plastic panels.

SlinkyHotelCentralSpire.jpg
The Ark mimics Biosphere in its attempt to create a self-sustaining, oxygen-generating building. Rendering courtesy of Remistudio.

According to this Spiegel International article, the Ark would be built around a central, lightweight pillar connecting both to roof-top wind generators and heat pumps, as well as to energy storage and thermal conversion units in the basement. Remizov also plans to have a 'tornado' energy generating spiral at the top of the central pillar.

Slinky Hotel From Below graphic
Rendering courtesy of Remistudio.

The dome-shaped Ark, constructed of wooden arches falling out from the spire, steel cables, and transparent Ethyl TetraFluoroEthylene (ETFE) plastic (instead of glass) is made to be able to withstand earthquakes and stay afloat in the event of floods or rising seas. Remizov said on the web site that the ETFE foil shell of the building would also serve as a solar hot water collector as well as gutters to trap rainwater for us.

Slinky Hotel System graphic
Rendering courtesy of Remistudio.

Remizov collaborated with a German design and engineering firm and the Moscow-based scientist Lev Britvin, who, according to Remizov, has developed energy-saving solutions for space stations. The company is now searching, according to Spiegel, for investors to make the design a reality.
Remizov also told Spiegel that prefabricated sections of the hotel would make construction possible in three to four months nearly anywhere in the world. Perhaps his design firm needs to take a page from the Chinese construction company that erected this hotel in 6 days.
The Ark would contain 150,000 square feet of living space.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Bring Fido or Fluffy on vacation: Pet-friendly hotels with pets on staff

Bring Fido or Fluffy on vacation: Pet-friendly hotels with pets on staff
concierge.com — There's a new breed of hotel staffers—the pets on the payroll. Although these animals-in-residence are fairly pampered and often enjoy celebritylike status, they have a job to do: amping up guest relations and rolling out a new kind of (stain-resistant) red carpet.

Click here for the full article: http://www.concierge.com/ideas/hotels/tours/501883

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Hidden Hotel Wall Art: The Secret’s Lurking in Your Hotel Room

by Shabana
from: http://www.vagabondish.com/

If you thought all hotel room art was singularly bland and unimpressive, you might want to check what’s behind that cheesy countryside painting on the wall next time you’re holed up in your hotel room. You just might discover a hidden treasure. As this video shows, enterprising artists are leaving mementos of their talents behind wall hangings in hotel rooms across the world.

Wall hangings and pictures in hotel rooms are normally affixed with a supposedly fool proof mechanism that ensures the pictures don’t leave when the guests do. That’s not stopping these artists, however. On walls – above the head boards, behind the toilet cistern, behind wall paintings and shower mirrors, even beneath the bed – no inch of hotel room space is spared the artistic talents of these modern impresarios. Artwork varies from pencil sketches of nude women, Van Gogh style sunflowers, abstract forms, and everything in between.

Hidden Hotel Wall Art

The movement is supposedly the brainchild of Queens of the Stone Age lead musician Josh Homme, who calls each hidden art piece “a toy surprise.” Josh says the idea originated at a small arts festival in Joshua Tree where local musicians would “do” people’s rooms. The inspiration for Josh comes from all the hotel rooms the band stays in when they are on tour, and the intensity of the art depends on their duration they spend in each room.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Hotel chain offers human bed warmers

A hotel chain is employing human bed warmers to help guests get a good night's sleep.


Human bed warming service
Five minute free bed warming sessions ''like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed''
 
The walking electric blankets are dressed in special all-in-one sleeper suits and are sent to warm the beds of guests staying at the Holiday Inn before they get under the covers.
Dr Chris Idzikowski, director of the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said the idea could help people get off to sleep.


He said: ''There's plenty of scientific evidence to show that sleep starts at the beginning of the night when body temperature starts to drop. The decline occurs partly because the blood vessels of the hands, face and feet open up and release heat.

''A warm bed – approximately 20 to 24 degrees Celsius – is a good way to start this process whereas a cold bed would inhibit sleep. Holiday Inn's new bed warmers service should help people achieve a good night's sleep especially as it's taking much longer for them to warm up when they come in from the snow.''
Holiday Inn spokeswoman Jane Bednall said the idea was ''like having a giant hot water bottle in your bed''. The five minute free bed warming sessions are being tried out in London and Manchester at the end of January.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

World’s weirdest hotels

We live in a strange world, not content with what’s already on offer in the hospitality world, these eccentric hoteliers have come up with quite literally some of the weirdest places to get a bed for the night. If you want to experience something a little different from your standard en-suite room with a view, or simply just want a bit of entertainment, keep reading...we have selected the world’s most bizarre:

A giant dog, Idaho, US

Calling all dog lovers… Yes folks, this oversized canine cutout really is a B&B guesthouse! The Dog Park Inn was built by a couple of chainsaw artists who evidently got a little saw-happy, complete with private 2nd storey deck and oodles of doggie memorabilia. No pets allowed mind.

Dog Hotel

Image Source

A drainpipe, Austria

These concrete drainpipes situated in the middle of a park in Ottensheim, Austria come complete with a double bed, blankets and power point for all you sleepy souls out there. And good news for those of you on a budget – there is no fixed fee to stay at the Dasparkhotel, all they ask is a donation for whatever you thought the accommodation was worth. No complaints there.

Drainpipe Hotel

Image Source

A crane, Netherlands

It may look like just any old industrial crane, but inside this particular crane in Harlingen, the cabin section boasts luxurious accommodation for two guests with designer furnishings, a plush bed and a double shower. There are even controls in the bedroom where you can actually operate the crane so it swings around. Yikes!

Crane Hotel

Image Source

A lighthouse, Netherlands

Brought to you by our fellow crane hosts (above), this lighthouse hotel, also located in Harlingen, offers guests a surprising amount of space and luxury – with panoramic views of the harbour to boot. Climb to the top and you can even dine beneath the original copper dome peak. Hmmm, more wonderful than weird this one we think.

Lighthouse Hotel

Image Source

A Lifeboat, Netherlands

Not content with their crane and lighthouse facilities, this lifeboat hotel is yet another offering from our quirky Dutch hosts. If you love the seafaring life, be sure to book yourself into the Lilla Marras – it is something of a work of art. Having been lovingly restored and adapted from its original use, the plush lower deck is now a haven for lovers of all things nautical. Welcome on board!

Lifeboat Hotel

Image Source

A Boot, New Zealand

As small as this hotel looks, this boot has a roaring fireplace, a double bed and a small cosy sofa. Sleeping only two, this is a perfect novelty getaway for a couple.

Boot Hotel

Image Source

A railway carriage, England

Why discard of a perfectly good railway carriage when you can convert it into a hotel? Well that’s what the owners of The Old Railway Station in Petworth, West Sussex thought, anyway. Seeped in railway paraphernalia, the accommodation is a little ‘old school’ to say the least, so if you like your hotels sleek and modern, you may want to go elsewhere. Enjoy your journey!

Railway Carriage Hotel

Image Source

A tree, India

For all you eco-warriors out there, The Wild Canopy Reserve in India ticks all the boxes. As well as getting a bed for the night, you can rest assured that you are doing your bit for the environment – the treehouse is solar powered and ecologically friendly, and your hosts encourage sustainable methods. Be sure to watch out for snakes lurking in the branches though…

Tree Hotel

Image Source

A cave, USA

Get back to your indigenous roots and enjoy a night’s stay at the Beckham Creek Cave Haven in Parthenon, US. And if you thought caves couldn’t be luxurious, think again – this former bomb shelter, built into the Ozark Mountains, boasts natural rock formation walls and Jacuzzis for guests to relax in after a long day’s exploring.

Cave Hotel

Image Source

An igloo, Canada

Well, not quite an igloo, but it might as well be. The Ice Hotel in Quebec, incredibly, is created from scratch each year out of 15,000 pounds of snow and 500 pounds of ice. Guests can choose from facilities including an ice chapel and an ice art gallery. With beds carved from ice, you’d better not forget your hot water bottle! Brrrr.

Igloo Hotel

Image Source

A bullring, Mexico

Thankfully no longer in use, this converted 17th century bullring in Zacatecas, Mexico is now a luxury hotel. Retaining its original character, many of the bedrooms overlook the main plaza, where bulls would once have seen red. Go on, release the matador within you!

Bullring Hotel

Image Source

If you know of anymore weird hotels around the world, let me know in the comments below and I'll add them to the list!

Monday, October 19, 2009

New super-hotel to cheapen the Hajj?

The Makkah Clock Tower Royal Hotel

The Makkah Clock Tower Royal Hotel

An under-construction super-luxurious hotel in Mecca has raised fears that the hajj which is meant to involve hardship, struggle and sacrifice will be cheapened and instead become the preserve of the super-rich

The pilgrimage to Mecca traditionally see Muslims travelling to the holy site, forgoing worldly possessions, thoughts and activities in order to focus on their faith. However the Makkah Clock Tower Royal Hotel, part of the seven tower Abraj Al-Bait Complex, will give those who can afford it creature comforts whilst they perform the fifth pillar of Islam.

Boasting the world's largest clock (4.7 times larger than Big Ben) on each side, the 1,591 ft tall hotel will be among the world's second tallest tower. Estimated to cost USD$3 billion, the hotel will feature 24-hour butler service, segregated gyms, beauty parlours, grooming salons, a spa and a chocolate room where chefs will prepare bespoke pralines and truffles.

The hotel will be managed by Fairmont Hotels who are keen to make the hotel the most luxurious hotel in the Hoyl City. Speaking to Arabian Business, Mohammed Arkobi, the hotel's manager, said the hotel will be at the centre of the seven tower complex located opposite the Grand Mosque, the holiest site in Islam, occupying a space equal to 15.6 million square feet.

Abraj Al Bait

The hotel will have 76 elevators and 1,005 guest rooms and suites. It will have five "Royal" floors and two "Golden floors", the latter referring to Fairmont Gold, the company's exclusive "hotel within a hotel".

"The golden hotels have their own reception, check-in and lounge," said Arkobi. "The royal floors are just that - royal. They are like palaces, with some suites 1,200 square metres and one suite which is 3,600 square metres."

When asked by The Guardian how this level of luxury would help pilgrims achieve spiritual fulfilment, Arkobi was unable to answer. Nor was he sure how the hotel complemented the hajj. However he did say the hotel would meet the needs of the most 'discerning' pilgrim.

"Ultimately, the hotel's sophisticated ambiance, our range of features and highly personalised service delivery such as those offered through our 24-hour butler service will help to ensure that our residents' overall experience will be enriching."

Hajj is a pilgrimage that every able bodied Muslim is obliged to make at least once in their lifetime. After a Muslim makes the trip to Mecca, he or she is known as a hajj or hajja (one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca). Around 4 million people visit Mecca for hajj, with millions more passing through the rest of the year. Numbers have been increasing year on year with estimates for future numbers ranging from 10 million to 20 million.



Monday, May 18, 2009

Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega-rich

By Joe Wertz

hotel Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

Most of us have simple demands when it comes to travel lodging– a bed, a bathroom, a TV and wi-fi. There are others, however, whose demands far eclipse the simple convenience of your basic hotel room. When the world’s most wealthy travelers take a vacation for their own, they are treated to suites that cover entire floors of a hotel building, rooms that include a personal butler, hell– some even come with their own private helicopter. Take a peek into the experience of the world’s most wealthy travelers. Here are 10 of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world.

10. $15,500 a night - Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt-Vendôme

Paris, France

no10 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

Situated on the second floor of the Park Hyatt-Vendôme’s Haussmanian building is the hotel’s 750 square-foot Imperial Suite. Thise pricey suite has high ceilings, a dining room, kitchenette and bar. When visitors tire of toiling, they relax with an “In Suite Spa” that comes outfitted with a steam room, Whirlpool and built-in massage table.

9. $16,000 a night - Royal Suite, Four Seasons George V
Paris, France

no9 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

The George V in Paris boasts a pair of “sumptuous” Royal Suites that each come with private terraces and rooms filled with antique furniture. Each suite has a marble entrance, a full kitchen, a sauna and a separate bathroom for guests. The expensive 2,600 square-foot suites are split into separate spaces for sleeping and entertaining, both of which also have a private office.

8. $17,500 a night - Royal Armleder Suite, Le Richemond
Geneva, Switzerland

no8 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

Le Richemond’s Royal Armleder Suite reopened in 2007 after an extensive restoration of the hotel’s seventh floor, which the luxury suite occupies the entirety of. The suite is bedecked in gold, mosaics and parquet floors and has a 300 square-foot terrace with stunning views of Geneva and the nearby Alps.

7. $18,000 a night - Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

no6 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

A two-story suite that centers around an epic staircase, Burj Al Arab’s Royal Suite has Carrara marble floors, mahogany furniture and a master bedroom with a rotating four-post canopy bed. Guests enjoy Hermes bathroom products, Faubourg fragrances, their own private elevator and cinema and for a bit extra– a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce or helicopter.

6. $18,200 - Ritz-Carlton Suite, The Ritz-Carlton
Moscow, Russia

no7 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

Floor-to-ceiling windows outline the Ritz-Carlton Suite at the hotel chain’s Moscow location. Imperial furniture fills the 2,500 square-foot suite, which comes with a heated floor, a grand piano and a library. The suite has views of the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral and visitors get to enjoy five meals a day and their very own KGB-approved autonomous energy supply system and secure telecommunications array.

5. $25,000 a night - Bridge Suite at The Atlantis
Paradise Island, Bahamas

no5 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

The 10-room Bridge Suite at Bahamian resort The Atlantis fills the entire space linking the hotel complex’s two flagship towers. Forbes reports the suite has hosted guests including Oprah and Michael Jackson. [pic via flickr]

4. $33,000 a night - Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel
Geneva, Switzerland

no4 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

President Woodrow Wilson reportedly suffered from high blood pressure, so it’s safe to assume he would have appreciated a stress-free stay at President Wilson Hotel’s Royal Penthouse Suite. Consuming the entire top floor of the hotel, the four-bedroom suite can hold up to 40 guests in its cocktail lounge and is said to be the best digs for heads of state wanting to make an impression when they’re in town on United Nations business. [pic via guardian uk]

3. $34,000 a night - Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons
New York

no3 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

The Ty Warner Penthouse practically floats in Manhattan. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround all sides of the massive suite, surrounding guests in 360-degree views of the city skyline from atop Manhattan’s tallest hotel. The nine-room suite has walls inlayed with mother of pearl, gold and platinum-woven fabrics, and the room itself includes a private butler, unlimited global calling and TVs programmed to receive every channel in the entire world.

2. $40,000 a night - Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas

no2 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

Hugh Hefner’s Playboy-themed suite at the Palms Casino resort has a $700,000 jacuzzi that cantilevers out above the Las Vegas strip. The 10,000 square-foot, two-story suite comes with around-the-clock butler service and (of course) a rotating bed set beneath a mirrored ceiling. [pic via guardian uk]

1. $50,000 a night - Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi
Athens, Greece

no1 Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega rich

The Grand Resort’s Royal Villa gives the world’s most exclusive guests a private version of everything imaginable. The only other people lucky guests have to see while secluded in their heated pool, steam room or private beach is the suite’s dedicated butler, chef and pianist.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

2009 Annual Hotel WIFI Report

Best Hotel WiFi 2009

In the past, the budget brands like Holiday Inn and Best Western always topped our Best list. While those brands still offer free WiFi, we're happy to report that several new budget-ish boutique brands have arrived on the scene. These new kids offer hip spaces to sleep in and play in all the while providing free WiFi. So you don't have to sacrifice style — and, in some cases, cleanliness — just to get free internet.

1. Element and Aloft Hotels: Starwood Hotels have routinely made our Worst Hotel WiFi lists largely because nearly all their brands charge for daily internet in guestrooms. But thanks to the new Element and Aloft Hotel chains, Starwood has finally given road warriors what they need: free WiFi.

Element Hotels are created for the extended-stay traveler in mind, so the in-room work stations accommodate guests when they need to get down to business. But the option of WiFi lets guests sit on the couch and watch TV while downloading iTunes songs and waiting for the microwave popcorn to finish.

The same goes for Aloft. While we wouldn't want to hole up in these minimalist rooms all day, having free WiFi at least lets us check our email from the bed. If we want to be more social, we can take our laptop down to the re:mix lobby area to meet new friends and Facebook 'em on the spot.

If there isn't an Element or Aloft near where you want to stay, try a Four Points by Sheraton, which also offers free WiFi.

2. Kimpton Hotels:

Using the Kimpton complimentary WiFi in the lobby and poolside at the Hotel Palomar Westwood

In 2007, we were mad at Kimpton for taking away their once-ubiquitous WiFi service (free in the lobbies, free in the rooms) and requesting a $10+ daily fee for internet. At that time, we were too stunned to consider that if we'd signed up for the hotel chain's loyalty program, InTouch (with no minimum stays per year), we could have surfed the web for free. We only saw a brand who had once offered free WiFi and had called takebacks on their generosity.

By 2008, we had come around to their InTouch plan and had put them back on our Tried & True list. Now in 2009, with so much uncertainty and doom and gloom in the hotel market, we've come to see the reliability of Kimpton wireless as a beacon in the darkness. It's always there, and with your InTouch membership, it's always free. And in our personal experience (we've stayed at Kimpton properties many, many, many times), their staff goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure you can get online in your room.

3. Hotel Indigo: Hotel Indigo came onto the scene a few years ago, but it wasn't until this year that a significant number of Indigos came online — and we do mean literally online — with free WiFi in guestrooms. The boutique brand from Intercontinental Hotels strives to make the hotel stay a more personal, comfortable experience, and with free WiFi in the rooms, it's almost like we're at home.

4. Hyatt Place Hotels: Hyatt Place is Hyatt's answer to the budget boutique hotel craze, and thanks to free WiFi throughout, we can finally add a Hyatt brand to our Best Hotel WiFi list. Also cool at Hyatt Place for the tech-dependent set? Plug panels in the rooms that allow you to hook up all your media devices — laptops, DVD players, MP3s and gaming systems — directly to the 42" flat-screen HDTV.

5. Courtyard By Marriott: The budget brand from Marriott has long offered free WiFi in their lobbies, but we never found hanging out in a Courtyard by Marriott lobby to be particularly awesome — until this year, that is. Courtyard has introduced these ultra-modern new Media Pod booths with flat-screen TVs and plug panels. Having a meal, a glass of wine and our fave TV show in front of us as we work is just about as good as it gets.

Always Free, All The Time
· Holiday Inn Hotels
· Best Western Hotels
· Personality Hotels (San Francisco)
· Gansevoort Hotels

Always Free, For Members
· JDV Hotels: The majority of Joie de Vivre's properties offer free WiFi in the public areas and guestrooms. But for the few holdouts that still charge, all members of the Joy of Life Club (JDV's loyalty program) get complimentary internet access, regardless of status level.
· Omni Hotels: Most Omni properties charge a fee for WiFi access; however, signing up for the Omni Select Guest loyalty program — which is free to do — earns you complimentary WiFi at all levels.
· Hyatt Hotels: This Spring, Hyatt began offering free WiFi for guests of certain loyalty program status (Diamond and Platinum) at all Hyatt-owned hotels, from Park Hyatts to the Hyatt Flagship properties. But the new Andaz hotels have free WiFi and so do Hyatt's budget brands, regardless of loyalty program membership.
· Fairmont Hotels: There is a fee for internet in guestrooms, but if you are a member of the Fairmont Presidents Circle (membership is free) you can get complimentary internet access during your stay.

Mostly Free, Depending on the Brand
· Choice Hotels: All brands except Clarion, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection. (The GEM hotels in New York, however, are free.)
· Intercontinental Hotels: All brands, including Holiday Inn (domestic) except for Intercontinental Hotels and Crowne Plazas.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Costa Rican Airplane Hotel Takes Flight

by Bridgette Steffen

727 hotel, sustainable architecture, green building, green design, recycled material, reclaimed airplane hotel, costa verde resort, costa rica airplane hotel

If you have fantasies of living like the Swiss Family Robinson or even the characters in Lost, this rainforest resort near Quepos, Costa Rica may be just the ticket. Situated on the edge of the Manuel Antonio National Park, the Costa Verde Resort features an incredible hotel suite set inside a 1965 Boeing 727 airplane. In its former life the airplane transported globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines, and it now serves as a two bedroom suite perched on the edge of the rainforest overlooking the beach and ocean.

727 hotel, sustainable architecture, green building, green design, recycled material, reclaimed airplane hotel, costa verde resort, costa rica airplane hotel

The airplane was transported piece by piece from the San Jose airport to its current resting place on a pedestal 50 feet above the beach. It looks a bit like a model airplane on a stand, and we can only imagine the spectacular views from the balcony and the airplane windows. Five big trucks were needed to get the plane out to the resort, and while the transportation certainly had a negative ecological impact, the finished project is a stunning example of adaptive reuse.

727 hotel, sustainable architecture, green building, green design, recycled material, reclaimed airplane hotel, costa verde resort, costa rica airplane hotel

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom suite also includes a kitchenette, flat-screen tvs, a dining room, and a terrace with an ocean view. We can’t really agree with their choice of furnishings, which are made from teak and shipped across the Pacific from Indonesia, but at least they were hand carved. The tip-to-tail paneling on the inside is also teak, but it was harvested locally in Costa Rica. Like the Jumbo Jet Hostel in Stockholm, this hotel suite is sure to offer jet-setting travelers a lovely location for an extended layover.

+ Costa Verde Resort

Via Re-Nest

727 hotel, sustainable architecture, green building, green design, recycled material, reclaimed airplane hotel, costa verde resort, costa rica airplane hotel

727 hotel, sustainable architecture, green building, green design, recycled material, reclaimed airplane hotel, costa verde resort, costa rica airplane hotel

727 hotel, sustainable architecture, green building, green design, recycled material, reclaimed airplane hotel, costa verde resort, costa rica airplane hotel

costaverde-ed04

Sunday, April 12, 2009

World's Best Hotel Beds

by Josey Miller

Reading, studying, working, robotically flicking through late-night television programming... If you've completely forgotten what beds are really for, a great hotel bed can be an excellent refresher course. There's something so exhilarating about hotel beds: They feel foreign, even risqué—and lying in them feels like trespassing. It would be a sin to spend all of your time in a hotel bed doing only the ordinary: You can do better than catch up on Will and Grace reruns, can't you?

Yes, yes, yes! In fact, without so much as lifting your head off your pillow, you can sightsee. You can stargaze. You can play Superman. You can relive legendary moments in musical history—and we're just getting started.

In these fantasy hotel beds, you'll kick up your feet, rest your travel-weary self, and stare at much more than just the ceiling. These beds think outside the box springs—and they're what dreams are really made of.

Published April 2009. Pictured: Loisaba Wilderness, Kenya


Click here for all the beds

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Incredible Hotel Made From Salvaged Wine Casks

by Alexandra Kain

wine barrel hotel, wine cask hotel, sustainable design, green design, wine cask reuse, De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel

Ever fallen asleep alongside a good glass of French wine? How about inside a cask of good French wine? The De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel in the Netherlands salvaged four wine casks from Switzerland and converted them into rooms. Formerly filled with 14,500 liters of Beaujolais wine from the French chateau, each now holds a modest two-person room with standard amenities and even an attached bathroom and sitting room. Visitors from all around the world have traveled to the quaint northern port town of Stavoren to stay in one of these upcycled rooms.

wine barrel hotel, wine cask hotel, sustainable design, green design, wine cask reuse, De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel

After fulfilling their duty of adding flavor, color, and tannin to thousands of bottles of wine, the barrels were mounted on trucks and shuttled over to Stavoren. The old oak casks make excellent rooms considering their strength and airtight seals, and also offer a great opportunity to brag to your friends.

General rates for a cask room are from 74-119 Euros a night with discounts of up to 75% off depending on season. If you go in the wintertime, a wine cask room can be as low as 18 Euros a night, cheaper than most hostels. Breakfast is included and you can even bring your dog.

+ De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel

Via Treehugger

wine barrel hotel, wine cask hotel, sustainable design, green design, wine cask reuse, De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel

wine barrel hotel, wine cask hotel, sustainable design, green design, wine cask reuse, De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel

wine barrel hotel, wine cask hotel, sustainable design, green design, wine cask reuse, De Vrouwe van Stavoren Hotel