Best of all Worlds?
When does a hotel become a home and when does a timeshare become ownership? These are the questions which race to our minds when we came across NOT A HOTEL. First - the ownership issue. Many readers are likely to recoil in horror at the mere mention of "timeshare" - unsurprising, given the myriad problems associated with many leasehold-based timeshares, from mis-selling to resale scams. What NOT A HOTEL offers is a version of timeshare where you actually own a share of the property. All co-owners are listed on the property registry and have full ownership rights, including the right to sell their shares to other people. Your share ownership corresponds to the number of nights you can stay in the property. For example: if there are 12 owners each co-owner would be entitled to 30 nights' stay. As for the properties, they are a far cry from run-of-the-mill holiday homes in mass market tourist fleshpots. NOT A HOTEL boasts 24 super sleek properties designed by top architects including Bjarke Ingels, Sou Fujimoto and Snøhetta, located in key resort destinations across Japan such as Fukoka, Setouchi and Hokkaido. All properties are furnished and managed by NOT A HOTEL, so no need to buy your own sofa or hire that pool boy. As an additional perk, ownership in one property would entitle you to stay in any other properties in the portfolio, subject to availability.
What the brochure says: "Most think of homes as a place to retreat and relax. But at NOT A HOTEL, we believe that homes can serve as a portal to expand your world and to make life more exciting. More inspired. More free. Our mission is to create one-of-a-kind vacation homes around the globe that allow owners to make new discoveries and find more enjoyment in their day-to-day."
What we love:
The design is stunning. For example: the Setuouchi property, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, features 3 curvaceous UFO-shaped villas atop an 8 acre wooded peninsula jutting out into the scenic Seto inland sea. The villas come with private pools and saunas as well as roofs covered in solar panels cleverly shaped like traditional Japanese tiles. The proposed Rusutsu ski lodge, designed by Snøhetta, has a U-shaped roofline reminiscent of a ski jump or perhaps a flattened halfpipe, with a spectacular chimney suspended in the middle of a glass roof. Our favourite is Irori, a glass and steel structure nestled in the middle of a forest in Kitakaruizawa. The super sleek villa is a perfect blend of contemporary style with Japanese features such as a traditional hearth and a private onsen (hot spring), with a bath carved from stone.
What we would do:
Even though the properties are beautifully designed and tastefully furnished, it would be nice if owners were allowed to personalise their spaces with a few items of furniture or decoration of their own choosing, which would swing the experience more from "hotel" to "home". These could perhaps come from a curated selection which could be stored away when different owners arrive. Curiously, despite the name (NOT A HOTEL, in block caps in case you don't get the point), some of the properties are in fact available for anyone to rent by the night, just like a hotel. So, overall, perhaps the user experience is more WeWork style "co-liviing" membership scheme than shared ownership?
At the time of writing 6/36 ownerships are available for sale at the Setouchi property for JPY 359,120,000 per 1/36 share. Prices and details are correct as at September 2024.
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NOT A HOTELProduct Inspiration
We love the forest setting of the Irori house, in which minimalist furniture in natural wood would work perfectly. Try the Nervosa Barstool from Woak, the Vol Table from Mosoro and the Frame Bar Cabinet from Milla&Milli.
For lighting with a natural, organic vibe try the New Wave Suspension Light from LZF, the Fungus Table Lamp from 101 Copenhagen and the Moon Suspension Light from Davide Groppi.
Go for accessories in natural materials with simple, strong shapes, such as the Vertigo Wall Hanger from Nomon, the Souk Ecru Shell Mirror from Dooq and the Coupe Circonférence Bowl from Atelier Polyhedre.
