Garbage hotel opens in heart of Madrid

A new hotel has opened in the heart of Madrid proudly declaring that it’s complete rubbish, AFP reports.

More of a wooden shack than a five-star establishment, the walls of the Beach Garbage Hotel are strewn with detritus dragged up by the tide, recovered from landfills or snapped up at flea markets.

Among the wall decorations: plastic drums, wooden frames, musical instruments, striped socks, tyres, and children’s books.

In the five rooms there are street lights, wobbly sideboards, and torn Persian rugs, ready to welcome the lucky winners of a Facebook competition whose prize was a free stay.

Out front, there is a small patch of sand and palm trees.

Located in the city centre’s Plaza de Callao, it is the work of German artist Ha Schult, timed to coincide with Madrid’s hosting of the annual international tourism trade fair.

"I created the Beach Garbage Hotel because the oceans of our planet are the biggest garbage dump," Schult said.