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The pyramid-shaped 105-story Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea, appears to be almost complete in this picture on Sept. 23.
With more than 3,000 rooms, North Korea's enormous pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel was designed to be a confident declaration of the isolationist communist state's status in the world.
More than three decades after it was supposed to open, the so-called "Hotel of Doom" in the capital Pyongyang has recently shown signs that it is finally close to being finished, according to reports.
Visitors tour the top floor of the Ryugyong Hotel on Sept. 23. Some three decades after construction began, there is still some work to do.
But photographs released this week reveal that there is still some way to go.
When it's complete, Ryugyong will be one of the tallest hotels in the world, boasting not just one but five revolving restaurants, the Business Insider website noted.
PhotoBlog: Communist ideals still strong in China's Nanjie village
Despite not being open, the hotel has already gathered a number of reviews on its Google+ entry.
"This resort is a jewel ... It's unreal how trendy this place is with its neoclassical industrial decor, exotic cuisine, and world class casino that rivals anything in Vegas. The shopping is fabulous, especially if you are in to [sic] antiques. Apparently, antiques are trendy for decades...even the dust is trendy! Definitely one for the bucket list," said one tongue-in-cheek reviewer, who set the tone for the others.
Read more stories about North Korea here
Elizabeth Dalziel / AP
From work to play, see pictures from inside the secretive country.
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Can't help but wonder where most of their clientele will come from? You know the average impoverished North Korean man or woman on the street will not be allowed or afford to stay there. Let's see, there is Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Venezuela, Ecuador, Cuba and whatever other socialist/leftist governed countries not mentioned! The hotel might break even without major NK government subsistence but it is doubtful.
Really enjoyed the stay. Very efficiently run and the staff are very attentive to the point which they stay next door and watch and listen to everything you do. Im guessing we picked a great time of the year since we were the only guests and got the room at a very low price through price_line. Loved the steamed grass and oven roasted tree bark. Will definitely stay again.
Well, now we know where Julian Assange can go, once Ecuador tires of him.
Since Pyongyang is a closed city, where you have to be invited to live there, its likely no NK person will see the inside of the hotel. Its probably for show, for international and government guests.
I need to send a letter to NK and see if I can get an invite to go. It would be a once in a lifetime experience. No other place in the world have I stayed in that would be quite like staying there.
Hey Snake, you should put that one up on Yelp! Is that five stars, or do they get dinged one for the complete lack of furniture?
Hey Ed, You forgot to include SINGAPORE the totalitarian countries in the probable paying guests
"More than three decades after it was supposed to open..."
WHO THE @!$%# DOES FACT CHECKING ANYMORE???
From BBC News: "North Korea began building the Ryugyong hotel in 1987, but construction was halted for 16 years when funds ran out."
Hell, from Wikipedia: "Construction began in 1987 but was halted in 1992 as North Korea entered a period ofeconomic crisis after the fall of the Soviet Union"
PATHETIC.
I see nobody at all on the streets...Many photos of Pyongyang in the press look like empty Hollywood sets...Impressive looking, but faked in some ways. Wonder what is really going on there. Million man army? Are there any civilians left or have they all died of malnutrition?
Maybe it's really a new barracks for the North Korean People's Army!
Well, it's not like there are many jobs for people to go to. And if you don't count the military, they probably have more individual roads than individual cars to drive on them.
On the other hand, their carbon footprint is impressively small. As is their sustainable "low volume farming" initiatives! Way to go the extra mile for the environment, guys!
Five revolving restaurants. One for each guest.
The Hotel of Doom, even William Shatner and Price Line can't sell this one. Five revolving restaurants and no food. I believe that makes it a 5 star hotel in Ethiopia. There slogan is going to be " we'll even leave the lights off for you. " The Mongolian Vegas. What happens in Pyongyang better stay there. Well at least you won't have to worry about bedbugs. The last guest ate them . The only entertainer every night will be Lil Kim. Pets are allowed into the rooms, and the kitchen. They have got to come up with a better name. The Inchon Inn, The 38th Parrallell Palisades, etc.
Are the restaurants people or oxen powered?
That's if their lucky, and it's a good day. As far as pets allowed, hope you like dog for dinner and don't bother looking for Fido, you just ate him/her(have to be PC about guys and girls)
I read no mention of entertainment other than a casino. a lil disappointed considering the North Koreans are know for their clowns and circus acts.
Running water and electric lights are entertainment in NK. Don't forget that black and white one channel TV!!!
DPRK is also known for excellent dancing and choreography. Great floor shows.
Amish
Certainly they have entertainment, its called "a Dog & Pony Show" put on by the NK media. Its also a different Dog and Pony each night...
I wonder if the starving citizens will be able to fight for the leftover scraps from the five revolving restaurants and room service.
What a disgusting display.
Maybe they can help me with a 30 year construction loan. I have an idea of what I want to build, but I keep changing my mind. I really do think that I can make up my mind in the 30 years. But what is the loan rate?
I'm afraid of heights but I'm really afraid of heights in tall buildings built by destitute third-world countries.
Most of their tourism is from China. They have casinos that citizens can't enter, they're only for the Chinese tourists. Still, I can't imagine them getting enough to fill this monstrosity! Kim Jong-il built this for show, I think, like Propaganda City (Kijong-dong.)
Well, the hotel actually started construction back when N. Korea was actually funded by the Soviets.
Then the Soviet Union collapsed. So...
Yeah, I know they had to cut corners after that, but somehow a cement bed might be a little uncomfortable for me. plus in the winter it might be a tad to cold. I never learned how to warm a cement bed with an oil lamp.
I find it rather impressive and beautiful looking. Its a shame that it probably will not attract many well paying tourists. A lot of jobs could be made possible for the poor without expensive training if they change some of their policies but I'm not gonna hold my breath waiting :(
It IS rather amazing what you can construct on the backs of an abused and brutally dominated populace, isn't it?
I hear they mixed the concrete using ACTUAL tears!
God started to punish North Korea with the killing of the firstborn son (Kim Jong Il)...a hell of a lot of good that did! Maybe He should start with blood, frogs and lice first...it worked well the first time around. That should free the North Korean slaves rather quickly
Funny, but I thought Communists were supposed to be proletarian and for the common man, erm person (My bad) - exclusive stuff like this belies that: Konstantin Simis is right.
And it is an ugly, scaleless, monstrosity.
surely it comes with an all you can eat buffet!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, it does. They put an empty plate in front of you and say "That's all you can eat."
Each of the five haute cuisine restaurants offers a different breed of dog as an entree. I can recommend the chihuahua au merde as a real taste bud experience! It reflects the heart and soul of North Korea and is a tribute to the new 'Fearless Leader'!
We should export all the unwanted pound pooches and cats from here.
At least I know you've been there(hopefully in the south, just kidding, just like to know people still have to go there). You kinda know where I'm coming from WVDawg.
Wait and see how much they will charge. I have a feeling the hotel stay will be more or less affordable for an average citizen.
You'll have to supply your own toilet paper as it wasn't in the budget.
Nor was carpet, or beds, or chairs, apparently...
Hell, just bring your camping stuff. But you can leave behind the rain gear!
Toilets? jen jang!!!!! (Korean for sh!t, and or damn)
Naw just use your right hand.
Casino ??? What good is a Casino without liquor and ahhh.....ummmm.......errrrrr. You know. . . . . .
Cocktail waitresses with large ummmm breasts???
Has Priceline sent William Shatner to Pyongyang yet?
If they do, they might not get him back.
Oh, North Korea. It would be so funny if it wasn't real.
Isn't gambling condemded by the communists as a western vice? Doesn't the communist government there strictly enforce who can enter / leave the country? Where are the 'guests' going to come from? sounds / looks like a facade to me. And aren't the locals in that part of the world starving? Facade for show only. Pity the common citizen. Pray for them.
What is and isn't acceptable to Communists changes according to their economic needs. It takes longer, but it does happen (look at China and Vietnam, both ostensibly run by the Communist parties).
Also, North Korea does decide who can enter the country, but they're quite lenient toward foreign tourists since they're so desperate for American dollars for their government. The problem, of course, is that their country is a cruel joke and nobody wants to go there.
Not only do I wonder where their clientele will come from, but I wonder what sort of quality will be built into this thing. How is NK doing on building codes for typhoons, earthquakes and fires? Do they understand reinforcing standards for concrete? How is their elevator technology? Do they have any ELECTRICITY to power this thing? Maybe we can send Newt Gingrich to stay there for a while and report back on the quality of the toilets. I will not be going there. Sorry.
With the amount of bunkers they have I'm sure they know how to reinforce concrete,of course that's for things 100 stories UNDERground.
Well, the thing LOOKS structurally sound, with the pyramid shape, and it's been mostly complete for 30 years without toppling... not too shabby. So long as you don't go inside.
You can check out any time you like but you can never leave.
That monstrosity is 100% Chinese architecture and would be constructed by China as a present to the wonderful , intelligent , loving , over fed , DPRK citizens, and their beloved leaders and wonderful security apparatus who protect them against the sad life we all live on the far side.
The DPRK are a little bit secretive, you know !! This thing may be an intergalactic transporter, and live aboard system. I guess it would have kimchi manufacturing equipment installed in all 5 restaurants. They may be going to land a man on the sun, Night time of course.
Can't feed their people but they can build a 3,000 room hotel! Most likely with US Aid money.
We never gave them money just food and fuel.
It wasn't USA aid money, it was USSR aid money.
This thing was started when the Soviet Union was still a thing.
The tourists will be Chinese, Russians, Belo Russians and others from Central Asia. The only way a Cuban could make it would be by log from Cuba. A Venezuelan might try it but he would likely be mugged before he got out of the Caracas airport. You remember the nitwit Americans who were hiking in Iraq and crossed into Iran, well they will be there for sure. Romney had a fundraiser in China so maybe he will have one in N. Korea. Bush will invade N. Korea. I did not see any furniture which means everyone will have to bring their sleeping bags. There will be a tour of the capital to show all the highlights, which means a 15 minutes bus ride. There will be slot machines in the casino. You put in a dollar and, if you win, guaranteed to be paid in N. Korean money. "What happens in Pyongyang stays in Pyongyang, and so do you'. The restaurants will be serving a N. Korean specialty, Stone soup.
The casino will have 6/5 blackjack,you hit 21 you get a coin toss to find out if you get 5 fingers broken or 6
Sorry anyone that goes there will be funding the North Korean government which has a horrible human rights record.
They have the WORST human rights record, actually. No modern government is more oppressive and destructive.