Advertisement

You'll definitely be back: Futuristic 'Terminator' hotels around the world

This week, Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to the role that made him famous, with the release of Te...
Newstalk
Newstalk

11.23 7 Jul 2015


Share this article


You'll definitely be b...

You'll definitely be back: Futuristic 'Terminator' hotels around the world

Newstalk
Newstalk

11.23 7 Jul 2015


Share this article


This week, Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to the role that made him famous, with the release of Terminator Genisys.

He once again travels through time attempting to save the world from a horde of sophisticated cyborg killing machines.

If the thought of a leather-clad Arnie aiming fire at Skynet's metal militia has you hankering for sci-fi thrills, look no further than this guide to the top 10 futuristic hotels.

Advertisement

Look out for some local talent, as well...

Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is sculpted out of ice and snow from the nearby Torne River.

It also doubles as both a hotel and an art exhibition. Each year, renowned artists are invited 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle to chisel away at 1,000 tonnes of ice and design the hotel's suites.

Though temperatures in the region border on the extreme, the rooms never drop below -5° C, and Icehotel provides thermal clothing and sleeping bags to ensure guests remain insulated.

Each morning staff greet guests with a hot lingonberry juice in bed. After a night braving polar conditions, guests switch to a warmer chalet-style accommodation next door with all the modern creature comforts.

The Marker Hotel, Dublin 

The Marker Hotel in Dublin comes second on Trivago's list. Its innovative six-story checkerboard façade is inspired by Ireland's rugged landscape of bare rocks.

By night, the neon lights of Grand Canal Square that shine on The Marker's exterior add to the futuristic feel.

The rooms are designed with stylish geometric interiors and punches of vibrant colour, and have marble en suites.

Guests can unwind in the hotel's spa and wellness centre, which boasts a stunning infinity pool, Jacuzzi and sauna.

Hotel 1000 in Seattle

Hotel 1000 in Seattle in the United States combines modern luxuries of a city hotel with the personable service of a boutique property.

Electronic doorbells scan each room with infrared sensors to detect body heat, informing staff whether rooms are occupied so that guests are not disturbed.

Guests also have access to an electronic do-not-disturb button, and an intelligent minibar informs the hotel when it needs topping up.

The hotel's virtual Golf Club is an immersive experience that allows players to swing balls on 50 of the world's best courses without ever leaving the comfort of the hotel.

NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding 

The NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding in Spain is described as a self-styled "Living Lab".

The four-star, 431-room hotel offers modern Iberian décor and pioneers technological advances, boasting a huge, ever-changing curved LED screen over the lobby.

Guests can charge their mobile devices wirelessly and speak to reception face-to-face from the comfort of their room via video supported-tablets.

What really leaves you feeling like you've fallen out of a time machine, however, is the 3D telepresence system that allows guests to interact with people remotely via hologram.

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai

The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai is billed as "the world's only seven-star hotel".

From the moment guests step off the plane they find themselves intoxicated under Burj Al Arab's dizzying spell, as they are greeted by an air-conditioned, chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce and driven to the hotel.

On arrival at the hotel, guests enter a spectacular lobby so large the Statue of Liberty could fit inside it. Each suite overlooks the Arabian Gulf and includes a 21-inch iMac, a four carat gold iPad and widescreen smart HD TV, as well as 24-hour butler service.

Diners have a choice of nine signature restaurants, with the pick of the bunch the Al Mahara, which serves sumptuous seafood in an aquarium.

The main circular dining area and private dining rooms are lit by the glow of enormous seawater aquaria. The Talise Spa allows guests to relax and rejuvenate in surroundings inspired by ancient Middle Eastern civilisations.

The Yotel in New York

The Yotel in New York has revolutionised hotel check-ins with its one-armed luggage robot, Yobot, the world's first robotic concierge.

Guests can rest assured that touchscreen-operated Yobot, sitting behind a glass wall, is a tad safer than the T-1000 series in the Terminator films.

It deftly grabs, lifts and stores baskets containing luggage and issues a receipt for guests to submit when they want to pick up their bag. Yotel prides itself on delivering "affordable luxury", and this is evident in its small, efficiently-designed rooms.

Each room has a 32-inch TV and premium cabins have electronically-controlled beds that gently slide between couch position and the flat bed position with the touch of a button.

Each floor has a kitchenette with a microwave oven, allowing guests to grab a late-night bite to eat.

Copenhagen's AC Hotel Bella Sky

Copenhagen's AC Hotel Bella Sky is situated right next door to the Bella Centre, the 20,000-capacity exhibition and conference centre.

With tilting twin towers that lean away from each other at an impressive 15 degrees, the Bella Sky is an architectural landmark and one of the largest and most aesthetic hotels in Scandinavia.

The hotel combines the natural and ethereal, with earth colours, wood and grass sitting alongside stunning light installations, creating a warm atmosphere highlighting the Scandinavian connection to the environment with a glance towards technological innovations to come.

Rooms are spacious and furnished with original design furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows as well as free wi-fi. Guests can indulge in Nordic cuisine in any of the three restaurants and take in amazing panoramic vistas of the Copenhagen skyline in the Sky Bar.

CitizenM in Amsterdam

And, the final hotel on the list is CitizenM in Amsterdam.

It is billed as ideal for casual travellers and backpackers alike. In shunning conventional hotel staples like trouser presses, bellboys and towel swans, it feels like a home from home.

Each bedroom features an XL king size bed with blackout blinds and guests can control the entire room using its innovative MoodPad tablet, including adjusting the temperature, TV channels, window blinds, coloured lighting and wakeup alarm themes.

There is a library of free movies to explore, as well as free wi-fi. CitizenM's lobby is laid out like a living room, decked in Vitra furniture and iMacs, and there are a range dining options in canteenM, the hotel bar.


Share this article


Read more about

News

Most Popular