Originally produced for Smart City Hostels during my placement at modern-english 5/5/2011.
1) The Lunatic Hotel – The Moon
Not scheduled to take shape until 2050, The Lunatic Hotel will certainly be worth the wait. With the potential to be the Moon’s first hotel, some could feasibly argue that the idea itself has tinges of lunacy, while others claim that if successful, the development could become a prototype for the first lunar city. If he does manage to pull it off, the creator will be laughing all the way to the bank, with tourists forking out to play low gravity games and sleep in tear-shaped ‘habitation capsules’. Designer Hans-Jurgen Rombaut of The Rotterdam Academy of architecture is confident that the hotel will be up, running and ready for holidaymakers by 2050; at least you’ll have time to get your bookings in.
After hostels revolutionised the travel experience for backpackers and youths, Smart City Hostels in Edinburgh have re-designed hostels themselves. Where hostels are typically known for their cheap, student-friendly attitude and booking by beds (not rooms) Smart City Hostels offer the same value, without cutting corners. With 132 en-suite rooms, complimentary bed linen, towels and shampoo, spacious showers, storage lockers, internet / phone charging hubs and a fully licensed bar/restaurant on site, SCH offer a range of audiences style and substance, in a city-centre location, to meet every budget. Forget the holiday horror of mouldy towels and noisy roommates; this is the bright and shiny future of hostels.
3) Aeroscraft
Not yet completed, the massive 400-ton blimp is set to carry up to 250 passengers in spacious luxury, at the staggering speed of 174 miles per hour. Flying 8,000 feet above sea level, this is one holiday that’s all about the journey; forget paradise destinations and jet-setting across the world, the Aeroscraft takes you on a luxurious adventure through the flying hotel’s two football pitches worth of leisure space. Powered by propellers and six turbofan jet engines, designer Igor Pasternak has plans to include hi-tech tourist amenities as well as restaurants, casinos and decadent 5* accommodation. Keep an eye out for news on this one, although cost-effective holidaymakers be warned; stays will certainly be pricey.
Part art project, part aqua accommodation, Swedish designer Mikael Genberg’s brainchild provides eager fish-lovers a compact underwater holiday. In the style of a back-to-front aquarium, this strangely buoyant version of a traditional Swedish red house tops submerged sleeping quarters, where large (reinforced) windows allow the lake’s piscine inhabitants to peer at the lucky occupants. Space is tight, but well-used, and guests are invited to swim, sunbathe and fish-watch as much as they please. Those looking to stay at the Otter Inn had better book in advance, as there’s a long waiting list and it’s busy around peak times.
5) The Tree Hotel – Harads, Sweden
Aiming to blend in with the surrounding forest, this suspended cube manages to incorporate a kitchen, double bed, living area and a terrace. With mirrored walls serving as effective camouflage, this is the perfect hotel for eco-warriors or nature lovers, giving you an uninhibited view of surrounding wildlife without a pair of camo shorts in sight. Electric, under-floor heating keeps out the chill, while newer models include access to a sauna, and an eco-friendly toilet and hand basin in each unit. More glamping than camping, this modern incarnation of the tree house displays sleek Swedish design at its finest; allowing you to gain a new perspective on forest living, and begin your bid to save the world in style.
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