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World's Most Secret Hotels Season 2 Episode 1
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00:04Imagine staying the night in a mountain hideaway, sleeping underneath the stars.
00:12Lodging in a futuristic woodland escape.
00:15I've always dreamt of building a treehouse. That's always been my sort of boyhood dream.
00:20Or holidaying in a resort on the edge of the desert.
00:24In this series, we venture across the globe
00:28to reveal some of the world's most unusual hotels.
00:33Some people would say we're in the middle of nowhere.
00:35Hidden in the most surprising of places.
00:38This is far more beyond just being a luxury destination. This is our life.
00:44From island getaways.
00:46This place is hidden away from the rest of the world.
00:49And retreats hidden in plain sight.
00:52The most special part of the windmill is the part at the top. That's very unique.
00:58To reimagine structures and vehicles.
01:02I've had phone calls of people asking about a timetable.
01:06We meet the teams who keep them running.
01:09It's very important to maintain the culture and the history.
01:13It's an oasis that reveals itself.
01:16And the guests living their dreams.
01:19If they can walk away feeling connected to nature, then I think we've done our job well.
01:23As we explore the world's most secret hotels.
01:33This time, we visit a dazzling station hotel hidden in the mountains of Spain.
01:40The most impressive room, it's the lobby.
01:43It is really, really big.
01:46A futuristic bubble hotel set deep within a forest.
01:52To immerse guests in nature is really the thing.
01:58An extraordinary escape perched on a cliff in Norway.
02:03It's very special, magnificent.
02:07And we check in to a science fiction wonder.
02:11It's such a secret location that people wouldn't know it was here.
02:20But our adventure begins in Bolivia.
02:27Just over 300 miles from the capital, La Paz,
02:32and what feels like a million light years away from civilization,
02:36is one of the most extreme landscapes in South America.
02:44Salar de Uyuni lies 12,000 feet above sea level
02:48and is the largest salt flat in the world.
02:53Perched precariously on the edge of a rocky outcrop,
02:57resembling shipping containers abandoned on the shimmering salt flats,
03:02lies a secret holiday destination.
03:07From far away, you don't see the hotel.
03:10We disappear in all the landscape.
03:15This is Jairira Mountain Lodge.
03:22Johnny Mourgear heads up the team of five guides at this unique hotel.
03:32Each group of guests is paired with a dedicated guide and driver
03:36to look after them from the moment they arrive at the airport.
03:40To arrive to this lodge, it's not easy.
03:44We are really far away from the civilization.
03:47We are about 500 kilometers from La Paz,
03:50and the routes are not really good.
03:53You need to take a professional driver.
03:56The east-facing complex is located at the base of the Tanupa volcano.
04:02It combines minimalist architecture with local materials.
04:08Three buildings make up the lodge.
04:11The largest houses staff accommodation.
04:15Next door are six ensuite bedrooms for guests,
04:19while the third houses the open-plan communal and dining areas and kitchen.
04:29It was designed by Chilean architect Max Nunez,
04:34who came up with the concept of elevated metal containers.
04:37The containers are made from steel,
04:40with oversized angled roofs
04:42that shield the lodges from the blistering white sunlight.
04:46The buildings are elevated above the ground to minimize the environmental impact,
04:52and this means one day the lodge can easily be removed without leaving a trace.
04:58The containers were built in a factory 300 miles away,
05:02in ten separate sections that were transported to site by lorry and craned into position.
05:09The big challenge was to bring ten different containers to here,
05:17because here we don't have materials for construction.
05:20We don't have trees, we don't have concrete.
05:23The build was really fast, less than a month,
05:27because they already contract,
05:30and they just here connect the containers.
05:38Inside, minimalist design harmonizes with the stark beauty of the surroundings.
05:45In the communal area,
05:47natural materials like tropical maniwood and stone
05:50provide comfort and simplicity,
05:53with cozy furnishings, warm lighting, and earthy tones.
05:58This is complemented by large windows
06:01that frame the awe-inspiring terrain.
06:06This theme extends to the six double bedrooms,
06:09where the neutral tones seamlessly fuse with the salt-flat landscape.
06:15Expansive windows allow guests to stay connected to the environment.
06:22The best time is the sunrise,
06:25because you can see the sunrise from your bed.
06:29Completely beautiful.
06:31And in our back, we have the holy mountain, Tunupa.
06:36Very special and holy place.
06:41The lodge serves as a hub for exploration,
06:45with activities such as climbing Tunupa,
06:47the one-mile-high volcano,
06:50exploring Fish Island with its rocky outcrop covered in giant cacti,
06:55and visiting the colourful Laguna, Colorado,
06:58where pink flamingos come to nest.
07:07Around the salt-flat, we have a lot of different volcanoes,
07:10deserts, lagoons,
07:12where you can find a different kind of ecosystem.
07:15You can have a contact with the landscape, with the animals.
07:21The dry season here can be brutal,
07:24as night temperatures plummet to minus 15 degrees Celsius.
07:30With virtually no rainfall,
07:32the salt crust becomes exposed,
07:35forming dazzling white polygon patterns as it dries.
07:39But during the rainy season,
07:41from January to the end of March,
07:44the salt flats reveal a surprising secret.
07:48Flooding creates a shallow layer of water
07:51that turns them into a massive mirror-like surface,
07:54one of the most spectacular sights in Uyuni.
07:57In the rainy season, it's beautiful.
08:00Clean sky, clean landscape.
08:03This landscape is a special experience.
08:08The Quechua people,
08:10who live and work around the Uyuni salt flats,
08:13have a deep connection to this landscape.
08:16They're guided by a belief system
08:18rooted in the protection of the environment
08:20and respect for nature.
08:25Live here is really different than live in a big city.
08:30But it's a good opportunity to connect
08:34with our Pachamama mother.
08:36Pachamama is the mother herd.
08:39The conservation of the place is the most important thing.
08:57The water is the most difficult part for us
09:01because we need to bring my truck to here
09:04once or twice a week.
09:07It's like a two hours, three hours driving.
09:10Our objective is to be a 100% ecological hotel.
09:17In the future, we have the plan
09:20to make some sun panels
09:23to produce electrician for us.
09:36Food is also brought in
09:38and delivered three times a week
09:40from distances of up to three hours away.
09:52We are working with a famous restaurant in La Paz
09:58who designed our menus.
10:01And it's like a fusion between gourmet food
10:05with like a traditional food in Bolivia.
10:08Specialities include quinoa,
10:10a high-protein seed derived from a locally sourced herbaceous plant
10:15and llama meat.
10:19The hotel welcomes an international clientele
10:23who can engage in the culture and traditions
10:26of the Quechua people.
10:34The guests want to try a different experience.
10:39Our customers can feel like kings here, right?
10:43It's very small because our concept is
10:46we are not hotels.
10:48We are like a family.
10:50When the guests visit our lodge and say,
10:54oh my God, this is one of the best lodges in the world,
10:57we feel really, really happy.
11:09Still to come,
11:11we journey to a secret retreat
11:14on the banks of a tranquil log
11:17and reveal a unique mountain hideaway in Norway.
11:28There are over 700,000 hotels across the world
11:32and we're exploring some of the most memorable stays
11:36in the most unlikely locations.
11:45Our next stop is Northern Ireland.
11:54Two hours' drive south-west of Belfast is Loch Earn.
11:59It covers an area of nearly 200 square miles
12:03and is home to more than 150 green and fertile islands.
12:10Each island has its own story to tell.
12:14Some hold secrets of ancient pagan rituals
12:17and Iron Age fortifications,
12:20while others are remote sites of pilgrimage.
12:23Here, tucked away in more than 90 acres
12:26of dense fen and woodland,
12:28looking more like a cluster of alien spacecraft
12:30than luxury accommodation,
12:32is an unexpected and well-hidden secret.
12:36This is Finn Lock.
12:40Finn Lock definitely feels like a well-kept secret.
12:44Most people haven't heard of it.
12:46The ones that come are pleasantly surprised
12:48because they had no idea that this is here
12:50and it's that surprise that we love.
12:54Siblings Gillian and Michael
12:55took over the family business that looks after Finn Lock
12:59in 2014.
13:01Our dad came here to start his own little secret haven for people
13:05and they built self-catering holiday homes.
13:09We have the 12 villas which we took on
13:12and subsequently we've added 18 bubble domes.
13:17The bubble guest units sit on top of wooden platforms.
13:21Inside the premium domes,
13:24there are three connecting spaces.
13:26A bedroom, bathroom and private toilet.
13:31Eight domes are clustered on the shoreline.
13:35Three more are dotted between river cabins
13:38and a further seven are hidden away in the forest.
13:42Nine villas each sleep up to six guests
13:45while three suites in the resort's main house
13:49complete the accommodation.
13:51There is also an entertainment centre,
13:54restaurant and spa.
14:02Set in 50 acres of ancient woodland,
14:05Gillian and Michael wanted the landscape
14:07to be the star attraction.
14:10The opportunity to immerse guests in nature,
14:14you can't do that with four walls.
14:16It's just not possible.
14:17The draw and the beauty of the bubble domes
14:19is that you wake up to birdsong.
14:21You open your eyes and the first thing you see
14:22is that forestcape in front of you.
14:25You see the sky, you hear the rain.
14:31The bubbles are designed to blur the boundaries
14:34between the inside and out.
14:36So guests can see the changing weather
14:38and have the experience of living in the wild
14:41while staying warm and snug.
14:45We looked at glass as sort of the original plan,
14:48but that would have involved heavy machinery,
14:51lots of deliveries, very heavy panels.
14:53So that's where we arrived on the inflatable decision.
14:55The bubbles are a mixture of two flexible PPC materials.
15:00The transparent one allows you to be very connected
15:03with the surroundings,
15:04and the opaque one gives you the privacy that you want.
15:07We like to sort of separate the spaces
15:09the way you would have in a normal hotel room.
15:11So you've got your bathroom,
15:12you've got your freestanding bath,
15:14and then you've got your relaxation area
15:16with a four-poster bed.
15:19With no fixed frames,
15:21the bubbles rely on a continuous air supply
15:24to stay inflated, like a balloon.
15:27Two airtight doors create an airlock
15:29to stop the bubbles deflating
15:31when guests enter and exit.
15:34When you come in, it's a double door access,
15:36so a bit like sort of space, obviously.
15:38You wait for one hatch to close
15:39before you open the second one.
15:42While the bathrooms are opaque,
15:4470% of the dome is transparent.
15:47They provide uninterrupted views
15:49of the natural surroundings
15:51and the opportunity to stargaze.
15:59I think the beauty of lying under the stars,
16:02you're tucked in bed.
16:03We have such low light pollution.
16:05Looking at the stars is a simple thing,
16:07but the longer you lie there,
16:09the multiply before your eyes.
16:11It's that childlike wonder.
16:13There's something to it that's really magic.
16:23The first dome that we put in
16:25was actually where I'd had my first treehouse as a kid.
16:28That was probably the slowest part of the process,
16:31was locating them.
16:31We agonised over what was the view,
16:34how could we tuck it away,
16:35how could you keep it hidden and secret?
16:41The transparency of the bubbles creates challenges
16:44for maintaining the privacy of the guests.
16:49We had to be really strategic
16:50about how we orientated them and where.
16:53So it's cleverly looking at sight lines
16:55and that's what takes us the most time.
16:58We always resisted the temptation
17:00to sort of cram them all on top of each other.
17:02Each one has its own private pathway.
17:04You need 30, 40 metres minimum between pods.
17:11Each bubble is inflated by a fan
17:14that sits in a soundproof box 15 feet away.
17:18It constantly renews and filters the air inside
17:21and regulates the temperature.
17:24We are lucky enough that we can generate
17:26a lot of our own electricity from soda panels.
17:29We don't have any carbon guilt
17:30from achieving this lovely interior.
17:33They're made in panel form
17:35and then they're heat welded together
17:36and zipper sealed so we're able to change out panels
17:40for cleaning or for upgrades.
17:46Access to the site is strictly monitored
17:48to protect the woodland
17:50and ensure privacy.
17:55They're little natural footpaths
17:57that are carved rather than straight lines.
17:59People like that.
18:00It feels more hidden, more secret.
18:02You know, you don't always want to take straight roads.
18:04You don't come here to take a straight road.
18:09Guests come from around the world
18:11to take time out in nature,
18:13to relax by the tranquil lake,
18:16indulge in the shoreline spa and hot tugs
18:19or visit the vintage cinema.
18:23It really does feel like you are in your own little bubble.
18:26It's never too busy
18:27and it's spread out enough
18:29that you do get peace and quiet.
18:31I think if you're coming here,
18:32you have to really try the full experience
18:34in one of the bubble domes,
18:36under the stars.
18:38It was amazing.
18:39You're just in the middle of a forest,
18:40so it's perfect.
18:45Gillian and Michael let nature take the lead
18:47and sustainability is woven into many elements
18:50of the day-to-day running.
18:52We've almost terraformed fields
18:55that were completely dead
18:56in terms of biodiversity.
18:57We've reintroduced banked hedges
18:59and we've reintroduced sort of natural ponds.
19:03Every guest that comes through the door,
19:04we give them the tree to plan.
19:08With 180 days of rainfall each year,
19:12maintaining the accommodation units
19:14is a never-ending task.
19:16Everybody here on the team
19:18have had to really master a lot of crafts,
19:21from fixing a table to building the beds.
19:29The resort's dining room is housed in the barn,
19:32which was once their father's workshop.
19:38Kristin has been working as the hotel's head chef
19:40for the last three years.
19:45Most of our food comes from our local butcher
19:48and all of our fish is locally sourced.
19:52During each time of the year,
19:53there's different things that you could put on a plate.
19:55You'll see along the path
19:56there's an enormous amount of wild garlic going.
19:59We make as much wild garlic oil as we can.
20:03And this is our fennel.
20:05So you can see these are the fennel flowers.
20:07We use this for our breadboards
20:08and for presentation of dishes.
20:15It takes a staff of 40
20:17to keep the complex running 24-7.
20:21Helder has been working in hospitality for six months.
20:25I live on site here.
20:26It's really comfortable just to be in one of the villas,
20:29just like one of the guests.
20:30They just have an amazing view to the lake.
20:33I just wake up to this view
20:35and then I go to work in this view.
20:37It's really nice.
20:38I started on reception.
20:40Then I went to the housekeeping.
20:42If they need me to deliver breakfast,
20:44I'll obviously help them.
20:45I basically work every department.
20:53With Gillian and Michael at the helm,
20:56the doors should be open to guests
20:57for decades to come.
21:02We're looking out at the mountains behind us,
21:05the lake around you.
21:06There's just so much there.
21:08Guests coming away and feeling connected
21:10is really the thing.
21:11We want them to connect with nature.
21:24Coming up, we visit an engineering marvel
21:28perched high above a majestic fjord
21:31and a palatial wonder hidden in the Pyrenees.
21:47There are many getaways hidden away
21:50or built to look like other structures,
21:53from isolated island escapes
21:57to watery retreats.
22:04Our next adventure
22:06is in Norway.
22:09Eight hours' drive west of the capital, Oslo,
22:12is the country's longest fjord.
22:16Lisefjord was carved
22:18by the formation of glaciers in the Ice Age.
22:20As the sea levels rose,
22:22water broke through the moraine
22:24and flooded the valley.
22:27Today, ships navigate this 26-mile passage,
22:31but high above the inky blue waters,
22:34at the top of the sheer granite cliffs,
22:36is a forest only accessible by foot.
22:41Nestled within this landscape
22:43are sleek structures
22:45designed to mimic the natural granite around them.
22:49This is the boulder.
22:57We are really on the edge
22:58before it steeps down to the fjord,
23:01so everyone get this feeling
23:03of being on the edge
23:05between the mountain area and the fjord.
23:08Sometimes you can feel
23:09that you are over the clouds.
23:12The human scale is really small
23:14in this landscape.
23:15You can almost hide
23:17in between the stones here.
23:21This unusual retreat
23:23took two years to complete
23:25and opened in 2023.
23:28It's definitely not easy to access.
23:30It's a secret in the sense
23:32that you can hide yourself
23:33in these cabins.
23:34I don't think anyone will notice
23:36that you are here.
23:38It's hidden away from mainstream.
23:40You feel like you are alone
23:42in the landscape.
23:43That's a great feeling sometimes.
23:45Six minimalist cabins
23:47perched on stilts
23:49blend into the rugged terrain.
23:54The main idea
23:56is something that feels like weightless.
23:58So they are on the move
24:00outwards, almost flying.
24:03The contact with the landscape
24:04was important to keep.
24:07You can see the landscape
24:08not only outwards,
24:10but actually downwards and upwards.
24:16Every inch of this escape
24:17was designed
24:18with the views in mind.
24:21Inside,
24:23the sleek, modern,
24:24oak wood interiors
24:25cocoon guests
24:26from the wild elements outside.
24:29While large windows
24:31allow them to take in
24:32the beauty of the fjord.
24:36The cabins are
24:37on top of a mountain.
24:39Of course,
24:39we have a hard wind sometimes,
24:42but the guests feel safe
24:43and nestle inside.
24:45The hotel
24:46is run by
24:47Ellen Engelsvold.
24:49The calmness
24:51about being here,
24:52the feeling of being in nature,
24:54it's a nice experience.
24:57Grand Lodge
24:58is the largest
24:59of the six structures here.
25:01It has a high-end kitchen,
25:03cozy seating,
25:04and can sleep
25:05up to six guests.
25:09We have two bathrooms
25:11and two bedrooms
25:12and the dining lounge area.
25:15It's, of course,
25:16all about the views,
25:17so large windows are important.
25:19Also,
25:20with the tall ceilings,
25:21together with the woodwork,
25:23the way it's integrated
25:24makes it special.
25:26There's also an outside terrace
25:28to get even closer to nature.
25:33The other four lodges
25:34are more compact.
25:37We have the bedroom downstairs.
25:39It sleeps two,
25:40and we have the bathroom.
25:44There's no checking.
25:46Guests do this digitally
25:48before arriving.
25:51Once parked,
25:53signposts lead the way,
25:54along a trail of pine trees
25:56and raised steel walkways
25:58link the dwellings.
26:00All the lodges
26:01are self-catering,
26:02so guests must come prepared.
26:05One important thing
26:06for our property
26:07is water supply.
26:09We have water source
26:10from a natural well,
26:12but we need to remind guests
26:14that you are in a cabin
26:15with limited resources
26:16and be careful
26:18of water usage.
26:19Running a hotel
26:21in such a remote spot
26:22is no simple task.
26:24We have great cleaners here,
26:26It's a little bit challenging,
26:28of course.
26:28They have to carry more equipment
26:30and climb a little more.
26:35While building cabins here
26:37is challenging,
26:38it's a centuries-old practice.
26:41We have a long history
26:42of cabins in Norway.
26:44A certain Viking king
26:45in 1200 found out
26:47that people didn't manage
26:48to cross the mountain,
26:50so he started to
26:51with the first shelters
26:52on the mountains.
26:54Hit a tour,
26:55meaning taking a cabin trip
26:56in nature,
26:57is a very popular pastime.
27:00Today it's like
27:01600,000 cabins
27:02in Norway.
27:04We love to just
27:05leave the city
27:06and go out
27:07and stay there
27:08for a weekend.
27:10With over 200 days
27:12of rainfall each year,
27:13these cabins
27:14provide safe harbor.
27:18It can be fog in the morning
27:20and then blue skies
27:21midday
27:22and then rain
27:23in the evening.
27:24It's never boring.
27:25It can be a bit dramatic
27:27because it's quite
27:28a windy place,
27:29but you feel safe inside.
27:31It's that sense
27:32of being outside
27:34while safe inside,
27:35which makes it unique.
27:38It wasn't easy
27:40creating this sanctuary
27:41in the mountains.
27:42The weather
27:43and tough terrain
27:44makes construction
27:45here difficult.
27:47The lodges
27:48were built off-site,
27:49then dismantled
27:50for transportation
27:51and put back together
27:52again on-site.
27:57To avoid the damage
27:59of the fragile landscape,
28:01we found out
28:01that helicopter
28:02is the best way
28:03to transport
28:04all the structure
28:05onto the platform.
28:06We did that
28:07in summertime.
28:08In short time,
28:09we managed to place
28:10every structure
28:11and then start
28:12to put it together.
28:15Frank's vision
28:16was to leave
28:17a light footprint,
28:18so local stone
28:20was mixed with concrete
28:21for the foundations.
28:22The rock here
28:23is granite.
28:24It's extremely hard
28:25and has really nice qualities.
28:28These stones
28:29were reused
28:30as the gravel
28:31in the concrete mix.
28:32Visually,
28:33you get the contact
28:34with the stones
28:35that you see
28:35everywhere outside.
28:38The base also hides
28:40the cables
28:40and pipes
28:41for the utilities.
28:42All the technique
28:43is very preciously
28:45integrated into the landscape.
28:47Everything is brought
28:47into this concrete core
28:49and from there
28:50it's gone into
28:51the needs
28:52in the cabin.
28:53and from there
28:54it's not visible.
28:56The untreated
28:57red cedarwood cladding
28:59will turn grey
29:00over time
29:01and blend in
29:02with the rocks.
29:08It's magic
29:09even in the darkness
29:10and in the morning
29:12it's really fantastic.
29:13We try to position
29:14the bedroom
29:14so you get
29:15when you wake up
29:17it is something else.
29:18Take it easy.
29:20The day can start slowly.
29:22It's a great feeling
29:23starting a day
29:23like that.
29:25Guests come here
29:26from all over the world
29:28to immerse themselves
29:29in the breathtaking environment.
29:34You are waking up
29:36in the morning
29:36inside of the sunset
29:38you know
29:38the sun coming up
29:39over the mountain
29:40and you're inside of it.
29:42You feel like
29:43you're kind of living
29:44both inside and outside
29:46at the same time.
29:48Magnificent.
29:52It's like a hideout
29:54in a way
29:54so you can get away
29:55from everything.
29:56It's quiet.
29:57It's exclusive.
29:59It's very special.
30:00Kind of spectacular
30:02in a way.
30:18Discovering unusual places
30:20to stay
30:21makes a getaway
30:22all the more exciting.
30:25Some escapes
30:26have surprising histories
30:29like our next adventure
30:31in northern Spain.
30:36These are the Pyrenees Mountains
30:38the natural border
30:41between France and Spain.
30:43Some of its peaks
30:44soar more than 11,000 feet high.
30:47The valleys are dotted
30:49with clues
30:49to an industrial past
30:53that suggest this region
30:55sees few visitors.
30:57But in one valley
30:59a vast, pristine building
31:01stands out.
31:05This is the Canfranc Station Hotel.
31:09A colossal railway interchange
31:12that was once
31:13the crucial gateway
31:14through these mountains.
31:18Turned today
31:19into a gigantic
31:21luxury retreat.
31:28It's a huge task
31:30to keep this behemoth
31:31hotel running.
31:33It's like a secret location.
31:35Going in the middle
31:36of the valley
31:37it is hidden away.
31:49The exterior
31:51of this huge station
31:52is ornamented
31:53with 365 windows
31:58and 156 doors
32:00wrapped around
32:01both sides
32:02of the building.
32:07inside on the ground floor
32:09there's a lobby
32:11cafe
32:13restaurant
32:16kitchen
32:18pool
32:19and cocktail bar.
32:23Upstairs
32:23there are 100 guest rooms
32:25and four suites.
32:34The size of this vast station
32:37earned Canfranc
32:38a nickname
32:39the Titanic
32:40of the mountains.
32:44This is more than
32:45a conversion
32:46for the station building
32:47it's a transformation.
32:52The crisp contemporary
32:53interior design
32:54is accented
32:56with deep woods
32:57grass
32:57and velvets.
33:00The rich detailing
33:02is found
33:02across the whole building
33:04the sheer scale
33:06of which
33:07feels lavish.
33:10The most impressive
33:11room
33:12it's the lobby
33:13it is really
33:14really big.
33:15The lobby
33:16where the guests
33:17check in
33:18was the original
33:19ticket hall
33:20of the station.
33:22It might seem
33:23like a dramatic
33:24transformation
33:25but this building
33:27didn't go straight
33:28from station
33:29to hotel.
33:36Canfranc Station
33:37opened in 1928
33:39after a five mile
33:40train line
33:41was tunnelled
33:42through the Pyrenees
33:43to link France
33:44and Spain.
33:45It was the second
33:46largest station
33:47in Europe.
33:49Passengers and goods
33:50arriving from France
33:52transferred to trains
33:53that could run
33:54on the Spanish tracks
33:55which were wider.
33:57This required
33:58huge platforms
33:59and customs
34:00infrastructure.
34:03During the second
34:04world war
34:05Jewish refugees
34:06and allied soldiers
34:07used the tunnel
34:08to escape
34:09occupied Europe.
34:11But in 1970
34:12a train derailment
34:14demolished a critical
34:15bridge
34:16that connected
34:16that connected
34:17the line
34:17to the tunnel.
34:18It was never
34:18repaired
34:19rendering the track
34:20here unusable.
34:22Services stopped
34:23and the station
34:24fell into disrepair.
34:26The link
34:27between France
34:28and Spain
34:29was severed.
34:30It was abandoned
34:31and it fell apart.
34:34the station
34:35lay derelict
34:36for nearly 50 years.
34:39Renovations
34:39began in 2018
34:41costing tens
34:42of millions
34:43of pounds.
34:45The work
34:46was careful
34:47to pay homage
34:48to the building's
34:49glamorous past.
34:50We have a very
34:51special parks
34:52which are original
34:54from the old
34:55station
34:55like the lamps
34:59part of the floor
35:03the stairs
35:06and the underground
35:08path
35:08is still original.
35:11The walls
35:12were recreated
35:13like it was
35:14in the old times.
35:19meticulous references
35:20to the station's
35:21past
35:22can be seen
35:23throughout the hotel.
35:27These sit
35:28alongside
35:28modern additions
35:29including a swimming
35:30pool
35:31and a cocktail
35:33bar
35:36each styled
35:37with the aesthetics
35:38of luxurious
35:39long-distance trains.
35:43This attention
35:44to detail
35:44was important
35:45to the small
35:46community
35:47who continued
35:48to live
35:48in the shadow
35:49of the station
35:49when it was derelict.
35:51I still remember
35:52the first day
35:53when we opened
35:53seeing the locals
35:55crying.
35:56It was a very
35:56emotional moment.
35:58This building
35:58is very important
35:59for the locals.
36:00You walk
36:01around the hotel
36:02and you can feel
36:03that history.
36:06One of the locals
36:07who grew up
36:08knowing only
36:09the derelict
36:10state of the station
36:11is Chef
36:11Eduardo Salanova.
36:13I can work
36:15here in Canfranc
36:16because it's
36:18my town.
36:19For me
36:20it's so personal
36:21so special.
36:24Eduardo moved
36:26to a nearby town
36:27to pursue a career
36:28as a chef.
36:29In 2023
36:31he returned
36:32to Canfranc
36:33to helm
36:34the new restaurant
36:34here
36:35earning the
36:36restored train
36:36station
36:37and his hometown
36:38a Michelin star.
36:41one of his kitchens
36:43here is a little
36:44different to most
36:45Eduardo has worked
36:46in.
36:47It's in a
36:47renovated train
36:49carriage.
36:50It's a little
36:51difficult
36:51because the
36:53kitchen is a
36:55little bit
36:55small
36:56but with a lot
36:57of training
36:58the most important
36:59thing is the team.
37:01the food
37:03here recreates
37:04the special
37:04elements
37:05of this region
37:05that link
37:06Spain
37:06and France.
37:08It's very
37:08important
37:08to show
37:11the clients
37:12the Spanish
37:13product
37:14and the mix
37:15with the French
37:17product
37:17because this
37:18is the reason
37:19for this
37:20train station.
37:22Eduardo's work
37:23keeps the links
37:24between this region
37:25alive
37:26almost 100
37:27years
37:28after the
37:29station
37:29was first
37:29opened
37:30and now
37:31the hotel
37:32is once again
37:33a major
37:34employer
37:34in the region.
37:36Due to the
37:37size of the
37:38building
37:39to keep
37:40things running
37:40it's a big
37:41challenge
37:41for us.
37:42We hired a lot
37:43of local
37:44people
37:44when it
37:45checks
37:45then the
37:46waiters
37:47we have
37:48the back
37:48office jobs
37:49like housekeeping
37:51human resources
37:52it's really
37:53complicated.
37:54The hotel
37:55now attracts
37:56people
37:57from all
37:57over the
37:58world
37:58who use
37:59the station
37:59as a base
38:00to explore
38:01the natural
38:01beauty
38:02of the region.
38:07The beauty
38:08of the building
38:09it attracts
38:10people
38:10from everywhere
38:12we are very
38:13proud of that
38:13it's very
38:14important.
38:15With the
38:15hard work
38:16of the team
38:16here
38:17Canfranc Station
38:18will continue
38:19to link
38:20this region
38:20of Spain
38:21to the rest
38:22of the world
38:22for many years.
38:28still to come
38:29we reveal
38:30a unique
38:31stay
38:32for sci-fi
38:33enthusiasts
38:44we're exploring
38:46some of the
38:46world's
38:46most unusual
38:48hotels
38:50and our
38:51final stop
38:53is in
38:54southwest
38:55Wales
38:59Pembrokeshire
39:00is home
39:01to the only
39:02coastal
39:02national park
39:03in the UK
39:04this remote
39:05uninhabited area
39:07stretches
39:07over 185
39:09miles
39:10of rugged
39:11coastline
39:13not far
39:14from the sea
39:15hidden amongst
39:16the ancient
39:16woodland
39:17there's an
39:18unexpected
39:18sight
39:19three very
39:21different objects
39:22that together
39:23form a
39:24surprising
39:24holiday
39:25destination
39:26this is
39:28Mel in Maybes
39:30it's the
39:31brainchild
39:31of husband
39:32and wife
39:32team
39:33Martin
39:34and Carol
39:34Anne
39:38it's such
39:39a secret
39:40location
39:41that people
39:41wouldn't
39:42know
39:42it was
39:43here
39:45Martin
39:45and Carol
39:46Anne
39:46bought
39:47this hidden
39:48four acre
39:48small holding
39:49with its
39:50derelict
39:50corn mill
39:5112 years
39:52ago
39:52when we
39:54came here
39:55it was
39:56completely
39:57overgrown
39:57it was
39:58hidden
39:59by the
40:00trees
40:00so it
40:01was like
40:01a secret
40:02garden
40:04the
40:05mill
40:05was
40:06operated
40:07by a
40:07lady
40:08called
40:08Mabes
40:09Mabel
40:09so it
40:11was known
40:11as
40:11Mabes
40:12Mill
40:13we wanted
40:14to maintain
40:14the history
40:16of
40:17Mabel
40:18so we
40:19used
40:19the
40:19Welsh
40:20name
40:20for
40:21mill
40:21which
40:21is
40:21Mellon
40:22and we
40:22called
40:23it
40:23Mellon
40:23Mabes
40:25the
40:26original
40:26mill
40:27building
40:27dates
40:28back
40:28from
40:28the
40:281600s
40:29we
40:30love
40:31the
40:31property
40:31we
40:31love
40:32the
40:32location
40:33we
40:34are
40:34located
40:35down
40:35a
40:35very
40:36quiet
40:36country
40:37lane
40:38and even
40:38when you
40:39get
40:39here
40:39people
40:40are
40:40100%
40:41certain
40:42that
40:42they
40:42are
40:42at
40:43their
40:43final
40:44location
40:47but
40:47on
40:48arrival
40:48all
40:50is
40:50revealed
40:50Mellon
40:51Mabes
40:52outstanding
40:53secrets
40:54got to
40:54be
40:54the
40:54UFO
40:57it
40:58looks
40:58like
40:58it's
40:59just
40:59landed
41:00from
41:00outer
41:00space
41:01aliens
41:02could
41:02come
41:03out
41:03of
41:03there
41:03and
41:04everybody
41:05gets
41:05oh
41:05this
41:06is
41:06just
41:06wonderful
41:07excitement
41:10the
41:11circular
41:11space
41:11has
41:12been
41:12configured
41:13to
41:13sleep
41:13four
41:14and
41:15Martin
41:15has
41:15taken
41:16a
41:16giant
41:16leap
41:17by
41:17giving
41:18this
41:18unusual
41:18structure
41:19a
41:19spaceship
41:20makeover
41:24I've
41:25always
41:25been
41:25keen
41:26on
41:26UFOs
41:27and
41:27sci-fi
41:28and
41:29I
41:29loved
41:29those
41:30future
41:30buildings
41:31from
41:32the
41:321960s
41:33and
41:34I
41:34thought
41:35I
41:35fancy
41:35building
41:36something
41:36like
41:37that
41:37I
41:39stumbled
41:39across
41:40this
41:40UFO
41:40shaped
41:41building
41:41on
41:42an
41:42auction
41:42site
41:43and
41:44thought
41:44that
41:44would
41:44be
41:44great
41:46the
41:47building
41:48was
41:48originally
41:49used
41:49to
41:49hide
41:49electrical
41:50generators
41:51on
41:51site
41:51at
41:52the
41:522012
41:53London
41:53Olympics
41:56the
41:57building
41:57itself
41:58is
41:59fiberglass
41:59and
42:00I
42:00think
42:00they
42:00made
42:01them
42:01look
42:01a
42:01little
42:01bit
42:02jazzy
42:02so
42:03that
42:03they
42:03would
42:04stand
42:04out
42:07it
42:07arrived
42:08from
42:08London
42:08broken
42:09into
42:09six
42:10sections
42:10flat
42:11packed
42:11on
42:11a
42:12lorry
42:12there
42:13are
42:13four
42:14wall
42:14sections
42:15and
42:15two
42:15roof
42:15sections
42:16and
42:17each
42:17of
42:17the
42:17wall
42:18sections
42:18weighs
42:19approximately
42:19a tonne
42:20so
42:21we
42:22had
42:22to
42:22have
42:22a
42:23steel
42:23base
42:24made
42:24up
42:25for
42:25it
42:25to
42:25sit
42:25on
42:26so
42:26it
42:26is
42:26level
42:27and
42:27solid
42:28and
42:28won't
42:29sink
42:29away
42:29into
42:30our
42:30marshy
42:30ground
42:32Martin
42:32is
42:33an
42:33electrician
42:33by
42:34trade
42:34but
42:35turning
42:35these
42:36generator
42:36boxes
42:37into
42:37his
42:37dream
42:37ufo
42:38called
42:39upon
42:39all
42:39his
42:40construction
42:40skills
42:41too
42:42i
42:42wanted
42:43to
42:43make
42:43it
42:43look
42:44like
42:44a
42:45proper
42:45ufo
42:46and
42:47i
42:47thought
42:47well
42:47if
42:48we
42:49put
42:49an
42:49acrylic
42:49dome
42:50on
42:50the
42:50top
42:50that
42:51will
42:51give
42:51it
42:51that
42:52classic
42:52saucer
42:53dome
42:53look
42:53and
42:54then
42:54for
42:55more
42:55lighting
42:56we
42:56put
42:56another
42:57eight
42:57acrylic
42:57domes
42:58around
42:59the
42:59circumference
43:00of
43:00it
43:01and
43:01then
43:02we
43:02put
43:02tripod
43:02legs
43:03on
43:03it
43:03to
43:03make
43:04it
43:04look
43:04like
43:04that
43:05ufo
43:06from
43:06war
43:07of
43:07the
43:07worlds
43:14originally
43:15the
43:16door
43:16was
43:16a
43:16standard
43:17hinge
43:17door
43:18that
43:18just
43:18opened
43:19to
43:19the
43:19one
43:19side
43:20and
43:21this
43:21is
43:21a
43:22wheelchair
43:22access
43:23lift
43:24bolted
43:25it
43:25to
43:25the
43:25door
43:25we
43:26had
43:27to
43:27add
43:27some
43:27springs
43:28to
43:28it
43:28as
43:28well
43:28and
43:29to
43:29give
43:29it
43:29that
43:30extra
43:30little
43:30bit
43:30of
43:31power
43:31and
43:31it
43:32took
43:32a
43:32lot
43:32of
43:32work
43:35there's
43:36a
43:36smoke
43:36machine
43:36that
43:37goes
43:37off
43:37when
43:38you
43:38open
43:38it
43:38color
43:39changing
43:39lights
43:40underneath
43:40it
43:41and
43:41around
43:41the
43:41outside
43:42as
43:42well
43:42so you
43:43get
43:44the
43:44full
43:44experience
43:45of a
43:45UFO
43:46landing
43:55the
43:56the
43:56insulation
43:57is
43:57from
43:57the
43:58space
43:58industry
43:59it's
44:00silver
44:00foil
44:01based
44:01insulation
44:02multiple
44:02layers
44:03and
44:03that
44:04reflects
44:04the
44:04heat
44:05back
44:05in
44:05but
44:05it
44:05was
44:05originally
44:06designed
44:06by
44:07NASA
44:09the
44:10staircase
44:10leads
44:11up to
44:11the
44:11skyview
44:12dome
44:13with
44:13a
44:13telescope
44:14to
44:14navigate
44:15the
44:15stars
44:15it's
44:17fantastic
44:18for
44:18stargazing
44:19you can
44:20see
44:20millions
44:21of stars
44:22on a
44:23clear
44:23night
44:31the
44:31UFO
44:32has
44:33got
44:33a
44:34full
44:34kitchen
44:35area
44:35outside
44:35and
44:36you've
44:36got
44:36the
44:36hot
44:37tub
44:37as
44:37well
44:44I'm
44:45a
44:45big
44:45Doctor
44:45Who
44:46fan
44:46so
44:47I
44:47thought
44:47we'd
44:47build
44:48a
44:48TARDIS
44:49as
44:50everybody
44:50knows
44:51it's
44:51bigger
44:51on the
44:51inside
44:52unfortunately
44:53the
44:53laws
44:53of
44:53physics
44:54don't
44:54quite
44:54work
44:55that
44:55way
44:55so
44:56I
44:56had
44:56to
44:56build
44:57it
44:57slightly
44:57bigger
44:58than
44:58the
44:58actual
44:59original
44:59plan
45:00in
45:01this
45:01oversized
45:02space
45:02age
45:03phone
45:03box
45:03there's
45:04a
45:04shower
45:04hand
45:05basin
45:06and
45:06toilet
45:10not
45:11far
45:11from
45:12the
45:12UFO
45:12is
45:13a
45:13150
45:14year
45:14old
45:14traditional
45:15gypsy
45:15caravan
45:16that
45:16sleeps
45:17too
45:17it
45:18has
45:18a
45:19raised
45:19double
45:19bed
45:20and
45:20cozy
45:21wood
45:21burning
45:21stove
45:25while tucked
45:26away
45:26between
45:27the
45:27trunks
45:27of the
45:27ancient
45:28woods
45:28is a
45:29treehouse
45:29with a
45:31slide
45:31down to
45:31the
45:32ground
45:34it's
45:34equipped
45:35with a
45:35double
45:35bed
45:35and two
45:36singles
45:37underfloor
45:38heating
45:38and a
45:39wood
45:39burning
45:39fire
45:40keeps
45:40guests
45:41toasty
45:41at
45:41night
45:43in
45:44this
45:44secretive
45:45pot
45:45of
45:45wales
45:46martin
45:47has
45:47created
45:47a
45:48magical
45:48hideaway
45:49but
45:50the
45:50star
45:50attraction
45:51never
45:52ceases
45:52to
45:52surprise
45:55a
45:56lot
45:56of
45:56time
45:57the
45:57parents
45:58won't
45:58tell
45:58the
45:58children
45:59where
45:59they're
45:59staying
46:00they'll
46:01arrive
46:01and
46:01they'll
46:02just
46:02be
46:02oh
46:03daddy
46:03where
46:04are
46:04we
46:04and
46:04then
46:05all
46:05of
46:05a
46:05sudden
46:05they're
46:06like
46:06oh
46:06it's
46:07a
46:07UFO
46:07and
46:08they're
46:08off
46:08running
46:09around
46:38have
46:56Transcription by CastingWords
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