Advertisement 1

In P.E.I., this rotating house means you'll never have to stress about that beach view again

'Everyone should have an ocean view; that’s the only reason we decided to make a rotating house,' says owner Steve Arnold

Article content

We all know what it feels like to check in for a luxurious stay, only to see the hotel’s parking lot through your window. You become filled with jealousy, knowing some other tenant lucked out with an ocean view.

Canada’s Rotating House: Around the Sea (ATS) makes sure you’ll never encounter that problem again. A 360-degree rotating house on Prince Edward Island, ATS allows tenants to each have their moments looking out to PEI’s National Park Beach, which they can also access for free from a private path.

“Everyone should have an ocean view; that’s the only reason we decided to make a rotating house,” says Steve Arnold, who built the home with his wife Stephanie. “You get a variety of ocean views everyday, but you don’t even feel the movement. It’s a means to an end.”

Listed as the “the world’s first rotating house with luxury condo rentals,” ATS welcomes guests year-round. It’s located in North Rustico on Green Gables Shore, and it takes between 45 and 90 minutes (depending on the chosen speed) to complete a full rotation.

Article content

At 5,000 square feet, the two-storey home has four condos (each 625 square feet in size) spread throughout the main level. On the upper level is where the Arnolds stay; they act as hosts throughout the year.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

“We want to provide guests with a luxurious stay that will feel like a bucket list experience on the East coast,” says Steve Arnold.

The master bedroom and living room combine to feature four lookout windows in each condo. Of the walls on the home’s above-ground levels, 73 per cent of them are covered by glass.

Fully furnished with wide-plank laminate throughout, the master condo includes a king-size bed, while there’s also a queen wall bed in the living room, as well as a sofa bed.

The living room is designed in an open concept, and provides access to an ensuite bathroom. The latter includes ceramic floor tiles, porcelain sinks on quartz countertops, two shower nozzles (one of them being a rainfall shower), and even goat soap from the Great Canadian Soap Co. farm, located within walking distance of ATS.

An overview of the Around the Sea home.
An overview of the Around the Sea home. Photo by Supplied

The open concept living area merges with the kitchen bar, where you’ll be able to prepare anything you need, since each condo features a full kitchen with quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Just in case you come hungry, every guest also receives a complimentary welcome basket. It’s filled with Maritime treats such as jams from the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company, milk from Amalgamated Dairies Limited, fresh ground coffee from Jumping Bean in Newfoundland, and gouda cheese from Glasgow Glen Farm.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

Whether you want to enjoy your food indoors or outdoors is up to you. With two wraparound decks, each condo has access to its own 50 square-foot area with two picnic tables and a barbecue. Thanks to the curved shape of the house, you won’t even be able to see your next door neighbours.

After starting the build in 2012 and investing $1.7 million into the construction of the home, the Arnolds housed their first guests in July 2013.

They decided to pursue the idea after coming across a rotating house in Australia. After contacting the designer of the platform’s technology, Luke Everginham, they quite literally put the wheels in motion.

The house sits on what’s known as the Everingham rotating platform, which rests on a 200-tonne crane bearing in the middle, and 24 double sets of wheels connected to a steel post system towards the edge. The house turns a full 360 degrees then reverses in the opposite direction, in order to avoid overtwisting the wiring and plumbing.

Arnold says ATS is unique because it’s the only rotating house that is a multi-unit residence, while it’s also the only one that has its rotational foundation completely enclosed underground. Even though the house has two above ground levels (each at 2,500 square feet), the basement holds the rotating mechanics.

Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content

Such precautions were taken in order to sustain a 50-tonne house. The build also took into account the burdens of a heavy Canadian winter. This is a concern that only ATS encounters, since it’s the only rotating house in the world in a true winter environment, says Steve Arnold.

To make sure the house is sturdy, the Arnolds also decided to purchase a structure built by Deltec Homes, from North Carolina. Their round shape, along with their yellow pine frame, makes them hurricane resistant, allowing the wind to easily move around the property.

After some seven years in operation, such attention to detail seems well worth it; on Trip Advisor, Around the Sea has a five-star rating, after 163 different tenants left reviews.

As well as beautiful views and the unique design of the house, ATS offers close proximity to entertainment and activities, for a  well-rounded vacation.

A side view of the Around the Sea home.
A side view of the Around the Sea home. Photo by Supplied

Within 15 minutes there are four golf courses to choose from, and the private path that leads to the National Park also continues to a boardwalk in North Rustico, where tenants will be able to see over 30 lobster boats. Near the end is the Blue Mussel Cafe, which Arnold rates highly.

Advertisement 5
Story continues below
Article content

Within walking distance to a grocery, pharmacy and liquor store, you’re also just a 38-minute drive from the province’s capital, Charlottetown, meaning nothing seems to be out of reach.

Looking to rent?

If you’re looking to book a stay at Around the Sea, there are possibilities year-round. The off-season (Oct. 19 to May 8) allows tenants to rent for as low as $129 a night. In the spring (May 8 to June 20), it jumps to a minimum of $179 a night. For both of those seasons, as well as during the fall, there is a minimum two-night stay.

Come summer you’ll need to rent for a full week, which will cost around $1,699 for a seven-day stay.

The Arnolds also hosts tours of the home (which includes the basement) for $5. All proceeds go toward the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest from Shopping Essentials
  1. Advertisement 2
    Story continues below
This Week in Flyers