Hospitality disruptor Leven has launched its second resort, a tropical hideaway replete with experimental Babylonian-style architecture, vertical meadows and staggered lagoon pools. But before you pack your suitcase, there’s something to know – the hotel is built entirely in the Metaverse.
The utopian resort covers a plot of virtual land in the Fashion Estate in Decentraland, known as LEVENverse. One of the first and biggest virtual real estate marketplaces, along with The Sand Box, Decentraland is powered by the Ethereum blockchain.
Leven co-founder Joshua Senior says: ‘We believe the potential for creative hospitality brands is limitless and in building the LEVENverse we will be one of the first lifestyle brands to blaze a digital trail in the early Metaverse. We have some exciting partners lined up as we connect our real life space with the online, and create a digital amenity space for our customers. We’re excited to push traditional boundaries, bring the LEVEN brand to new audiences and explore the opportunities the digital future holds.’
The meta version was designed by an architect and champions organic design inspired by nature and biomimicry with its curving walls. And among the more ‘traditional’ hotel spaces, such as the lobby and bedrooms, there are maker spaces and a dedicated gallery for NFTs and digital creatives to showcase their works.
But planning restrictions even exist in the Metaverse: ‘Interestingly, there are some restrictions that we had to adhere to’, Leven’s co-founder Tim Griffin told PhocusWire. ‘For example, there are rules within the Metaverse around air rights as there are in the real world. So our building is three stories high.’
The virtual outpost will twin with its real-world Manchester hotel, hosting online events around wellness and fitness – virtual fitness classes with personal trainers and guided meditation sessions that link to real-world sessions taking offline at the real-life Manchester space.
