10 hotels from around the world that creatively repurpose shipping containers

few structures have seen such versatile upcycling as the shipping container. originally designed to safely carry goods around the globe, the container’s durable, cube-like shape has attracted architects to continuously come up with new, innovative uses, ranging from demountable football stadiums, to floating student housing and starburst-shaped residences. being easy to transport and adapt into any kind of environment, containers have proven particularly successful when transformed into various types of accommodation, from hotels to hostels, or single-room retreats.

we’ve rounded up ten hospitality projects from around the world that repurpose containers in fun and innovative ways, providing an unforgettable experience for their guests.

quadrum ski & yoga resort, georgia

image courtesy of quadrum

located at 2200 m in upper gudauri, georgia, quadrum is a boutique hotel made entirely from recycled shipping containers. the eco-friendly hotel is designed to affect the surrounding natural environment as little as possible, while its stacked boxes all feature floor-to-ceiling views that look out to the caucasus mountains.

tiny urban escapes, indianapolis

image courtesy of tiny urban escapes

designed as a  private space to ‘seek lost sleep, enjoy sinfully lazy sundays, live life a little slower or simply unplug and de-stress’, indianapolis’ tiny urban escapes are fit within recycled shipping containers. created by canadian company glasshaus, each cabin features a double bed, private deck, and floor-to-ceiling walls.

contain hotel by artikul architects, czech republic

all photo by michal hurych

beach box hotel, baga goa, india

image courtesy of the beach box hotel

located in baga goa, india, the beach box hotel is made entirely from upcycled and recycled materials, using shipping containers as its structure. the hotel features 16 rooms, an in-house restaurant, a bar, and a swimming pool, and all are painted in various shades of red and combined with wooden surfaces.

flophouze hotel, round top, texas

image courtesy of flophouze

in flophouze, guests have the opportunity to stay in one of six shipping containers before they decide if they want to design and build one of their own. located in round top,texas, each guest house consists of a living room, kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom, with interiors clad in sustainable wood harvested from the company’s farm in upstate new york, windows salvaged from a school in philadelphia that was slated for demolition, and kitchen cabinets from a laboratory in brooklyn. 

the yays – crane apartment by edward van vliet, amsterdam

image courtesy of yays

edward van vliet has refurbished a shipping container in amsterdam’s NDSM area by restoring its old parts and adding completely new ones, creating a space that’s both luxurious and a little unorthodox. managed by yays concierged boutique apartments, the holiday retreat suspends guests in the air and makes them part of the crane’s long history, creating memories to share forever.

hougoumont hotel, fremantle, australia

image courtesy of the hougoumont hotel

the hougoumont transports guests through passages in time – past, present and future – fusing an original structure built in 1901 with an innovative sea container construction. located in the heart of historic fremantle, the small boutique hotel features a heritage-laced facade, which blends with a dynamic combination of colors and materials.

CCASA hostel by TAK architects, vietnam

image courtesy of CCASA

designed by TAK architects, CCASA – short for container casa – packs a welcoming atmosphere for young backpackers who find themselves in vietnam. bringing old containers back to life, the hostel’s design is inspired by the interior of train cabins, while each bedroom is designed as a fully-furnished cabin of its own.

winebox valparaiso, chile

image by federico cairoli

as its name suggests, this wine-themed hotel on the coast of valparaiso, chile, provides accomodation made of 25 shipping containers salvaged from the nearby port.winebox hotel offers a private terrace for each room, while repurposed furniture and hand-painted murals can be found throughout the space.

sleeping around by geoffrey stampaert, didier opdebeeck, and ellen wezenbeek, various locations

image © frederick herregods

sleeping around is a pop-up hotel the travels the globe based on an effective supply-and-demand model. its shipping container structures can equally reside in the countryside or adapt in a stimulating city center, while travelers can check back periodically to see if the hotel has moved to an area of interest. the mobile hotel can be set up and fully functional within five hours of arriving at a location.