Transportation & Energy...
Jan 16, 2008
Water Shortage to Spark Recycled Hotel Boom
Why build new when you can convert? It's this enterprising thought that has resulted in castles, lighthouses and even old airplanes being transformed into hotels, and with the recent water shortages in southern USA, hundreds of water towers could soon be made redundant, and perhaps recycled as hotels. This wouldn't be anything new, however, as some of the world's most impressive looking hotels have been crafted from water towers; here's our guide to some of the most unique.
La Auberge hotel - Uruguay
L'Auberge, towering up over the town of Punta del Este on the Uruguayan coast, is the centrepiece of a luxury resort where you have lunch in a mock-Tudor tea room, listen to a piano recital, and take a room in the tower for only $120 a night. The rooms in the water tower are one per floor and small in size, but offer some great sea views. laubergehotel.com
Movenpick hotel - Hamburg
This vast tower is now one of Hamburg's most unique hotels and boasts 226 curved rooms. The elevators rise up the central shaft with the rooms circled around in pie chart shaped wedges - and with windows stretching all the way along the exterior walls, many of the rooms have great panoramic views over the city. And as a reminder of the hotel's previous use, you'll be greeted with the sounds of dripping water when they arrive in the lobby.
moevenpick-hotels.com
De Koperen Hoogte - Holland
This Dutch watertower has been a landmark since the 1930's, and is now a four star hotel with 16 rooms and two suites. The designer, Hennie van der Most, is also responsible for some of Europe's most unusual recycled hotels, including Kernwasser Wunderland (a former nuclear power-station in Germany), and Speelstad Oranje (a former potato factory in Holland's Oranje region).
dekoperenhoogte.nl
Greenwood Pier Inn - Elk, California
A cottage, lighthouse and watertower all house rooms in this small Californian hotel. The small watertower here has been converted into a three level room with private bath, fireplaces and an outdoor deck; and clamber up into the loft space for some great views over the Pacific Ocean.
greenwoodpierinn.com
La Auberge hotel - Uruguay
L'Auberge, towering up over the town of Punta del Este on the Uruguayan coast, is the centrepiece of a luxury resort where you have lunch in a mock-Tudor tea room, listen to a piano recital, and take a room in the tower for only $120 a night. The rooms in the water tower are one per floor and small in size, but offer some great sea views. laubergehotel.com
Movenpick hotel - Hamburg
This vast tower is now one of Hamburg's most unique hotels and boasts 226 curved rooms. The elevators rise up the central shaft with the rooms circled around in pie chart shaped wedges - and with windows stretching all the way along the exterior walls, many of the rooms have great panoramic views over the city. And as a reminder of the hotel's previous use, you'll be greeted with the sounds of dripping water when they arrive in the lobby.
moevenpick-hotels.com
De Koperen Hoogte - Holland
This Dutch watertower has been a landmark since the 1930's, and is now a four star hotel with 16 rooms and two suites. The designer, Hennie van der Most, is also responsible for some of Europe's most unusual recycled hotels, including Kernwasser Wunderland (a former nuclear power-station in Germany), and Speelstad Oranje (a former potato factory in Holland's Oranje region).
dekoperenhoogte.nl
Greenwood Pier Inn - Elk, California
A cottage, lighthouse and watertower all house rooms in this small Californian hotel. The small watertower here has been converted into a three level room with private bath, fireplaces and an outdoor deck; and clamber up into the loft space for some great views over the Pacific Ocean.
greenwoodpierinn.com
