Novel adaptive re-use

With a burgeoning inventory of hotel rooms in almost any part of the world one would expect adaptive re-use, where buildings that were built for non-hotel use, to be a less than hot hotel idea. But in a heretofore unheard of variation, an entrepreneur Oscar Diƶs a longtime owner of a hostel and hotel in Arlanda, Sweden, has converted an unused Jumbo jet (Boeing 747) into a hostel, the Jumbo Hostel.

Although termed a hostel, the refitted aircraft has suites including a "cockpit suite" that has panoramic views of of the runway and taxiway of Stockholm's Arlanda airport.  There are other room variations besides "dorm beds" where four 90 cms (about 3 feet wide). Prices range from $400 for the cockpit suite to about $45 for a dorm bed.

Recently (January 15th) inaugurated, it remains to be seen whether this novel idea takes off but other adaptive reuse projects are stalling quickly as is the case with the headquarters of Goodyear tire in Akron, OH that has come up against headwinds brought about by the credit crisis and is unlikely to find any traction any time soon.

Published by

Vijay Dandapani

Co-founder and president of a New York based hotel company for 24 years. Grew the firm to five hotels in Manhattan and also developed a greenfield project at MacArthur airport, New York. Speaker at numerous prestigious forums including Economy Hotels World Asia, Lodging Conference, NYU, Columbia University Real Estate Roundtable, Baruch College's Zicklin School and ALIS. President and ceo of New York City Hotel Association since January 2017.