I just read about a really neat idea for a hotel — a vacant storefront inn! Viennese architects Theresia Kohlmayr, Jonathan Lutter, and Christian Knapp decided to turn vacant storefronts located in semi-ok neighbourhoods in Vienna into single room hotel suites (see Urbanauts for more info). This gives visitors the opportunity to explore neighbourhoods that might not be featured in the Moon Guide to the city. I’m not sure how much it adds to vibrancy of the street life (if it’s on the ground floor then you’re still wandering by an inaccessible space – unless you’ve rented the room), but it’s a neat idea for empty space. Downtown Geneva feels like it’s making a comeback, but there are still some empty storefronts (really, what downtown doesn’t have a vacant building or two?). I wonder if this would work in a small town? Regardless, it’s a neat idea.
Not that Geneva 
Accomodations in Geneva were hard to find the two times we were there. I think the vacant bldgs idea is one whose time has come. MacInack Island in Michigan does the same thing (rooms on second & third floors store fronts open for rental) it works & is very quaint; like Geneva, Spring, Summer, and Fall are busy…winter not so much!
What an opportunity for a local entrepreneur!
PS LOVE YOUR BLOG!
That’s true — it is tough to find accommodation here sometimes. Thanks for the feedback on the blog!!