Buses are the new Jets

Recycleds Hotel, USA

Buildings that are a century or more old are rare in Los Angeles, but this youth-obsessed city does have a wealth of architectural treasures built in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. The midcentury period is celebrated at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills, which features vintage furnishings and an hourglass-shaped pool. And true to L.A. style, the buildings of the Avalon were reinvented from a hotel that was featured in episodes of “I Love Lucy,” as well as from a pair of 1949 apartment buildings.


Washington, D.C.’s Hotel Monaco is located in a national historic landmark, the city’s former General Post Office (also known as the Tariff Building), which was also the first all-marble structure in the nation’s capital. Designed by Robert Mills, architect of the Washington Monument, the structure was completed in 1842; Thomas Walter, the architect of the United States Capitol, designed the extension on the hotel’s north façade.


The Jules Undersea Lodge occupies a former research lab in the waters off of Key Largo, Fla. Although the lodge is 21 feet under water, it includes such amenities as air conditioning, hot showers, a DVD player and TV, as well as a fully stocked galley with a refrigerator and microwave. While the Jules Undersea Lodge is a favorite with the scuba set and you have to snorkel to the entrance, you don’t have to be a certified diver to stay there. Swimming is, of course, required; your laptop is not.


Houston’s Hotel Icon, which opened in 2004, occupies the historic Union Bank Building, which was one of the earliest steel-and-concrete skyscrapers in the U.S. The keystones depicting Hermes, the Greek god of trade and commerce, proclaim the building’s past, but the 135 luxurious guest rooms and suites mark this as a boutique hotel that means business.


The 100-year-old building that’s now the Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee was once a factory and warehouse, and was used as a cold storage facility until 2005. But today, it hosts one of the hottest social scenes in Milwaukee. The hotel’s name refers not only to its proximity to a historic railway, but also to its location near the new Harley-Davidson Museum, in the city where the motorcycle company is based.


The Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio is located in the Medical Arts Building, a historic 1920s landmark in the Alamo City; its 13-story tower still features terra cotta gargoyles depicting figures with toothaches and other ailments. Today, the only therapy that this luxury AAA four-diamond hotel offers is through its elegantly appointed rooms, well-stocked library and outdoor pool and hot tub.


The W Minneapolis – The Foshay occupies a building that’s also on the National Register of Historic Places. The iconic 447-foot art deco structure was built in 1929 by local developer Wilbur B. Foshay to resemble the Washington Monument; it tapers from 7,000 square feet at its base to 3,800 square feet at the top. The refurbished hotel opened in 2008, with many of the building's original design elements preserved, including Italian marble, terrazzo floors and ornamental brass, bronze and nickel accents.


The Nines in Portland, Ore., is a new luxury hotel that occupies the top nine floors of the 15-story former Meier & Frank department store, which was built in 1908 and closed in 2006. The building, on the National Register of Historic Places, was remodeled using green materials; it’s expected to achieve LEED Silver certification. And if the hotel’s history inspires you to shop, a Macy’s department store sits at ground level.


New York’s Jane Hotel is located in a 1908 building designed by William A. Boring, the architect of Ellis Island’s immigrant station, and was used in 1912 to lodge the survivors of the Titanic. The Jane’s 150 Standard Cabin and 50 Captain’s Cabin rooms mimic those found on a ship; they’re tight on space, and guests share a communal bathroom. But with rooms starting at $99/night, it’s one of the best hotel bargains in Manhattan.


Reduce, reuse, recycle is a mantra for the green-minded who want to do their part in preserving the environment. For years, hotels have been asking their guests to reuse towels and sheets to reduce the amount of water and energy they consume. But a few new hotels embody the three R’s in a broader way: The buildings they occupy were each used for an entirely different purpose in a past life.

For more than a century, people avoided checking into the building that’s now occupied by the Liberty Hotel in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston. That’s because, up until 1990, it was the Charles Street jail, a structure that once housed Malcolm X and notorious anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti. Today, hip Bostonians wait in line to get into the Liberty’s Alibi bar and the hot restaurant The Clink. And the hotel retains vestiges of its former life, in the form of an airy atrium that was once the jail’s rotunda.

Island of Paradise, Vabbinfaru Maldives

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World's scariest airports

Toncontin Airport, Honduras. Having negotiated the rough-hewn mountainous terrain, pilots must execute a dramatic 45-degree, last-minute bank to the left just minutes prior to touching down in a bowl-shaped valley on a runway just 1862 metres in length.

Barra Airport, Scotland. The airport on the tiny Outer Hebridean Island of Barra is actually a wide shallow bay onto which scheduled planes land with the roughness of landings determined by how the tide went out.

John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York. Pilots have to avoid interfering with flights into New York's two other close-by airports, LaGuardia and Newark.

Matekane Air Strip, Lesotho. The 399-metre-long runway is perched at the edge of a couloir at 2300 metres. You drop down the face of a 609-metre cliff until you start flying.

Madeira Airport, Funchal, Madeira. Wedged in by mountains and the Atlantic, Madeira Airport requires a clockwise approach for which pilots are specially trained. Pilots must first point their aircraft at the mountains and, at the last minute, bank right to the runway.

Paro Airport, Bhutan. Tucked into a tightly cropped valley and surrounded by 4900-metre-high Himalayan peaks, Bhutan's only airport is forbidding to fly into. It requires specially trained pilots to maneuver and land through a channel of tree-covered hillsides.

Reagan National Airport, Washington, DC. Located smack in the center of two overlapping air-exclusion zones, Reagan National requires pilots flying the so-called River Visual into the airport to follow the Potomac while steering clear of sensitive sites such as the Pentagon and CIA headquarters.

Gibraltar Airport. Pinched in by the Mediterranean on its eastern flank and the Bay of Algeciras on its western side, the airport's truncated runway stretches just 1828 metres and requires pinpoint precision.

Princess Juliana International Airport, St. Maarten. It regularly welcomes wide-body jetliners like Boeing 747s and Airbus A340s which fly in low over Maho Beach and skim just over the perimeter fence.


Lonely Planet

Five places to sleep in the trees

Vindoux, South Africa

Set on a family-run farm in the Western Cape, Vindoux's treehouses and cottages offer idyllic views of orchards, vineyards and the Saronsberg Mountains. The stilted houses feature rustic-chic furnishings – four-posters, fine linen and picture windows, as well as spa baths and balconies. A treetop restaurant serves grilled meats and salads, and there's a bush-top pub. After exploring neighbouring wineries or hiking trails, guests can relax in the pool or spa.

Orion, France

In a forested valley overlooking the medieval village of St-Paul-de-Vence, each of these four chic, cedar-wood lodges is named after a Jungle Book character. Veiled by pines and oaks, they come with balconies and grown-up interiors: wooden bathtubs, snowy linen, tactile textiles and broadband. Outside there's a naturally purified pool, boules and a trampoline; the Côte d'Azur is a short drive away.

The Canopy, Australia

Set on a riverbank in the rainforest of the Cairns Highlands, these houses come with a balcony, barbecue and hammock, so you can spy on the neighbours: tree kangaroos, possums and king parrots. Houses sleep between two and six, and have spa baths.

Tree House Lodge, Costa Rica

This lodge is in a wildlife refuge on Costa Rica's southern-Caribbean coast, and comprises beach house, beach suite and tree house. The last is built around a 100-year-old sangrillo tree. Walkways twist between the foliage, where monkeys, sloths and racoons are often visible.

Kinlochlaich Treehouse, Scotland

Built around an oak tree, this octagonal cottage is more Hobbit than Ewok. It overlooks the Appin Hills, with a deck for summer days. Double bedroom, sitting room and bathroom radiate from the trunk, and a spiral staircase leads to a gallery where extra beds can be set up for children. The treehouse is in the grounds of the 18th-century Kinlochlaich House, with woodland walks, fruit and vegetable gardens and tennis courts.

Asia's Most-Visited Tourist Sites

19. Tokyo Tower, Japan

(tie) 3.2 million

At 333 meters, Tokyo Tower proclaims itself the “world’s largest self-supporting steel tower” and transmits analog and digital waves for most of the city’s broadcast stations. An observation deck on the tower’s top floor provides views as far as Mt. Fuji.

Source: Japan National Tourist Organization

19. Happy Valley, Shenzhen, China

(tie) 3.2 million

This modern theme park in China’s Guangdong Province ranked ninth in TEA’s Top 10 Amusement/Theme Parks in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Its nine themed sections range from Cartoon City to Typhoon Bay.

SOURCE: TEA/ERA

17. (tie) Ueno Zoo, Japan

3.5 million

Japan’s oldest zoo was founded in 1882 and is now home to more than 2,600 animals. Its showcased fauna include gorillas, tigers and pygmy hippos.

Source: Japan National Tourist Organization

17. (tie) Taipei Zoo, Taiwan

3.5 million

Taipei Zoo, an education, research, conservation and recreation facility, was established in 1914, while Taiwan was still under Japanese sovereignty. Today it is among the world’s ten largest urban zoos, and welcomed nearly 3.5 million visitors in 2006.

SOURCE: Tapei Zoo

16. Aso Farmland, Kyushu, Japan

4.1 million

Aso Farmland is situated halfway up Mount Aso National Park in the Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu. According to the Japan National Tourist Organization, the resort “consists of a theme park on an expansive stretch of land, shopping zone and restaurants, natural onsen [hot spring] … domed lodgings, and more.”

Source: Japan National Tourist Organization

15. Hong Kong Disneyland, China

4.5 million

A joint venture between Disney and the Hong Kong government, Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005. The park, located on Lantau Island, is divided into four “lands,” including “Main Street, U.S.A,” and was visited by about four and a half million people in 2007.

SOURCES: Hong Kong Tourism Board (4.7 million); TEA/ERA (4.2 million)

14. Ming Tombs, Tianshou Mountain, China

4.7 million

According to UNESCO World Heritage Center, The Ming Tombs comprise “the funeral sites of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty, after its capital was moved to Beijing. The site is located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, north of Beijing. The construction of these tombs started with the tomb of Emperor Chengzu, in 1409.”

SOURCE: UNESCO World Heritage Center

12. Ocean Park, Hong Kong, China

(tie) 4.9 million*

Another aquatic-themed park, this time in Hong Kong, ties with Japan’s Yokohama Sea paradise. Ocean Park’s attractions include The Abyss, a 20-story free-fall thrill ride, a dolphin-breeding center called Dolphin University, and the Giant Panda Habitat.

SOURCES: Hong Kong Tourism Board (5 million); TEA/ERA (4.9 million)

12. Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Japan

(tie) 4.9 million*

The fourth Japanese theme park on our list, Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is located at the tip of Yokohama Bay and its aquariums house more than 100,000 sea creatures alongside thrill rides and shopping opportunities.

Sources: Japan National Tourist Organization (5.1 million), TEA/ERA (4.8 million) *average of two sources

11. Kenting National Park, Taiwan

5 million*

Located at the island’s southern tip, Kenting is Taiwan’s first national park and comprises a wealth of ecological treasures, from white sand beaches to forests. About five million visitors flock to the park each year.

SOURCES: Taiwan Review (6 million); Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan) (4 million) *Average of two sources.

10. Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong, China

6.2 million

Modeled after Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, The Avenue of Stars runs along Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade at Victoria Harbour, and pays tribute to the celebrities of Hong Kong’s film industry. Highlights include a six-meter-tall sculpture of the Hong Kong Film Award and handprints of cinema luminaries like John Woo.

SOURCE: Hong Kong Tourism Board

9. Mount Tai (Taishan), Tai'an, China

7 million*

Regarded as the first of China’s five sacred mountains of Taoism, Mount Tai is located just north of Tai'an City, in China’s coastal Shandong Province. The mountain served as a sacred retreat for emperors during the ancient Zhou Dynasty, and was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1987. Taishan Temple lies at the foot of the mountain, and some 7,000 stone steps lead to the Azure Clouds Temple at the top. Two sources estimate 8 and 6 million annual visitors, respectively.

SOURCES: Tai'an Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau (8 million); Tai Shan Official Web Site (6 million) *average of two sources

8. Everland, Kyonggi-Do, South Korea

7.2 million

Everland, opened in 1976, is South Korea’s largest theme park and ranked tenth, just ahead of Universal Studios Florida, in TEA/ERA’s 2007 attendance ranking of world theme parks. The park is divided into five sections, including “European Adventure,” “American Adventure,” and “Global Fair,” where “a road leads to a new world of Dream and Hope where the Orient and the West meet and match together.”

SOURCE: TEA/ERA

7. Forbidden City, Beijing, China

8 million*

According to the China Daily, Beijing’s Forbidden City was completed in 1420 and meant “to embody the idea of the emperor as the center of the universe and to evoke a visceral sense of his power. Surrounded by a wall more than 30 feet high and 20 feet thick, the walled fortress once served the emperor exclusively but became ‘a palace of the people’ in 1925 when the Republican forces transformed it into a museum.” Visitation estimates vary; our average of four sources puts the figure at 7.9 million.

SOURCES: China Daily (9 million); The Associated Press (7 million); Tapei Times (7 million); Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (8.8 million) *Average of four sources.

6. Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan

8.7 million*

This Osaka outpost of the Universal Studios theme parks welcomed 11 million visitors in its first year of operation (2001). In 2007 the movie theme park, home to Snoopy’s Sound Stage Adventure and Hollywood Dream: The Ride, was visited by about 8.7 million people.

Sources: Japan National Tourist Organization (8.6 million), TEA/ERA (8.7 million) *average of two sources.

5. Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, China

9.4 million

Nearly nine and a half million tourists come to enjoy the view from Hong Kong Island’s highest mountain, which was developed as a resort for the wealthy in the 19th century, when a tram route was built. The Peak Tower, at the tram’s terminus, was renovated in 2005 and offers an oasis of dining, shopping and entertainment for those who ascend.

For more information: Hong Kong Tourism Board

4. Nagashima Spa Land, Japan

11.4 million

This massive tourist complex in Japan’s Mie Prefecture includes a sprawling botanical garden (home to Japan’s largest flower festival), a large network of indoor and outdoor hot springs, an outlet mall, and an amusement park that is home to the renowned “Steel Dragon 2000” roller coaster. The TEA estimates 2007 amusement park attendance alone at 3.9 million, and the Japan National Tourist Organization pegs overall visitation at 11.4 million.

For more information: Nagashima Resort


3. Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China

12 million

When it added the Temple of Heaven to the World Heritage list in 1998, UNESCO explained that the site, built in the 15th century, “is a dignified complex of fine cult buildings set in gardens and surrounded by historic pine woods. In its overall layout and in that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony, and also the special role played by the emperors within that relationship.” Today, about 12 million visit annually.

For more information: Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad

2. Great Wall of China, Bandaling

16 million

The Wall traverses some 4,000 miles across north China, and its construction began more than two millennia ago as a barrier against invaders. Today the wall is invaded only by tourists: The 10 km section open to visitors at Bandaling (the nearest portion of the Wall to Beijing) receives millions of visitors each year. Estimates vary, but according to the Xinhua News Agency, the local municipal bureau has limited yearly visitation to the Wall at 16 million.

1. Tokyo Disney Land/Tokyo Disney Sea, Japan

25.9* million visitors

The first Disney resort to be built outside of the U.S., Tokyo Disney Land/Tokyo Disney Sea celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, and its attendance was 25.4 million in 2007, according to the Japan National Tourist Organization. A separate trade-industry source comes up with a similar total for ‘07, breaking it down to 13.9 million visitors for land, and 12.4 million for sea.

Sources: Japan National Tourist Organization (25.4 million), Themed Entertainment Association/Economic Research Associates (TEA/ERA, 26.3 million)

*average of two sources