By Surprise! Banksy Hotel Now Open in Bethlehem, Palestine
In pure Banksy fashion, a new hotel that is dubbed as having “the Worst View in The World” has popped up in one of the poorest parts of a would-be Palestinian state. Situated along the wall in Bethlehem, Palestine the Banksy Hotel known as The Walled Off Hotel is accepting reservations as early as March 11. According to the official Banksy website, visitors who stay at The Walled Off Hotel will “find yourself literally sleeping inside a work of art. So far Banksy, Sami Musa and Dominique Petrin have customized guest rooms, more will follow.”
Sir Elton John even played at the Grand Opening:
A Look Inside The Walled Off Hotel aka The Banksy Hotel
A video by Channel 4 takes a look inside Banksy’s art hotel in Bethlehem.
The Ham’s Take
Not since the release of his book, Wall and Piece (December 2005), have our imaginations been more rejuvenated by Banksy. The concept of a welcoming hotel juxtaposed with a symbol of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (the Israeli West Bank barrier) forces us to stop and think. In true Banksy fashion, the positioning of The Walled Off Hotel and its artwork highlight the political conflict in an in-your-face manner that can’t be ignored.
On its website, the hotel features a quote from Aldous Huxley which read, “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” Banksy and company have certainly given us reason to travel, think, and hope. ★★★★★
For more images and information, visit The Walled Off Hotel website.
image source: banksy.co.uk
