Holiday Destinations

Share a hotel room with a 100 year old clock tower

Share a hotel room with a 100 year old clock tower
A Japanese artist has built a fully-furnished hotel room around the top to the historic Ghent Sint-Pieters station clock tower in Belgium
A Japanese artist has built a fully-furnished hotel room around the top to the historic Ghent Sint-Pieters station clock tower in Belgium
View 7 Images
A Japanese artist has built a fully-furnished hotel room around the top to the historic Ghent Sint-Pieters station clock tower in Belgium
1/7
A Japanese artist has built a fully-furnished hotel room around the top to the historic Ghent Sint-Pieters station clock tower in Belgium
Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below
2/7
Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below
If they don't mind giving up some of their space for a giant national landmark, guests will be treated to one of the best views in the city as well as typical hotel room amenities
3/7
If they don't mind giving up some of their space for a giant national landmark, guests will be treated to one of the best views in the city as well as typical hotel room amenities
Hotel Gent has only one room, and guests will be sharing it with the giant clock at the top of the station's tower
4/7
Hotel Gent has only one room, and guests will be sharing it with the giant clock at the top of the station's tower
If they don't mind giving up some of their space for a giant national landmark, guests will be treated to one of the best views in the city as well as typical hotel room amenities
5/7
If they don't mind giving up some of their space for a giant national landmark, guests will be treated to one of the best views in the city as well as typical hotel room amenities
Hotel Gent has only one room, and guests will be sharing it with the giant clock at the top of the station's tower
6/7
Hotel Gent has only one room, and guests will be sharing it with the giant clock at the top of the station's tower
Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below
7/7
Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below
View gallery - 7 images

Tourists looking for a unique hotel experience in Belgium may want to seek out the Hotel Gent, a new project from Tazu Rous. As part of an art experience planned for the city, the Japanese artist designed and constructed a fully-furnished hotel room around the historic Ghent Sint-Pieters train station. But this isn't just an old building that's been renovated into a hotel. Hotel Gent has only one room, and guests will be sharing it with the giant clock at the top of the station's tower.

If they don't mind giving up some of their space for a room-sized national landmark, guests will be treated to one of the best views in the city as well as typical hotel room amenities (full bathroom, reading area, etc.). Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below and was designed as part of TRACK, a city-wide art project aimed at enhancing the culture of Ghent in many unique ways. The room was constructed to mark the centenary of the station's construction in 1912.

Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below
Hotel Gent rests atop the clock tower 23 meters (approx. 75 feet) above the bustling streets below

In the past, Tazu Rous has built similar structures around prominent statues and landmarks in other cities around the globe. The idea is to give visitors a more private and intimate perspective on the city's local history. For tourists looking to get up close and personal with the country's history, they can't go wrong with a room that's been constructed around a piece of it. No word on whether the ticking clock or chimes can be heard from inside though.

Hotel Gent opened on May 12 and is set to remain open to the public for tours through September 16. Unfortunately, the room was available for overnight stays at 105 Euros (US$133) per night, but the website indicates they are fully booked at the moment.

Source: Hotel Gent via DesignBoom

View gallery - 7 images
2 comments
2 comments
Matt Rings
Yup... No better way to celebrate the historical significance to the population and the cultural beauty than covering it with construction platforms, and walling it in! Yup, beauty and culture for ONE family, not the whole city.
abbyalisia
I'm sorry but I think this concept is foolish. I wouldn't want a giant clock ticking away so close to my bed as I try to sleep... Lol. Besides I would much rather enjoy the beauty of the clock publicly (as in without a room built around it).