August 8, 2009
You can romp around naked at the controls of the Boeing 747.
You can even have a tryst in the bathroom and never return to your seat to fasten your seatbelt.
But on Oscar Dios’ jumbo jet, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never earn any mile high frequent flyer points.
Earlier this year, Dios opened up the world’s oddest hostel — built inside a decommissioned passenger jetliner, permanently parked just outside Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport.
Inside the 353 square meters of space, he’s carved out guest quarters, a men’s dorm and even a small café.
Though the ride wasn’t so smooth at the start.
The global credit crunch, and a tumble in tourist numbers around the world, meant for the first few months, it was slow going for Dios, whose stationary 747 — and named ‘Liv” after his toddler daughter — has been rebuilt to accommodate 72 people in 25 mostly tiny rooms.
“The guests didn’t rush in,” he tells Sun Media, as he mans the registration desk inside the Jumbo Hostel.
But over the six months since opening, business has taken off enough that he plans to franchise out other plane retreats in other cities — most likely in Europe, rather than North America.
The hostel he runs in Sweden spent 36 years flying for Singapore and Pan American Airlines, as well as some charter outfits. It was abandoned by a bankrupt company and was destined for an airplane graveyard when Dios took it under his wing.
Resort made out of real plane
By THANE BURNETT, SUN MEDIA
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 On Oscar Dios' jumbo jet, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never earn any mile high frequent flyer points. (Supplied Photo) |
You can even have a tryst in the bathroom and never return to your seat to fasten your seatbelt.
But on Oscar Dios’ jumbo jet, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never earn any mile high frequent flyer points.
Earlier this year, Dios opened up the world’s oddest hostel — built inside a decommissioned passenger jetliner, permanently parked just outside Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport.
Inside the 353 square meters of space, he’s carved out guest quarters, a men’s dorm and even a small café.
Though the ride wasn’t so smooth at the start.
The global credit crunch, and a tumble in tourist numbers around the world, meant for the first few months, it was slow going for Dios, whose stationary 747 — and named ‘Liv” after his toddler daughter — has been rebuilt to accommodate 72 people in 25 mostly tiny rooms.
“The guests didn’t rush in,” he tells Sun Media, as he mans the registration desk inside the Jumbo Hostel.
But over the six months since opening, business has taken off enough that he plans to franchise out other plane retreats in other cities — most likely in Europe, rather than North America.
The hostel he runs in Sweden spent 36 years flying for Singapore and Pan American Airlines, as well as some charter outfits. It was abandoned by a bankrupt company and was destined for an airplane graveyard when Dios took it under his wing.
He reasoned, if hostels can be built in old trains and churches and boats, then why not a grounded jumbo jet?
Guests check in for around $42 Can., unless you want the bridal suite, built tightly inside the cockpit. It costs $420 a night, but comes with the entire upper deck, private bathroom and a view that overlooks the nearby runways.
Canadians who’ve stayed in the Jumbo Hostel have raved, says Dios, who believes there’s romance associated with flight that is universal.
“All people love airplanes,” he’s realized.
Besides, he adds, he guarantees a dream flight.
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