Would You Stay At A Former Iraq Prison Camp?

December 5, 2011 at 10:25 AM | by ASchechter | Comments (0)

What does it take to convert a bunch of old US military trailers into a select service hotel? Apparently, just a little indoor plumbing and some catering. That's what's happening over at Camp Bucca in Iraq, just outside the town of Basra.

Among hundreds of other US military bases across Iraq that have been recently abandoned, an Iraqi developer saw the potential to develop this particular site into a hotel. The only drawback? It's a former prison camp. The NY Times reports that many, if not all, of the recent guests have been oil company executives�and boy, were they shocked when the bus dropped them off in front of an empty, dirt-walled trailer park enclosed by barbed wire.

$190 a night is all you pay at Camp Bucca, which the hotel's developer hopes to turn into a "commercial oasis."

And, all Guant�namo Bay comparisons aside, there is some likelihood of that happening. Basically, Basra sits on a massive oil reserve, whose production is set to increase by almost 300% by 2035. That's a whole lot of oil. With increased oil production comes more oil company visitors, and with more visitors comes the need for more hotels. It's simple, see?

We just hope the hotel makes it clear from the onset that these "guests" are in for a more unique "hotel" experience than they're used to.

"The operators acknowledge that Basra Gateway is a work in progress. After all, the previous tenants had no right to be finicky. 'We are trying to create a more homey atmosphere,' said Andrew D. Quaile, a project manager with the Cater Corporation, an Australian contractor handling the food service."

Our suggestion: a nice big sign. Preferably without the words "miliatry," "prison," and "base."

[Photo: Andrea Bruce / NY Times]

HotelChatter

Select a Destination:

Odd Hotels / Iraq Hotels / Military Hotels / Hotel News / → All Tags