Murder on the orient express is a movie that showcases a time when train travel was the height of luxury. While luxury trains have largely been forgotten thanks to the advances of air travel there are some who still yearn for this beauty. In the old days trains were used to travel across countries and vast lands and offered the customers a relaxing way to reach their destination, eat fine food, look at the beautiful surroundings and most of all to relax. A new hotel has opened this year that is trying to provide many of these feelings once more.
The Kruger Shalati hotel is a hotel that has been created from a train. The train used to bring customers to Kruger Safari park in Africa almost 100 years ago. The train used to park atop a long bridge so that customers could enjoy the incredible views of the river and animals below. As the train became unused the park owners realized that customers were missing out on one of the best views they had to offer. They came up with a plan.
They transformed the train into a hotel. It is now permanently located on top of the historic bridge. The train has been altered with the seats removed now housing 24 en suite rooms and the Bridge house next door holding another seven. The hotel is incredibly beautiful with a boutique design that highlights the African culture as well as an immersive experience. The rooms are designed with ceiling to floor glass walls that allow the residents to have an unhampered view of the river and surrounding wildlife.
While you may think that a hotel train would be restricted for space, this is not the case. The designers built out from the train and bridge to add in more aspects that they required. This means the hotel offers a pool that sits below the bridge level. You can now go for a swim and when taking a break look over the edge to see some crocodiles in the water.
The Kruger Shalati hotel has been designed in an incredibly unique way. It is a design that came about as a solution to a beautiful space that was going unused but in its creation it has caused quite a stir. While the hotel was opened during the pandemic lockdown the owners are not worried about attracting guests. Already the hotel has gone viral on many pages as customers are delighted at the idea of staying at a safari, on a train, on a bridge, overlooking wild animals, in the height of luxury and design.
It is fair to say that this hotel ticks the boxes that everyone wants in a memorable experience. The safari park owners managed to utilise the space they had to create something truly unique in the world today. Once the coronavirus pandemic ends there will be customers lining up to stay at this special and unique space.
The Kruger national park is based in Northeastern South Africa. It is home to a wild array of wildlife including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffalo. Overall it is estimated that the park is home to hundreds of animal species making it one of the most diverse reserves in the world. This was already enough to make it an attractive proposition but the new hotel on the train sets it further apart from the competition.
It will be exciting to watch how the hotel does once the pandemic ends and if other places start to copy the idea. Clearly, there are some creative minds at work in the Kruger national park and we can’t wait to see what else they come up with.
