The World’s Smallest Hotel Only Has Enough Room For Two People
Kristen Amiet is a previous AWOL editor, bona fide travel…
The best thing about getting away to a secluded resort or cosy B&B is feeling as though you’ve carved out a little corner of the world for yourself, if only for a short time. At the world’s smallest hotel, that little corner is tiny.
With just 53 square metres of floor space, the teeny, tiny Eh’häusl has enough room for just two people and has held the record for the Guinness World Record for the world’s smallest hotel since 2008. It’s sandwiched between two buildings in the town of Amberg, Germany.
Fully renovated in 2008 to make the most of the space available, it boasts a foyer, salon, fireside lounge, a bedroom and ensuite bathroom, though it has no on-site staff to avoid overcrowding.
Built in 1728, the hotel has quite a storied history. Back then, would-be spouses had to prove land ownership before they could wed, so, capitalising on a gap in the market, an enterprising businessman erected two walls and a roof between two existing buildings in the Old Town.
Grooms in a hurry to lock it down could purchase the “house” and get married before selling it along to the next. For that reason, it was dubbed the Eh’häusl (“marriage house”) – a moniker that sticks to this day (where guests are adorably referred to as “owners”).
Bookings at Eh’häusl start from $415 (€240) per night, including breakfast, so find someone special to split it with. Amberg is about an hour’s drive east of Nuremberg in Bavaria, and can be reached by bus from Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof. One-way tickets start from $17 (€$11.50) for adults.
(All images: Eh’häusl)
Kristen Amiet is a previous AWOL editor, bona fide travel addict, sometimes whisky drinker and full-time breakfast food enthusiast.