All aboard! Sunborn, a Finnish developer specializing in hotels made from repurposed yachts, is seeking municipal approval to build a 250-room floating hotel (or float-el) in the Vancouver Harbour, connected to the city’s convention centre and spanning 136 metres.
Big picture: Hotel shortages have been a long-term pain in the rear for Vancouver, and the city is currently short about 10,000 rooms. This persistent lack of space contributed to average room rates reaching the highest price point ever in a major Canadian city last July.
- Per a 2023 Destination Vancouver study, demand for rooms is on track to exceed supply in the summer months of 2026 when the FIFA World Cup comes to town.
Why it matters: Even as Vancouver sees a surge in hotel development, traditional hotels are still massive, timely undertakings that cause construction disruptions and take up space that could be used for high-rise housing (also in short supply). A float-el avoids these issues.
Bottom line: Obviously, a floating hotel isn’t going to work everywhere, but approval of one would signal an openness to trying out new ideas to solve the shortage. Another novel idea that’s been proffered is converting buildings into pod hotels, which are popular in Asia.—QH