28009 Travel Guide
Hotel Renovations
Post Demolition: No Crashing Impact Seen from Madrid Hotel Stunt
July 6, 2007 at 1:24 PM | 2 Comments
We were as perplexed as we were tickled last month when we heard that the NH Alcalá in Madrid was going to allow qualifying individuals to demolish hotel rooms to make way for a renovation. The hotel, in the Salamanca section of Madrid, is part of the 335-property NH chain.
One one hand, the idea was unabashedly gimmicky. On the other, it tapped the rocker-trashing-hotel-room fantasy in many of us, with, at least for U.S. television viewers, a little Flip That House catharsis action thrown in for good measure.
Now that the event has transpired, this past Tuesday, with considerable media coverage, we're left wondering a few things. Some inquiring questions, with ever-incisive answers, after the jump.
Hotel Renovations
Crazies Permitted to Unleash Misdirected Anger at Madrid Hotel
June 14, 2007 at 2:05 PM | 0 Comments
Soon, the pristine room pictured above will be reduced to rubble -- by its guests.
No, they're not irritated by a crappy view or those chintzy shampoo and conditioner combo bottles that leave our hair all tangly. They won a contest to trash the place. The Hotel NH Alcala in Madrid is allowing 30 people, recommended by their shrinks, to take out their frustrations on the 11-year-old building.
Each person, whose therapist has clearly breached his doctor/patient confidentiality, will be given a mallet and hard hat, and instructed to have at any part of the 146-room building, including walls and windows.
The demolition will take place on July 3. Renovations to the entire place start up soon after. Either this is a lame publicity stunt to plug the hotel's facelift, or a Machiavellian genius maneuver to cut labor costs.
