We’re no rock stars, but we’d be lying if we said if we don’t dig their lifestyle. Who wouldn’t love the free clothes sent by famous fashion houses, the fancy hotels, and (of course) the adulation of many? Given our current work from home situation, however, we hope you can forgive us for being somewhat fixated on the fancy hotels bit. In fact, if you could just humor us as we give you a rundown of the best hotels we are eyeing for a dream stay, then that would be pretty awesome. Just don’t expect run-of-the-mill choices as we have narrowed down our list to the best hotels that boast innovation in technology.
Tomo Hotel
Love anime? Then you’ll definitely love Tomo Hotel, an anime-themed hotel located in the heart of Japantown, San Francisco. Featuring wall or ceiling murals by Heisuke Kitazawa, a famous anime artist, Tomo Hotel has 125 rooms and 2 suites known as “gaming suites.” If you are a serious gamer, you’re in danger of never leaving this place as the arcade room alone is equipped with a Nintendo Wii, a Sony PS3 console, and an 8 by 5 foot LCD screen. Oh, and lest we forget, there are also two queen beds if you book one of the gaming suites, as well as an extremely comfortable sofa. But who needs sleep when you’ve got tons of playing to do, right?
Mama Hotel
From San Francisco, we jet off to Paris, where the world-famous Mama Shelter is located. Designed by Philippe Starck, this hotel features a 24-inch iMac in every room, which “acts as mission control for HDTV, radio, movies, films, DVDs, and Internet.” But that’s not all! Mama Shelter’s restaurant-bar has “iBooths,” complete with communal digital tables, where “everyone has the opportunity to become part of the history of the place and its décor by leaving a sign of their stay at the hotel.”
Kameha Grand Bonn
A hotel built over a power plant? Well, why not? At least that’s what we think the builders of the Kameha Grand in Bonn had in mind when they were constructing it. Described as “a vision of the future,” the hotel has a geothermal plant in its cellar that supplies 70 percent of its heating and cooling needs. Honestly, we don’t know what’s cooler, the way the Kameha Grand reduces CO2 emissions by 400 tons a year or its Fair Game suite, which offers foosball, Nintendo Wii, and darts.
Blow Up Hall
No need to check with different phone service providers (more info) if you’re staying at Poland’s Blow Up Hall. As soon as you check-in, you’ll receive an iPhone that comes preloaded with customized apps. This iPhone also helps guests “navigate their way to their rooms and unlocks the door.” The hotel also features an amazing video installation—once you step into the hotel, you become part of a movie projected on huge displays. Take note that Blow Up Hall has no less than 2,400 cameras installed throughout the building, which would make for a very cool “movie” indeed.
Eden Hotel
As much as we want to go alone, we’re inclined to bring Robin to the Eden Hotel’s Batman-themed room. Located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, the Eden Hotel’s Batman Suite comes complete with a Bat Signal shower and skylight. Any jet-setting Bruce Wayne wannabe would be delighted to stay in this decked out pad. And for only $50 per 3-hours of stay, you know you’re getting a good deal considering the Dark Knight-themed bed and the Batmobile parked in the corner of the room.
The Eccleston Square Hotel
How do you transform an average hotel room to a pad that’s worthy of super spy James Bond? Well, if it’s The Eccleston Square Hotel in London, the first thing you do is fit the room with high-tech Hastens bed with its own mini-massage system. Then you make sure that the bathroom uses a type of glass that transforms from see-through to opaque with just a flick of a switch. After that, you treat your visitors to a 46-inch 3DTV, which comes with two pairs of active 3-D Panasonic glasses. You can also entice them to use an iPad, which is laid out on every nightstand.
