Staying in the "Cement Pipe Hotel" in Austria

Picture: @VisualChina

That year, I traveled to Austria and stayed in a "cement pipe hotel" for the first time in my life.

As soon as I got off the plane, I was driven to the iron gate of Leeds Park by my Austrian friend Lovis. I looked at Lovis in confusion. Normally, the first thing he would do would be to find a comfortable and quiet hotel for me to stay in. But why did he bring me to the park? Is this the difference between Chinese and Western hospitality?

Looking at my confused look, Lovis smiled and asked: "Are there cement pipe hotels in China? Have you ever stayed in a cement pipe hotel?" Lovis's series of questions made me speechless and dumbfounded: "Is there any cement pipe hotel in the world?" Lovis said: "Of course there is, there is one in Austria."

"This is the first and only cement pipe hotel in Austria," Lovis pointed out Looking at the dozen giant cement pipes placed on the lawn of Leeds Park, he said, "Many tourists will come to experience the uniqueness and novelty of staying in the cement pipe hotel. The rooms are full every day. I reserved the room for you one month in advance..." said With that, Lovis took me to a giant cement pipe and recited an Austrian password. The light yellow-brown glass door on one side of the cement pipe opened automatically, just like the mythical "Open Sesame". .

The guest room is made of a huge cement pipe, with a door at each end and a panoramic skylight in the shape of a round hole at the top, so you can look at the stars at night. The room (tube) has ample space and is equipped with a double bed, storage cabinets, lamps, blankets and cotton sleeping bags, and even power sockets for guests to charge their cameras or mobile phones. Although the sparrow is small, it has all the internal organs, such as washing, toilet, lighting, kitchen stove and other facilities. What's amazing is the hotel's service. There is a special switch in the room. When you press it, service staff will come to help you solve your problems. If you are staying alone, they will thoughtfully give you a doll to keep you company.

At night, I stayed in a cement pipe hotel made of concrete. It was very quiet and relaxing, and I felt far away from the hustle and bustle and isolated from the world. That night, I slept very soundly, as if I was living at home. I forgot about the time difference and that I was in a foreign country. On the morning of the third day Lovis came and said he had found a new hotel for me. And I already kind of like staying in cement pipe hotels, so I said don’t bother and just stay here. Lovis said: "The hotel stipulates that each guest can only stay for a maximum of 3 consecutive days, and must check out after 3 days." I was surprised how there was such a strange rule: Don't businesses like to pursue maximizing profits? How could you "drive" customers away without making any money?

When Lovis went to the front desk to check out, he said to the customer service: "My Chinese friends live here very comfortably, so I will pay you 100 euros..." It turned out that when staying at the Cement Pipe Hotel, guests When you leave, you can pay according to your ability to pay or the price you think is appropriate.

Regarding the three-day "restriction order", Lowes explained: "The Austrian artist Andris Strass, the original creator of the cement pipe hotel, gave this theoretical basis that three days is The limit time for people to stay fresh about their own environment. After 3 days, people will gradually start to get tired of the environment and atmosphere they are in. Therefore, 'driving' the guest away before he is tired can keep him in a state of freshness. He will pass on this unique and novel accommodation experience to the people around him because of his endless sense of novelty, attracting more people to come and experience it.”

The unique experience of staying in a cement pipe hotel in Austria. It’s something I can’t forget until now, and I really want to experience it again.

(Tong Yuhang)