Are boat hotels turning into a hot lodging trend? Perhaps, as announcements on Monday about new boat hotels in unrelated projects in Florida and Vietnam indicate.
Starting in March 2012 Bhaja Cruises will begin to offer Au Co 3-day cruises around northern Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay on 32-cabin boat hotels. The tour includes stopping off for on-land bicycle trails, kayaking and rainforest treks.
Meanwhile in Clearwater, Florida a US$25 million floating hotel barge is set to open for guests on Sept. 9. The 36-suite, Fisherman’s Paradise boat hotel will feature Italian marble-decked rooms. At 385 ft (117 m) long, the boat includes a helicopter pad, large sun deck and saltwater aquarium.
The boat hotel will be moored 15 miles of the coast of Clearwater in international waters. Construction of the boat hotel took six years. The project is the brainchild of Gary Boesch, the retired founder of insurance company Amerilife.