Who would ever think of spending their holidays in… a bunker ? Yes, you read that right, we actually wrote ” bunkers “, those designed and built during the war to protect themselves from enemy attacks or to save themselves.
Does that sound like a strange idea to you? Wait to tell, because in the United Kingdom there is a historic structure that has just this purpose, abandoned for many years and then recovered thanks to the talent and inventiveness of those who believed it could become something different and absolutely original. Thus, a place dedicated to a period that was certainly not happy like that of the Second World War has been transformed into a luxury residence , complete with every comfort and ready to accommodate anyone wishing to spend an “underground” holiday, quite expensive but truly out of the ordinary. common. Let’s find out more closely.
The bunker-holiday home is located in Ringstead Bay, Dorset , and saw the light of day in the 1940s, when it was built by the will of Winston Churchill as a radar base for the RAF ( Royal Air Force ), to create a shelter and keep under control the bombers of the Nazi forces, up to the times of the Cold War , when it was dismantled. However, it has not known complete abandonment, because this fortification – dug into the side of a hill – was destined for a second life in more modern times.
Certainly, no one would ever have imagined that that place, known as the “Transmitter Bunker” , would become a luxury holiday home for around 400 euros a night . Today it looks exactly like this to vacationers who choose to stay inside. There are obviously no windows looking out onto the outside, but otherwise nothing is missing.
Living room, kitchen, two bedrooms, bathroom and an enviable and panoramic position on the Jurassic Coast: the Transmitter can offer the possibility of spending time in complete relaxation, as if it were a real “refuge” away from everything and everyone. If from the outside it is almost camouflaged in the ground, a small “world” opens up inside that you would never expect to find.
The renovation and rethinking of this structure in a holiday key is the work of the architect Jonathan Plant , who wanted to celebrate the historical significance of the bunker in the best possible way, distancing it from the past but at the same time keeping it firmly linked to it. The concrete walls are in fact the original ones, but everything has been enriched with 100% modern comforts , such as smart TVs, underfloor heating, wi-fi connection, appliances and much more.
“ We want guests to understand the history of the building and its original purpose ,” Plant said. And apparently they liked the idea a lot, given that reservations for the Transmitter Bunker were literally taken by storm, through the Sykes Holiday Cottages agency , which manages them.
In short: a place that was once fundamental to national security, today for many it is a highly effective “retreat” for the holidays. Here history is still alive and present, and this aspect certainly contributes to making the bunker even more fascinating, far from any holiday home.
It’s true: maybe it’s not within everyone’s reach with those prices, but certainly the high prices requested are compensated by an original experience to say the least . Would you stay in this place?