BANGKOK -- They are usually big and bulky, often have a distinctive period design, and sometimes stand in conservation areas. Typically built with high load-bearing steel frames, they can accommodate wide internal spaces. They probably started life as warehouses or factory buildings, and they are potential moneymaking machines.
With much of Asia on a tourist roll, and with a seemingly unquenchable desire for accommodation, more and more industrial buildings are being converted for use as hotels. Many have only a limited amount of space for conversion to guest rooms, and are billed as boutique hotels. Others, perhaps retaining an industrial aura, are being converted into hostels, fitting perfectly into the budget traveler market that has arisen in the wake of low-cost airlines.
