Floating in Luxury: International Architects Unveil Seaworthy Eco-Hotels

The future of tourism seems to be staying afloat, in more ways than one!

As the hospitality industry makes strides to recover from the effects of the pandemic, new trends in travel have emerged. After a year of staycations, today’s travellers are searching for experiences that feel pampering, luxurious, and new—while keeping ever-changing safety procedures in mind. While both luxury hotels and a vacation spent on the water sound like a dream getaway, why choose between the two when you could do both?

THE REVOLVING HOTEL

In Qatar, architects have designed an eco-friendly floating hotel that gains energy by spinning in circles in the sea.

The Eco-Floating Hotel is a project by the Hayri Atak Architectural Design Studio (HAADS), developed in partnership with shipbuilding engineers and architects.

It was important to the team to minimize energy consumption and apply zero-waste principles. Due to its mobility, the hotel can generate energy by rotating around an axis using the current and can be anchored in different areas, so hotel guests can always enjoy new views.

Directly connected to the mainland via a pier, the Eco-Floating Hotel can also be reached by helicopter or ship. The 152 luxurious rooms with private balconies are to be arranged around a central lobby. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, a spa, and a gym are also part of the facilities.

So far, no date has been set for the completion of the eco-hotel, but the year 2025 has been envisaged.

THE UNSINKABLE ANTHÉNEA

Over in France, a floating, eco-responsible, and nomadic solar-powered hotel for eco-tourists is ready for a luxurious trip on the water.

Anthénea is the world’s first floating hotel suite, a breath of fresh air into the eco-travel industry with a multi-sensory experience aimed at owners and hoteliers for travellers looking to reconnect with nature and explore the seas in luxurious style.

Designed by French veteran designers, engineers, and naval architects, the Anthénea pod is a futuristic-looking, domed vessel entirely powered by the sun and adaptable to any waterbody and any climate—in fact, it claims to be “unsinkable.” The Anthénea floating hotel suite is autonomous, self-sufficient, and ecological.

Among other innovations, it has a water-processing system that only produces what it consumes and releases clean water. The Anthénea features silent electric motors allowing those on board to travel across the sea. Thanks to five south-facing solar panels and two electric propulsion pods that enable it to navigate unchartered locations, the vessel can stay afloat indefinitely.

Its domed shape is designed to follow the sun’s rays, while its central well serves as an underwater observatory and natural air conditioning system. Inside, the 50sqm capsule features three living zones, all made from entirely sustainable materials. The “day space” has a sofa, minibar, curved furniture covered with waxed concrete. Meanwhile, the “night space” comprises a 2.20-metre circular bed and a sea or freshwater bathtub. The “relaxation area” has a 360-degree solarium on its rooftop for 12 people.

What better way to enjoy a safe getaway than on a secluded floating sanctuary in the most wanderlust-inducing destinations?

(Source: Reuters)