Is this the ultimate answer to reusing and being frugal? DasPark Hotel was built out by reusing sewer pipes and turning them into separate “rooms.”
Frugal? Well, you pay what you think it’s worth (or what you can afford and think it’s worth). So a student traveling on a low budget might pay $10 and someone better off might pay $200.
The way of the future? Here’s the article I stumbled across:
Hotel rooms built from giant concrete sewage pipe segments.
Although this is a one-of-the-kind hotel, it has been designed from the outset to use worldwide standard concrete drainage or sewage pipe sections – so you could well see more of them in the future.
The idea of Andreas Strauss in 2004, the first rooms were provided in Linz. Now in nearby Ottensheim, rooms are accessed by a digital keypad, whose code is provided by the self service website upon booking acceptance. Once inside, facilities are basic – a double bed, light, power point, blanket and light cotton sleeping bag are provided. The toilet and (cold) showers are a couple of minutes walk away, with details provided on booking.
The beauty of these pipes is that their concrete utilitarian look needs little alteration to make them habitable – a coat of varnish is all that is necessary. The tubes have also have received wall paintings by the Austrian artist Thomas Latzel Ochoa to make them seem a little more user friendly.
Located in a lovely spot next to the Danube in Ottensheim municipal camping area the tubes have had a several seasons of use but are still clean and functional. Each tube weighs 9,5 tonnes – so although some might be tempted to rock or vandalise them, they are incredibly robust and need little maintenance. More advanced lock and electronic keypad systems are being fitted in 2007, but the original concept is working very well.
Details of places for breakfast, drinks and bathroom facilities are provided in the joining instructions. While there are many restaurants in the town square 15 minutes walk away, we particularly recommend the El Danubio campsite bar and its host Sergio, who will prepare excellent rib and fried potato dinners a minutes walk from your room.
Like cave hotels, Das Park Hotel is fairly cool in the summer, and perhaps still warm in winter, although at the moment the hotel is only open from May to October.
I’m pretty sold on the idea. The only problem I might have with it is the whole claustrophobia thing. I’m not sure how that would work out, being shut inside a giant cement tube. Yeah, I might go a little nuts. But once they cut out a window*, I’m totally going!
*note, the window must be breakable so that I can yell out for help!
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{ 6 comments }
I agree about the window! I’m not sure I could sleep in a cement tube. I have a feeling that I would stop traveling if there were only cement tube hotels.
Well, that’d save you money and probably be good for the environment. The only thing is that you’d have to find ways of amusing yourself. Or only visit friends/house swap.
I’d be a little uncomfortable with the idea of spending the night in there.I’d feel confined. More power to the hotel for the idea, though!
That is so cool (I’d forgotten about this hotel site with unusal hotels) reminds me of the pillboxes common in big cities.
Do they just have these tubes laying around (or is it “lying around”?)?
“Georg?”
“Ja, Friedrich?”
“Was sind wir going to do mit diesem craptuben? Sie sind in the way.”
“Wir mussen ein hotel machen!”
which is among the best place and a cheap one to stay for the holiday
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