Travel Tuesday: Atari Hotels are coming and you will want to level up

Classic gaming fans are ready to level up. Atari Hotels will be opening starting later this year and it is the perfect time to earn your pole position.

Looking for the next big themed hotel destination? Atari Hotels will be opening up several locations across the U. S. While classic gaming fans will want to book a room in a heartbeat, there are many reasons why both gamers and travel fans will want to stay in these unique hotel experiences.

Over the past several years, more and more themed hotels are popping up over the U.S. While some locations might be limited time offers (remember Hotella Nutella), other locations are focusing on fandoms. While the highly anticipated Star Wars hotel is one example, other options like Legoland Hotels and other pop culture entities now fill your travel booking app.

The newest one joining the group is the Atari Hotels. With the first location set to break ground in Phoenix in 2020, this gaming hotel is more than just stepping into that classic video game system. It blends the new and the classic to create the ultimate gaming domain.

Looking at the team behind this hotel enterprise, the approach is different than a traditional hotel launch. One of the partners is Napoleon Smith III. Although that name might not be instantly recognizable, the production work is. Remember the popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film franchise reboot?

Understanding the necessity of both a great visual and a guest connection, this Atari themed hotel could be a huge game changer for the hotel industry. This hotel seeks to blend gaming into the stay experience. Beyond a gaming lounge or a carefully crafted themed room, the hotel is said to have both virtual and augmented reality. From the beginning gamer to the expert, this hotel stay will have a broad appeal.

Additionally, this hotel experience makes the old cool again. While it can be hard to think of Atari as retro, the iconic gaming system is having a moment. In a way, that gaming system connect generations better then feelings about the phrase “Ok Boomer.”

Still, the gaming aspect is the feature that drives this hotel experience. With more and more people making gaming a part of their lifestyle, it makes sense that hotels will start to cater to those preferences. If a gamer has the option of staying in a location that appreciates her preferences, why wouldn’t she prefer to stay there.

Looking at the renderings that have been made available, the Atari Hotel looks as if the guests steps into that classic gaming console. Said to offer a journey through gaming origins to a celebration of the gaming industry today, it should offer an experience unlike any other hotel property.

An additionally interesting aspect is that select hotels will feature esports studios. As the esports industry surges in popularity, this aspect could drive even more guests to the hotels. Just like a popular convention, these events drive legions of fans to special events. Given the large sums of money spent on gaming, the Atari hotels are looking to capitalize on that fortune.

While only renderings are available, this particular gaming hotel could be a start of a trend. As Universal seeks to add Super Nintendo Land to its theme parks, the other gaming properties could expand as well. Gaming is as popular as movies and classic characters. Why can’t there be a Call of Duty experience opening in Las Vegas?

As more details emerge about these hotel destinations excitement will continue to build. It will be curious to see how each room is designed and how gamers feel about the experience.

Would you book a room at an Atari Hotel? What type of gaming hotel would you like to see?