With Britain’s reputation as being one of the world’s rainiest countries, it may not seem to be the greatest idea to construct a sand hotel on Weymouth beach in Dorset. However, this is precisely what the British did with the knowledge that the first rain or similarly bad weather would destroy the construction within a very short space of time.
Full marks for innovation and originality, yet maybe less than full marks go to the British in this case for practicality. Indeed, the construction was recently flattened by a digger before the predicted rain. However, the Weymouth sand hotel reminds us of similarly unique hotels around the world which have to be rebuilt every year. The ice hotels of Quebec and Sweden spring to mind.
The sand hotel was certainly unique. Where else was it possible to wake up with waves lapping at your feet or fall asleep gazing at the stars? The sand hotel did, of course have its disadvantages. For example, there were no toilet facilities and the lack of a roof left visitors vulnerable to light rain and cold. The threat of solid rain would have been disastrous for the entire structure. On top of all this, sand has a terrible habit of getting between visitors’ toes and into other places perhaps not worthy of mention.
Certainly the biggest lure of the hotel was its originality, fulfilling boyhood dreams of many to live in ones own giant sandcastle. Its original construction was influenced by the discovery of Laterooms.com that British tourists are beginning to favour British resorts and avoid foreign ones, mostly due to finance. Indeed, the cost of $21 or L10 per night is certainly a money saver. 37 million British tourists are expected to visit British beaches this year making the building of the sand hotel, albeit briefly, a seemingly good idea.