Shipping container homes are all the rage these days, and that’s also true here in South Africa.

They’re usually far cheaper, for a start, and then there’s the added bonus of their compatibility with off-grid solutions like solar power, solar lighting, and rainwater-harvesting systems.

Over in London, UK design studio Doone Silver Kerr has gone one better and built an entire hotel out of shipping containers.

Let’s get some details via New Atlas:

Located in Waterloo, the Stow-Away Hotel consists of recycled 30-ft (9.1-m)-long shipping containers stacked five containers high, to offer a total of 20 “aparthotel” rooms which can be used for short or longer stays. A wine bar and reception area are installed on the ground floor.

The containers themselves have been painted a uniform white and modified with glazing and doors. We’ve no word on insulation, which tends to be the Achilles heel of these container-based projects, though the firm did add shading fins to the windows to mitigate solar heat gain and enliven the exterior appearance.

In order to reduce vibrations and noise pollution, rubber padding has also been used, with stairs and elevators added to the rear side of the building, shielded from the main view.

As for the rooms themselves, it’s pretty remarkable what they’ve managed to squeeze in:

The interiors of the hotel rooms are finished in stone and stained plywood, and have a muted color palette. They feature a kitchenette, which boasts a dishwasher, as well as a sink, microwave, and portable hotplate, in addition to cabinetry with cutlery and the like.

The bathroom includes a shower, sink, and toilet, and the bed has wall cushions so it can be used to watch the wall-mounted TV.

Wall cushions for the win.

You can stay wherever you like when you visit London (this looks like a hipster hangout deluxe), but if you’re keen on seeing those containers do what they do best, as in sending goods around the world, you start by asking the experts at Berry & Donaldson.

The South African-owned logistics company has been helping importers and exporters navigate the labyrinth that is international freighting for over half a century, mapping out and ensuring the safe departure and arrival of shipping containers at their destinations around the world.

Still keen to spend the night at Stow-Away? Peruse the hotel’s website if you want more info.

[source:newatlas]