Xiangshawan Desert Lotus Hotel

Lotus Hotel is located in Xiangshawan Desert, 800 kilometers west to Beijing and middle of Ordos and Baotou. The site is facing Hantai River, a branch of Yellow River, and east to Kubuqi Desert that more than 200 kilometers wide.

• Architects: PLaT Architects 
• Location: Xiangshawan Desert, China
• Completion Date: March, 2013
• Area: 30,000 sqm
• Photographs: Courtesy of PLaT Architects

Due to the restriction by its special geographic condition, PLaT Architects invented a new structural system that fix in fluid sands using only steel panels without the help of concrete or water. The panels and the supporting skeleton structures are pre-fabricated, and make the base of the building a large container for sands. Thus, the steel panel structure can function as a boat floating on desert that carries the building. The sands in and out of the structure exert same forces to each other, and thus it is flexibly stabilized. Also, walls are load-bearing structures in order to reduce the pressure on base. 09 more image after the break...

Abandoned Sea Fort Transforms Into Luxury Hotel

With defense embedded in its DNA so to speak, the Spitbank Fort is sure to disarm any qualms as to why it shouldn’t be the luxury property of choice for those thinking of visiting Hampshire. The adventure begins when the fort's skipper promptly picks guests up from the departure lounge at the Royal Clarence Marina in Gosport. Days at the fort itself begin with an unforgettable breakfast served on the copper roof of the 1890’s ''Lighthouse'' with views over the Solent, Portsmouth, and the famous Spinnaker Tower followed by a bracing dive into the open air ''Hot Pool'' or a total face and body treatment at the Spa. If you’re fond of billiards or poker, the ''Recreation Rooms'' offer the perfect space to play for hours. Later on in the day, an aperitif awaits in the ''Victory Bar'' which is sure to whet one’s appetite for chef Nikolaus Boyle’s culinary creations under the historic arched brickwork ceiling of "The Officer's Mess" restaurant. Afterwards, a range of digestifs can be enjoyed in ''The Fire Pit'' with its unobstructed views towards the Isle of Wight. And to follow? Being lulled to sleep by the sound of the sea on a super-king size bed in one of the previous gun emplacements which have been magnificently transformed into sumptuous bedroom suites. 17 more images after the break...

Hotel made by Salt

All walls, floor and furniture of this hotel are made in salt. It is clear, as around in kilometers the hydrochloric desert was stretched. There is unique building material. This is in Bolivia and, certainly, enjoies huge popularity at tourists. Especially I was impressed with pool before an input in hotel:)) The general peoples and tourists are much love any such exotic features of this type of hotel from an ice or hotels in a cave. It is interesting if to blind a bungalow from dung of the crocodile what there will be turn from tourists?:) 13 more images after the break...

Hotelicopter - Flying Hotel

Wow, the flying hotel and largest helicopter in the world, Cool! The Hotelicopter is modeled on the Soviet-made Mil V-12, of which there were only two prototypes ever made. The Hotelicopter Company purchased one of these prototypes from the Mikhail Leontyevich Mil helicopter plant in Panki-Tomilino, Russia in 2004 and have been engineering the world's first flying hotel ever since."The Hotelicopter features 18 luxuriously-appointed rooms for adrenaline junkies seeking a truly unique and memorable travel experience. More after the break...

Hotel of Key Cards

Ever wondered what to do with all those hotel key cards you’ve accumulated? Maybe you’ve thought about building your own hotel out of the them. No? Well, that's okay, because Holiday Inn had that bright idea, and will be unveiling the Key Card Hotel—yes, a hotel made out of many, many key cards (more than even we have)—tomorrow in New York. The elaborate stunt is part of the chain’s “Key to Change” promotion, which gives guests the chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to a relaunched Holiday Inn of their choice, anywhere in the world. That’s right: this is not your daddy's Holiday Inn. Spending $1 billion on the relaunch roll-out, IHG expects that 1,200 of its properties will have been relaunched by later this month.

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Aircraft Hotel

If you're thinking to yourself, "that's sort of a small window for a luxury hotel suite," well, you're right. But it's only because this room occupies the entirety of a repurposed Cold War-era East German aircraft. More images after the break...

Ryugyong Hotel — The world's biggest ruin

The construction of the 330 m tall tower in Pyongyang, North Korea began in 1987. It has a total 360,000 m² (3.9 million ft²) floor space and 105 stories. The building should have been opened in 1989, by that time it could have been the tallest hotel in the world and the 7th largest skyscraper. North Korea have spent ~$750 million or 2% of the country's GDP on the Ryugyong Hotel. The hotel was designed to have 3,000 rooms, 7 revolving restaurants, casinos(!), nightclubs(!) and Japanese lounges. In 1989 -the original completion date- they had several construction method and material problems therefore the opening was delayed, but in 1992 the construction came to a complete halt due to funding problems, electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine. More images after the break...

Queen Elizabeth — Japan’s Most Famous Love Hotel

Love hotels are part of Japan’s tradition, and the Queen Elizabeth is regarded as the most popular of them all. It’s not because of the great service, but more because of its wacky design. 03 more images after the break...

Rome Hotel Built of Beach Garbage

Rome is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with unforgettable architecture and an atmosphere that can’t be found anywhere else. Lately, though, it’s become a real dump. German artist Ha Schult constructed a temporary hotel in the city to highlight the sad state of Europe’s beaches. The hotel, part of Corona’s Save the Beach campaign, is constructed of garbage collected from the shoreline. More after the break...

Ark Hotel – World’s New Most Unique Hotel

The Ark project was designed by Russian firm Remistudio with the assistance of the International Union of Architects’ program Architecture for Disasters Relief. The dome-shaped hotel is constructed with wooden arches, steel cables and a “self-cleaning” plastic layer instead of glass. The slinky-like Ark hotel can be adapted to suit both land and water. It is built to stay afloat in the event of floods or rising seas. The 14,000 square metre shell-like construction of arches and cables distributes the weight evenly, meaning it can withstand earthquakes. Daylight is filtered through to internal rooms due to the hotel’s see-through structure, reducing the need for lighting. 09 More images after the break...

Amazing Hotel of Pipes — Mexico

A new eco-hotel in Mexico made of concrete pipes makes it a good negosyo idea here in the Philippines. Combining the concept of pod-like hotel rooms, with the growing trend of eco-responsible tourism and the use of waste materials for construction, architects T3arc have created the 20 room Tubohotel made from recycled concrete pipes. As you can see in the picture above it also looks good and enticing to sleep in there.

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Magic Mountain Hotel

Full four star international service, in such a spectacular location, sets the Magic Mountain Hotel apart from all the other hotels in Southern Chile.The really funny thing is that the Magic Mountain hotel you see in the photo is possibly the least spectacular thing going on around the Huilo Huilo nature reserve in Southern Chile.Huilo Huilo is more of region than a single town.It includes one of the largest privately owned natural reserves in Chile along with several nearby towns, lakes, and a volcano with year around snowboarding and skiing, and the river Fuy that is famous for its class 3-5 white water rafting and kayaking. The name sake of the region is the Huilo Huilo falls (salto del Huilo Huilo ). There is also a smaller, but no less spectacular falls Salto de la Leona (Lion falls). The Lake Pirihueico borders Argentina, and daily car transport ferry connects the international highway to Argentina. The Most of the land surrounding the lake is also part of the Huilo Huilo reserve. 16 more images after the break...

Hotel in the heart of Namibia's Wildlife

 Wolwedans Dunes Lodge Hotel is located in the heart of the private nature reserve area of 185.000 hectares NamibRand in Namibia.  Treat yourself to an unforgettable stay, surrounded by wild nature, not forgetting about the comfort and style. Wooden construction with panoramic views of the desert in all directions, reminiscent of an original camp, but at the same time provide protection and comfort. Each of the nine spacious chalets with en suite and private terrace. In the main building are two lounges, a library, an outdoor fireplace, three restaurants, a wine cellar and swimming pool. Wolwedans Dunes Lodge. If you love nature and seek a peaceful and interesting to cleanse the mind and soul, Wolwedans Dunes Lodge - this is what you need.  25 more images after the break...

Stunning Hotel in Italy

The hotel is called the Monastero Santa Rosa, located in a XVII century building, which housed a monastery before. This hotel has not lost its historical significance and charm. He presented 20 luxurious rooms, spa and restaurant. This gorgeous place is located in the small town of Conca dei Marini, between Praiano and Amalfi. For tourists this place has become perfect, you can truly relax and enjoy the natural beauty.  39 more images after the break...

Amazing way of Making Hotel in UK

This hotel, which is called the Travelodge and is in England, was built by a very unusual way.

It consists of 88 containers that were made in the 8-story building, but inside it is almost no different from the conventional building. 06 more images after the break...

V8 Hotel for Car Fans

01. In total, the hotel offers 34 rooms.

In the German city of Stuttgart is one of the most unusual hotels in the world. Its interior uses a large number of cars. A culmination of this car is a disgrace bed, retro-styled car. 17 more images after the break...

The 10,000 Bedroom Nazi Hotel But Never Used

The 10,000 Bedroom Nazi Hotel But Never Used

Stretching for over three miles along the white sandy beach on Germany's Baltic Sea island of Ruegen, lies the world’s biggest hotel with 10,000 bedrooms all facing the sea. But for 70 years since it was built, no holiday maker has ever stayed there. This is hotel Prora, a massive building complex built between 1936 and 1939 by the Nazis as part of their "Strength through Joy" ("Kraft durch Freude," KdF) programme. The aim was to provide leisure activities for German workers and spread Nazi propaganda. Locals call Prora the Colossus because of its monumental structure.

Prora lies on an extensive bay between the Sassnitz and Binz regions, known as the Prorer Wiek, on the narrow heath (the Prora) which separates the lagoon of the Großer Jasmunder Bodden from the Baltic Sea. The complex consist of eight identical buildings that extend over a length of 4.5 kilometres and are roughly 150 metres from the beach. A workforce of 9,000 took three years to build it, starting in 1936, and the Nazis had long-term plans for four identical resorts, all with cinema, festival halls, swimming pools and a jetty where Strength Through Joy cruise ships would dock.

Photo — Link

Hitler's plans for Prora were ambitious. He wanted a gigantic sea resort, the "most mighty and large one to ever have existed", holding 20,000 beds. All rooms were planned to overlook the sea, while corridors and sanitation are located on the land side. Each room of 5 by 2.5 metres was to have two beds, a wardrobe and a sink. There were communal toilets and showers and ballrooms on each floor. In the middle, a massive building was to be erected that could be converted into a military hospital in case of war. 13 more images after the break...

LEGO Based Hotel in California

Playing with LEGOs is such fun, but getting to stay in a real-life LEGO hotel!? It's every kid's (and some parents') dream come true! This LEGO-themed hotel is located at LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California, and it is scheduled to open on April 5, 2013. The 250-room hotel stands three stories high and features a large amount of colorful figures and sculptures, built completely out of LEGOs.

Visitors to the hotel will be able to select their favorite toy theme—Pirates, Kingdom, or Adventure—and experience the fun of the popular building bricks in a round-the-clock world of excitement. Every room is filled with decor that will transport hotel guests into a unique and imaginary land. Search your pirate's cabin for clues to crack the code to the treasure chest, avoid the toy tarantulas, lizards, and scorpions on a great jungle adventure, or fight off dragons and become a family of royalty in your own personal kingdom. 14 more images after the break...

Jail Turned Into Luxury Hotel — Hotel Het Arresthuis

Het Arresthuis is a 19th-century-prison turned luxury hotel in the Netherlands. The newly repurposed jailhouse has been completely redesigned with chic, spacious, modern motifs while maintaining its rich history as a former penitentiary. The building's new function invites visitors to take advantage of the hotel's unique Deluxe and Comfort suites while indulging in the venue's relaxing amenities—a sauna and a fitness center. Doing time never sounded so good!

The facility's 150 holding cells have be transformed into 36 luxurious rooms and 7 suites, including four special suites known as The Director, The Jailer, The Lawyer, and The Judge. These notable quarters are situated across the establishment's former warden chambers and sports area. Though they all offer similar perks like a comfy double bed, a rain shower, air conditioning, a flat screen TV, free WiFi, and even a personal coffee and tea machine, each suite is said to have its own character and style.

Additionally, the hotel has several communal areas that include a bar and restaurant. With a good sense of humor, the establishment jokingly assures visitors that they'll be offered a scrumptious menu that consists of more than just water and bread. 15 more images after the break...

Sun Cruise Ship on the top of the Cliff

Sun Cruise sitting high and dry on the coastal cliff of Jeongdongjin.

To get to Sun Cruise Hotel and Yacht from Jeongdongjin Beach, I could only walk. Public transport was out of question as there was only one bus (Bus 109) going to the Hotel every two hours. Flagging down a taxi was also not easy as empty taxis were few and far between.

The slope leading to the Hotel was steep, probably about 50° gradient. I could feel the full force of gravity acting down on me as I struggled my way up. The fortunate thing was the distance to overcome was not too long.  It took about 15-20 minutes to get to the top but it was worthwhile effort.

Entrance fee for non-resort guest is 5,000won. The recommended course - panaromic view of the East Sea, bird's eye view of Jeongdongjin from the Observation Deck and a leisure walk around the sculpture park. I was most interested in the Observation Deck. I wanted to look down from the highest point of the ship. 15 more images after the break...