A Plane Hotel

Twice in the last two weeks, I’ve spent a night on a jumbo jet – by choice! Just a short 5-minute bus ride away from Stockholm’s international airport is the world’s first airplane hostel called Jumbo Stay.

The first time I stayed because I had a 12-hour layover and I was curious to check it out. The second time I stayed because I liked it so well the first go ‘round. During my second stay, I got an upgrade to a double shared room (instead of the four-bed dorm I had booked). I also got a 10% discount with my International Hosteling card, so at $50 a night it was a bargain (by Scandinavian standards)!

Jumbo Style

Here’re a few of the converted plane’s distinguishing characteristics:

Cockpit Café: The cockpit has been converted into a café serving breakfast from 3:00 am onwards. They also offer hot meals (via a microwave) and snacks.

Shared Rooms: Overhead bins are kept for personal storage and each room has at least 5-6 small plane windows looking out onto the airport’s tarmac. Wifi is in the rooms as well as a flat-screen TV.

My first stay, I was in the top bunk and the ladder to get there was a bit precarious. The second night I had the room to myself and a double bed on the bottom bunk. Luxury!

Private Bathrooms: There’re bathrooms at the end the plane’s center aisle, each with a shower, as well as a communal sink basin. Towels are supplied on each bed.

Plane Features

You, of course, enter through the airplane’s main door. You take off your shoes when entering, keeping the plane clean and tidy.

These are the details on the retired jumbo jet:

• Airplane type: Boeing 747-212B
• Year of manufacture: 1976
• Number of rooms: 27
• Number of beds in total: 76
• Number of beds per room: Two bunk beds
• Room size: Circa 6 square meters, 3 meters to ceiling

Interested in your own Jumbo Stay experience? Book it today! Maybe I’ll see you there!

p.s. I did not tell them I was writing an article about my stay to get the upgraded room – I simple asked as a repeat customer and they were happy to oblige.

Tags: hostels, Jumbo Stay, Stockholm Airport

This entry was posted on Monday, August 13th, 2012 and is filed under Home.