See the World’s Deepest Hotel—Where Getting There Is Half the Adventure
Located in an abandoned slate mine in Wales, the journey 1,400 feet undergroundtakes nerve
Hard hats, flashlights, and hiking boots aren’t the type of toiletries one is used to receiving at their overnight accommodations, but visiting the world’s deepest hotel isn’t your usual retreat. Known as the Deep Sleep, the property is located in Snowdonia, Wales, at the base of an abandoned slate mine, reports CBS. The vacation experience is among the most evident tangible examples of the old maxim, the journey is more important than the destination.
When guests arrive, they’re given all the equipment necessary to travel to their cabins, which are roughly 1,400-feet underground. The trip is operated by the mine exploration company Go Below Underground Adventure. A guide leads them through the massive pit, which goes for miles in a series of maze-like tunnels created by miners over 200 years. To get to the bottom, visitors climb through caverns, journey through tunnels, and even zip line at times. The whole descent takes about an hour, according to the company.
However, once they arrive at the base, guests are greeted with a surprisingly cozy setup. The actual hotel—or camp, as it’s called—consist of series of log cabins and one grotto room, which is built into the cavern walls. Though the mine is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the cabins are thermally lined with thick insulation, so they remain fairly warm. Batteries, which are charged by micro-hydro turbines from the water within the mine, power electric lighting and even Wi-Fi. Taps offer running water from a spring in the mine. Groups are served an expedition-style dinner before retiring to their rooms for the deepest sleep of their lives.
