Abandoned vehicles may not shout holiday charm, but a resort in northern China is attracting customers with its unique, cartoon-filled bus hotels.
Owners of the Tai Tai Mountain Park in the city of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, have converted more than 30 old buses into mini-hotels featuring private kitchens, bathrooms and colorful interior and exterior designs.
Each bus hotel has its own theme, mainly popular cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty and Doraemon.
Cartoon murals adorn the exteriors, while bright bedspreads, novelty dishware and big stuffed animals help bring the insides to life.
Guolin Han, president of the Tai Tai Mountain Park, explained why he decided the buses were the way to go.
“These abandoned buses are cheap to buy and it’s great reuse of waste,” said Han. He said they spent more than $9,000 to transform each bus.
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The resort charges customers $43 a night to stay in the mini-hotels and is targeting couples and families.
Since opening in May business has been steady, especially on weekends. Owners say advance bookings are recommended.
The Tai Tai Mountain Park owners have lofty goals. They plan to convert 200 vehicles by July 1. And it’s not just abandoned buses. They’re adding tractors, trucks and even planes to the mix.
Chongfeng Yue, vice President of Tai Tai Mountain Park, said he aims to create a recreational vehicle museum.
“It will be really meaningful to look back at these outdated vehicles in the future,” he said.
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