As the saying goes, “the journey is the destination.” This sentiment is exemplified by the five hotels on this list. These machines once transported people to locations all around the world—on land, in the air, and on water. They were wondrous and magnificent, allowing people to travel to destinations far from where they came from.
Now, they’ve become destinations themselves, serving as the end goal. They remain stationary today and lack the ability to move, having been repurposed as hotels or places to stay. Here are five former planes, trains, and ships that are now great places to stay.
1. Coalport Station
This midnight train isn’t going anywhere. The former rural England station is now the resting place of two old railway carriages, with a train that has no locomotive and no other place to go. Despite these carriages being built in the 1950s, they offer incredible accommodations for parties interested in booking one of the two rooms. Both rooms are filled with every amenity you may need, like TVs, fridges, air conditioning, and even microwaves, which explain its four-star rating. If you don’t need your train to go anywhere, then this hotel is definitely for you.
2. Chapman Hostel
Don’t let its floating appearance in Stockholm’s city center fool you; this boat isn’t going anywhere. This affordable stay in Sweden offers great proximity to the city while providing an iconic view of the city itself. The accommodations are budget-friendly, making it a great option if finances are a major consideration.
3. Jumbo Stay
Got a little bit of airplane anxiety? In this hotel, you’ll be able to board an airplane that won’t need to take off or land. This decommissioned Boeing plane won’t be going anywhere from its final landing spot in Sweden and will stay put while you watch other planes from the nearby airport take off and soar high. Instead, the inside of this plane has been converted into numerous accommodations, such as beds, TVs, and many more toilets and showers than actual planes. If you’ve got a flight to catch, try spending a night here; it will certainly be worth it.
4. Yavari on Lake Titicaca
On a lake in Peru, you may come across this idle boat of history, a gunboat that inspired development and economic growth in the area. The interesting feature of this B&B lies in how it has preserved its Victorian legacy, offering itself as a museum that guests can visit to immerse themselves in the past. Surprisingly, the boat still works and could technically sail off to explore the rest of the lake, always giving you a thrill with the possibility of departure.
5. RMS Queen Mary
You can’t get much more elegant than this. One of the most formidable ocean liners of the early 20th century, she provided transportation to some of the most important people in the world and aided in the battles of World War II as the “Grey Ghost.” Now, she’s permanently stationed in Long Beach, California. While this vessel won’t make transatlantic trips anymore, it will still transport you back to the 1930s with all the gorgeous Art Deco designs you could ever imagine. Refurbished to her original glory, you certainly won’t regret traveling to the US just to spend a night here.
These five hotels may no longer leave their former spots, but now they are the object of interest for many people around the world. Instead of being a means to reach a destination, they have become worthwhile destinations themselves. Staying a night or two here is certainly worth it.
