I have two mates going on a North Korea tour early next year (we still have no idea why) and that's one of the stops on the tour. That building is the only thing that really interests me about the country, well that and dog noodles.
A telecoms company got the rights to put antennas on it if they finished the outside. The inside might be finished at some point, according to the North Koreans, but a survey a few years ago said that the entire thing was unstable.
In Bournemouth we have the famed IMAX Waterfront building, which actually hosted an IMAX cinema for a few months and then it stopped working. It blocked the view of the sea for a very posh hotel which closed and is now a Premier Inn (giggle) and for the rest of the town too.
It was voted Britain's ugliest building on a c4 show. Or something.
They did a projected-demolition the other week as part of the arts festival (like what the other Steve has posted before) and now it is actually being knocked down. In its place will be a nice open air stage, yay.
I get them muddled with the other discount hotel brands (I've never stayed in one, I've always found independent hotels to be a lot cheaper..) but there appears to be one on every road here.
I've had friends moaning about how expensive hotels are nowdays, and that's just because they've only checked the discount chains and assumed they are the cheapest. No. I regularly stay in a central London hotel for £35 a night, it's lovely.
Well, it's not lovely, but it's a bit like the house from The Shining and has everything I need. I also don't have to risk waking up with Lenny Henry in my bed.