Checking into a hotel room that once flew at 30,000 feet requires a certain suspension of disbelief. The Natur Air Suite, a 1968 Fokker 27 converted into Italy's first airplane hotel, sits in the countryside near Brembate di Sopra, an hour from Milan.
Gianpiero Bianchi discovered the aircraft through an online auction while eating at McDonald's with his son. The 44-year-old entrepreneur saw an opportunity where others saw scrap metal. The plane had carried 44 passengers across Europe until 1975, then hauled mail for the French postal company Aeropostale until 2015, when it was finally grounded at Bergamo airport.
A decommissioned postal plane finds new life as glamping accommodation in the hills near Bergamo
The project began in September 2020 when Bianchi purchased the plane at auction, with the nocturnal transport taking place in June 2021.
Converting the aircraft required dismantling it completely, trucking it through the Italian countryside at night, and reassembling it like a massive jigsaw puzzle.
The accommodation has attracted aviation enthusiasts and curious travelers from across Europe, proving there's appetite for truly unusual lodging experiences.
The venture is part of Bianchi's Naturooms company, which operates seven unconventional properties across northern Italy, including locations in Piazza Brembana, Sant'Omobono Terme, and Capriate San Gervasio.
The entrepreneur, who has stayed in seven of the world's ten strangest hotels, plans to open more unusual properties around Italy.
Bianchi credits glamping as "the future of tourism," arguing that modern travelers seek freedom, exclusivity, and connection with nature rather than standard hotel experiences.
The Natur Air Suite even earned inclusion in "Glamping Porn," a guide to the world's best glamping sites.
The cabin now sleeps four in an open-plan suite with a bathroom and bathtub.
The cockpit remains intact, allowing guests to play pilot with the original controls.
Beyond the novelty, Bianchi has added a private spa with an infrared sauna and heated outdoor jacuzzi, plus a children's play area featuring wooden sculptures by local artist Mario Midali.
The spa includes a relaxation area with a fireplace and herbal tea station, creating what amounts to a luxury wellness retreat attached to a decommissioned aircraft.
Via XXIV Maggio, 95, 24030 Brembate di Sopra BG, Italy
