Who remembers when waterbeds were all the rage? Well, if you were one of those people who found excitement in the idea of sleeping afloat, try a floatel (floating hotel) for your perfect aquatic escape. Floatels and boatels can be found on rivers, lakes or oceans and are emerging as the newest trend in travel. For all those water-lovers who just can't seem to find their sea legs, floatels are a fun, creative alternative to a traditional cruise.
Uprooted and placed on stilts, here are a few of the most luxurious and buoyant floatels in the world.
Conrad Maldives
Nestled in between two private islands in the flawless turquoise water of the Indian Ocean, the Conrad Maldives is the quintessential floatel. With 50 luxurious water villas, the all-glass undersea restaurant and 21 spa water villas with private treatment rooms, the Conrad Maldives is as sumptuous as it gets. Built 1,700 feet out to sea, the Conrad Maldives allows you to escape everything except the sound of the waves breaking.
Brooklyn Boatel
The Brooklyn Boatel is a collection of rehabbed boats located outside of Manhattan making for the perfect New York City getaway. The Brooklyn Boatel is a great spot to escape from the bustling city and offers a slow-paced living environment with tons of waterfront amenities. This dockside dormitory may make you reminiscent of summer camp, but you're sure to get the full camp-style boatel experience.
Floating & Rotating Hotel Tower
Leave it to Dubai to be home of one of the most architecturally advanced floatels in the world! Once completed, Waterstudio's Floating & Rotating Tower will sit 25 stories off the coast. Defying engineering feats, this floatel will feature a boulevard ring that connects the shore with the hotel and if that's not enough, get this: the hotel will rotate one-degree every minute. This awe-inspiring floatel will literally having you spinning!
King Pacific Lodge
The King Pacific Lodge is built atop a floating barge and provides the ultimate in luxury adventure travel and ecotourism vacations. Located in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, this serene wilderness floatel is only accessible by float plane. This remote location is ideal for whale watching, fishing, kayaking and searching for the rare Kermode bear. Only two hours outside of Vancouver, King Pacific Lodge was selected as one of the best resorts in Canada.