The floating hotel, if approved, would be privately funded and built off-site before being moved to the waterfront and connected to the Vancouver Convention Centre where it would “operate like a normal building on land.”
Would you stay here? A 250-room floating hotel is being proposed for Vancouver’s waterfront.
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The project is being jointly pitched by Finnish hotel developer Sunborn International Holding and the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre.
They tout the hotel, which would open in 2027, a “unique, world-class hospitality venue, bringing new jobs, economic growth, and creating a new destination on the water.”
“The new floating hotel will be a jewel for the crown of Vancouver’s waterfront,” said Graham Clarke, whose Graham Clarke Group owns the fight centre.
“The new property will contribute to the urgent need for hotel rooms in Vancouver in an innovative and effective way, with no permanent footprint or environmental ramifications, adding new public spaces, viewpoints, cafés and restaurants to Vancouver’s vibrant waterfront.”
The floating hotel would be privately funded and built off-site before being moved to the waterfront and connected to the Vancouver Convention Centre where it would “operate like a normal building on land.” It’s estimated the hotel would create about 200 jobs.
The low-carbon structure would run on renewable energy, reducing its power consumption by 60 to 70 per cent, with no discharge to the surrounding water. Sunborn has also committed to not using any fossil fuels, and promises the hotel would create no emissions from its engines or generators.
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring our new generation of low carbon floating hotels to the Vancouver waterfront,” said Sunborn CEO Hans Niemi.
“The vessel will be newly built for Vancouver and our intention is to develop a beautiful on-the-water hotel, blending seamlessly and adding new spaces for the public to enjoy.”
Both Destination Vancouver and PavCo, which operates the convention centre, support the project.
“In our view, a bespoke floating hotel development would enhance our waterfront and we look forward to working with Sunborn and their partners in promoting this new attraction and hotel to our global visitors,” said Destination Vancouver CEO Royce Chwin.
Ken Cretney, CEO of PavCo, pointed to Vancouver’s “significant shortage of hotel rooms.”
“The new hotel will enhance the destination and generate not only economic impact, but also community benefit,” said Cretney.
“The project aligns very well with our commitment to environmental sustainability and the new low carbon hotel will complement the sustainability program that exists in the west building of the Vancouver Convention Centre.”
The proponents are working with the city on rezoning.