Blog 18: Tower Hotels

Are you in need of a staycation at a stand-out hotel? Are you tired of the mainstream accommodations however exotic they may seem? You're in luck. I've found you a list of tower hotels. Yes, some water towers, war towers and medieval landmark towers have been converted into hotels that you can stay at. Who says unusual can't be cool!

Tower over and look at my best picks of these hotels.

1- Set in 1 acre of private grounds, the House in the Clouds overlooks Thorpeness Golf Course, Thorpeness Meare and the sea on the very beautiful Suffolk Heritage Coast, England. Originally constructed by Braithwaite Engineering Company of London in 1923 as a water tower, it presented Thorpeness Estates with the difficult task of deciding what could be done with such a hideous structure on the skyline after its intended use was over. Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie with F. Forbes Glennie (architect) & H. G Keep (works manager) brilliantly disguised it as a house and from miles around one can see what appears to be a cottage lodged in the trees, 70ft high. There are 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms plus the splendid “room at the top” from which the tank was removed in 1979.

House in the Clouds

2- Sleeping in the Euromast means waking up with your head in the clouds and the city of Rotterdam at your feet. Any occasion can be made extra special by spending the night 100 meters in the sky. Decorated in elegant 60s style, the building is designed to bend a bit in strong winds, so you may even feel your room rocking slightly. The Euromast tower offers one of the fastest ziplines in Europe where you can travel at terrifying speeds of 100 km/hour. And if that isn’t enough, why not abseil the 100 meters to the ground. Elevators are for the weak!

The Euromast dominating the Rotterdam skyline

3- Situated in the northern mountains of the Czech Republic, Hotel Ještěd dominates the skyline of the Liberec region. Reaching an altitude over 1,000 meters, it has been a significant landmark and place of historic importance. The first monument was built at its summit in 1737, but today guests can now sleep and dine above the clouds. Each of the rooms has views that you can never be offered anywhere else. The best part is that all the rooms are designed uniquely to cater to the style preferences of all guests- modern, colloquial, minimalist- every type is on call.

Hotel Jested

4- The Canopy Tower is located in the heart of Soberania National Park, and virtually surrounded by the best birding spots in Central America. Today, a birdwatching paradise and a family holiday spot, the tower was originally built by the US in order to exert strategic control of the Panama Canal and fight the bloody War on Drugs. The 360-degree observation deck has repurposed itself and famous ornithologists now replace army men atop this tower. The Canopy Lodge and Camping Ground are a stone's throw away for those who'd like accommodation on the ground.

Evil empire turned into a bird-watching paradise- The Canopy Tower

5- Topped with a 32,000 gallon cast iron tank, The Appleton Water Tower was a fully functioning water tank until restoration began in 1976, transforming it into one of the most elegant accommodation options in Norfolk. Spacious double and twin bedrooms sleep up to 4 guests in total, located on the first and second floors of the tower, whilst on the ground level you have a well-equipped kitchen and reception area. The third floor has a bathroom with a separate shower unit and provides access to the panoramic terrace. At the top of the tower there is a viewing gallery where you can see for miles across the lush English countryside. The viewing room was originally set aside for the British royal family and separate access was provided for them to ascend to the top of the tower.

Fun fact: Back in the 19th Century the Prince of Wales got sick with Typhoid from drinking unclean water so the tower was commissioned to serve the Royal Sandringham Estate with clean water.

The Appleton Water Tower

6- Perhaps the most luxurious and best water tank conversions of the lot, the Hotel im Wasserturm, Cologne has been built into the largest water tank in Europe with a diameter of 34 and a height of 35.5 metres. In this 130 year old building, you will stay inside a design job worth $75 million. The 11-meter high lobby and the original cast-iron spiral staircase from 1872 is as impressive as the collection of art hanging on the walls, including pieces by Warhol. Most rooms come with floor to ceiling windows and jacuzzis. You can enjoy amazing views in the 2 Michelin starred restaurant on the top floor serving contemporary German cuisine and in the summer you can sit outside on the roof terrace to enjoy the countryside surrounding the hotel.

Hotel im Wasserturm

Inspired to spend a night at any of these? Let me know which other converted-hotels you'll like me to write about! Don't forget to share, like and subscribe.

See you soon with another interesting blog,

Anubhuti