If you seek a bit of divine intervention when it comes to choosing where to stay, then the trend of converting old religious buildings into hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses might just hit the spot. Whether it’s old Lutheran churches, Asian temples or monastery guesthouses, there are plenty of accommodation options available for the spiritually inclined…
The Kirche at Charles Melton Wines
Where? Barossa Valley, South Australia
Charles Melton is almost universally regarded as one of Australia’s best winemakers (and for very good
reason too), but the old Lutheran church at the front of his vineyard looks oddly out of place.
It came as part of the property and the Meltons have occasionally used it for guests, but last year they decided to convert it into proper tourist accommodation.
They’ve done a cracking job of it too. There are two bedrooms, one by the entrance and another above it hemmed in by the triangular roof. The rest of the church has been gutted (you’ll find comfy sofas rather than pews and state-of-the-art bathrooms rather than vestries) but the windows still give it that worshipful look.
Charles and his wife Virginia have certainly not done the renovation on the cheap, but they’ve nailed the homely luxury vibe. The kitchen comes with just about everything you could wish for – ice-dispensers, coffee machines, an enormous breakfast bar and even little touches such as apple corers and phone chargers. The living room, meanwhile, boasts antique furniture, an iPod dock, a wood fire and a big basket of logs to throw on it.
Thumbs also go up for the provisions – they’ve picked the best local bacons, yoghurts, breads, jams and mueslis as breakfast supplies, while a bottle of Charles’ wine and a cheese platter is also laid on.
Malmaison
Where? Glasgow, Scotland
When the stylish Malmaison chain was looking for somewhere unique to place their Glasgow property, they happened upon an old Episcopal church and set about making it as sinful as possible.
Now heathens head there for dirty weekends, imbibe the demon drink at the bar and lounge about in decadent luxury in the plush suites.
Packages are available that include champagne in the room, chocolate-dipped strawberries and aromatic oils. Clearly, with such a set up, there probably won’t be much repenting going on. Ah well, if you’re going to hell, you may as well do so in style…
Bishops Holiday Cottage
Where? Cornwall, England
OK, so you’ve got the land for a holiday cottage, but they won’t let you knock down that useless old Wesleyan chapel down because it dates back to 1840 and is now a listed building. So what do you do? Simple – you convert that into a holiday cottage instead.
Bishops retains a lot of original features – the gothic windows overlooking the nearby farms and countryside are particularly cool – but also manages to offer four star comfort.
Flat screen TVs, wireless internet and an outdoor barbecue are amongst the distinctly unchurchly additions, while a woodburner keeps the faithful who make the pilgrimage in winter considerably warmer than the parishioners would have been whilst sat on their chilly pews.
Shukubo
Where: Koyasan, Japan
Koyasan is the home of Shingon Buddhism in Japan, and over one hundred shrines and temples dot the mountainside there. It’s usually visited during the day by people wanting to see what pagoda overkill truly looks like, but it is also possible to stay overnight in one of the temples.
Competition is fairly fierce – around 50 of the Koyasan temples offer accommodation, which includes dinner and breakfast. Each has its own selling points – some have traditional tea rooms, others have Western-style toilets for the benefit of their less adventurous guests.
Don’t go expecting a slap-up steak feast followed by bacon and sausages, however – all the food is prepared in accordance with the monks’ vegetarian diet.
It is also possible to join the monks for their morning prayers before they kick you out and tidy your room up for the next paying customer.
Buddhist temple stays
Where: South Korea
A similar system works in South Korea, although it is billed much more as a cultural immersion experience rather than novelty accommodation amongst men in silly costumes.
Guests are encouraged to take part in ceremonial chanting, traditional tea-drinking rituals and meditation sessions.
There are also communal meals which, while interesting, are hardly a barrel of laughs – they’re conducted in total silence and you’re expected to eat up every last bland grain of rice.
Most temple stays can only be booked in advance by groups of fifteen or more, but there are four at which individual travellers can stay.
New Norcia
Where: Western Australia
It’s not just Buddhist monks you can stay with, of course. Members of the Benedictine Order regard it as part of their vows that they will always provide accommodation and food for anyone in need. To the utterly tight-arsed traveller, of course, this is an excellent wheeze for getting free accommodation – although donations equivalent to a night’s stay elsewhere are expected and rooms tend to be rather basic.
Australia’s only monastic town is, as luck would have it, run by Benedictine monks. There is a guesthouse attached to the monastery at New Norcia, and funds generated by it help to keep the community going.
This article was originally written for Ninemsn. Copyright David Whitley
