The Jumbo Hostel

December 3, 2008 | Uncategorized

A few months back I read an article in National Geographic’s blog Intelligent Travel about a Swedish hostel owner who has come up with a unique solution for those who have trouble sleeping on planes. He’s converted a 747 into a hostel.

But before all you aero-insomniacs rush out to the airport, you ought to know that there is a down side to this — the plane never leaves the ground.

About two years ago Oscar Diös, a Swedish hostel owner who was looking for a piece of property near Stockholm-Arlanda airport on which to expand his business, became aware of an old 747 jumbo that was headed for the scrapheap. The plane had been owned by a charter company that had gone bankrupt.

“Well,” thought Diös, “why go to all the trouble of building a hostel at the airport when the makings of one was already here?” Faster than you could say “Swedish Meatballs” he set a plan in motion.

He purchased the plane, named it “Liv” in honor of his daughter and set about getting the required permits for “Jumbo Hostel“. Renovations began with the removal of all the seats, although some of the other original parts of the plane were left intact. 25 rooms have now been built onboard with three bunk-beds in each.

Each room is about 64 square feet, and ten feet in height. Everyone shares several toilets and showers in the hallway, although First Class still has its privileges — the suites on the upper deck and cockpit have private baths. All rooms also have flat screen TVs and wireless internet, and there’s also a small café onboard.

The hostel is about a ten-minute walk from the check-in counters. Rates have been set at about $42 for the dorm rooms, rising to a sky-high hostel rate of $400 for the cockpit suite.

The hostel was to open this month but, as is often the case, the opening has been moved back a bit and bookings are now being taken starting January 15, 2009.

It’s a unique idea, that gives new meaning to a “flight to nowhere.”

Jim Ferri