McDonald’s once had its own hotel network: why the first one closed.

McDonald's, known to most people for its fast food, once even opened a hotel. Named the Golden Arch Hotel, the hotel was opened by the brand in Zurich in 2001. McDonald's once had a hotel called Golden Arch Hotel Rooms had M-shaped headboards This 211-bed hotel, which called itself a four-star, cost around £12 million at the time. It was located near Zurich airport and was designed as a business hotel rather than a family one. From the outside, it was hard to tell that this was a McDonald's hotel. The Times magazine wrote: 'What you get is an impressively beautiful, sleek modern structure rising four stories, clad in steel-gray reflective glass.' 'The facade has a graceful, rounded sweep that makes it look more like an elegant scientific research facility than a Ronald McDonald hangout.' Even in the rooms, muted colors and wood were used. The only hint at the fast-food chain were the beds with M-shaped headboards, although they were yellow-blue, which even tilted vertically with the help of a motor. A report at the time stated that guests 'could book their rooms online and check in themselves upon arrival', which was quite revolutionary for the year 2001. Room rates were approximately £75 per night, which was cheaper than other hotels in the area at that time. And, of course, there was a McDonald's restaurant on-site, as well as so-called Aroma cafés, which served coffee (later sold and renamed to Cafe Nero). Designed by the head of McDonald's Switzerland, Urs Hammer, they had hoped to roll out the concept across the rest of Switzerland. The plan was to open them in the city of Lully, followed by a location at Geneva airport. However, the hotel sadly closed in 2003 and was subsequently transformed into a Radisson hotel. The reason for the closure was various issues, not just due to the 9/11 attacks that occurred that year. It had a McDonald's restaurant on-site too Families also complained about awkward bathrooms with glass shower booths. Additionally, the phrase 'Golden Arches' is not as well known in German-speaking countries due to translation issues. However, this is not the only unusual hotel that has opened around the world. The Sea Hotel in Hong Kong features a life-size Noah's Ark. And in Amsterdam, there’s a hotel room with a complete aircraft cabin. Here are a few more unusual hotels, including caves like in the Flintstones or the Barbie Dreamhouse. Sadly, the hotel closed just a few years after opening The presented material is easy to read and informative. It discusses the unusual hotel idea from McDonald's, which, despite its success, closed due to various issues. The hotel was an interesting experiment by the fast-food chain, but unfortunately, it could not overcome certain shortcomings and closed after a few years of operation.