Shipping Container Hotels: The New Trend

There are many original and unique hotel ideas on the market. However, few are as unusual and architecturally surprising as shipping containers. Shipping container hotels are on the rise. The idea has seduced many customers who are interested in spending the night in a new type of hotel accommodation.

This trend is growing thanks to influencers who are always on the lookout for out-of-the-box ideas and experiences to share with their fans. Some might think of this trend as a new, quirky, and ephemeral phenomenon. However, there seems to be more to it than that.

Shipping container hotels are actually a very sound and profitable business idea. This article will discuss some of the reasons why these hotels might be the future.

Why are shipping container hotels a good idea?

There are a number of reasons why these hotels might actually be the future.

1. Environmentally friendly and durable

Reusing old containers is eco-friendly because it reduces production-linked and maintenance-linked CO2 emissions.

Containers are made with high-quality materials and designed to endure rough and long travel conditions which makes them very hard-wearing and therefore less polluting on the long run.

2. Cost-effective and quick to build

Because they are durable and they are made with easy to source, high-quality materials, shipping container hotels are very cost-effective and quick to build. All you’ll need is the shipping container and depending on what design you want, you may use just the shipping containers for each room or use a custom container cover to create a larger space. This could be used to create larger rooms or even a lobby for the hotel.

What are shipping container hotels?

As their name suggests, shipping container hotels are built in unused shipping containers. The containers are turned into cozy rooms for the guests’ comfort. Windows are usually installed, as well as carpets, wallpaper, and electrical appliances.

Architects find inventive and creative ways to turn each container into a very welcoming, luminous, and comfortable space. Many of these containers end up being more comfortable than most hotel rooms. But how does one container turn into a whole hotel? Well, it depends.

Some hotels will have containers spread out over the property. Each guest then gets their own container with the patch of land around it. These hotels usually have a little porch or veranda built and attached to each container. This turns containers into bungalows, perfect for guests who want some space, freedom, and independence. Each guest can then rest and enjoy their stay in their own, cozy, bungalow-like container.

One example of this type of hotel is the Tiny Urban Escapes in Indianapolis, USA. Other hotels approach the hotel container architecture differently. Some of them choose to stack containers one above the other to create a ‘building’. Each room is still one container, but they are all next to each other in a more traditional city hotel-fashion.

One example of this type of architecture is the Hougoumont Hotel Fremantle in Fremantle, Australia. This can be a cheaper alternative for hotel owners due to the smaller amount of land necessary to build this type of property. It is a great option for tourists who want to meet other guests or would like to be close to the reception and the hotel’s on-property amenities.

The great advantage of these types of hotels is that there are many different types of containers and hotel architectures to choose from. Some hotels can even tailor the container to fit each individual’s needs, thanks to the nature of the rooms and their design’s flexibility.

Guests can easily opt for:

• a container with minimal style (original materials, neutral colors…)
• or a more eccentric and flamboyant container (bay windows, colorful objects…)
• a bungalow-like container (some of them can be very big and spacious)
• or a container in a building made from other containers (usually smaller sizes)

There are many more options to choose from, with new ones appearing on the market every year.

Final thoughts

These new hotel structures are definitely worth a try. They are most likely to increase in popularity over the next few years. Especially when more and more people are choosing alternative methods over standard hotels rooms.  It may span from the increased popularity of glamping and small huts.

More hotels and customers are already embracing this new, original, and cozy type of accommodation and we are here for it.