Tag Archives: Africa

A hotel located at the junction of two rivers with a rich history, the Blue Nile and the White Nile, cannot be massive, brutal or ugly. It can only be light, aerial, and futuristic. Qualifiers that the Corinthia Hotel Khartoum, also called Burj al-Fateh, proudly wears.

Plump and round, the 5 star hotel is shaped like a sail inflated by the wind of two rivers. That was supposed to be the architects’ original idea. Are we wrong?  Since we’re on the topic, let’s put forth another hypothesis. The architects were inspired by the famous Burj al Arab sail, the 7 star hotel (classification not officially recognized) inaugurated in December 1999 in Dubai. The Khartoum hotel opened its doors on August 17 2008. The work began in 1994.

[caption id="attachment_619" align="aligncenter" width="470"]OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Nick Hobgood, Wikipedia Commons[/caption]

Using the sail concept not new. The city of Barcelona, Spain also set sail with its Vela Hotel. Donald Trump was also tempted by the onshore wind with his Trump Ocean Club International Hotel and Tower in Panama. Other buildings carried by the wind include the Vasco da Gama Tower and the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Great Britain.[……]

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In Bora Bora, you take a nap listening to the ocean murmur under the floor. In Kenya, you lounge in your hotel room while lions, buffalo, cheetahs, hyenas and other wild animals walk under your feet. From time to time you take a look outside:  Look over there—it’s a giraffe!

All of that thanks to construction on stilts (piles).

Carole and her daughter Catherine, a future anthropologist, returned from their trip to Kenya totally amazed. They brought back this photo of Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge where they stayed during their trip to Africa. Do you know who built this unusual hotel? Hilton International—back in 1972!

Built on wood piles, the hotel allows tourists to observe the comings-and-goings of African animals without having to go on safari. The animals come to drink from a source located nearby. No harm is caused to the wildlife because the hotel does not block the natural migration routes.

[caption id="attachment_462" align="aligncenter" width="540"]inusite_avril_2013 Source: Casarazzi[/caption]

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