Das Park Hotel Built from Giant Sewage Pipes

If your idea of a holiday is to live inside a sewage pipe, then congratulations - you qualify for a night’s stay at the Das Park Hotel in Austria. Three huge concrete drain pipes located in a public park in the Austrian city of Ottensheim is all that make up the Das Park Hotel. The rooms are about two meters across and furnished with a double bed, storage, light, power outlet, and blankets. Other than a circular skylight near the top and a couple of air holes, there are no windows.

The hotel was built by designer Andreas Strauss in 2004. It was originally opened at Linz and later moved to the nearby Ottensheim. A coat of varnish and wall paintings by the Austrian artist Thomas Latzel Ochoa is all that was needed to repurpose these pipes into living quarters.

Guests who wish to spend a night or two are required to book their rooms at the hotel’s website. Upon acceptance of the booking, guests receive a code to unlock the door to their pipe. The thick cement keeps the interior comfortable and eliminates noise from outside, creating a secure-feeling environment. The concrete walls are cool on hot days and comfortably warn in winter.

All hostelry devices such as toilets, showers, minibar, cafe, are supplied by the surrounding public space. A swimming pool is nearby. The best aspect of this hotel is that it operates on the "pay as you wish" system.

Photo credits: Andreas Strauss and foam.