London's new superyacht hotel

Can't afford your own superyacht? Perhaps this is within your budget ...
London's new superyacht hotel hopes to open its 136 rooms to the public by the end of August, says its owners Sunborn.

At $300 to $1,600 per night, guests will need deep pockets to wake up with water views. Beside each bed is a tablet for contacting the on-board chef, choosing between foam or feather pillows, and checking live arrival and departure times at nearby City Airport.

The top-of-the-range executive suites feature private saunas and balconies big enough for a party of 20.
Located beside London's Exhibition and Convention Center (ExCel), the floating hotel hopes to attract business guests, and features a plush auditorium.
"It's something very unique in London's landscape," said event and sales manager, Elzbieta Nowacka. "We offer a superyacht experience, without actually building anything."

The vessel was originally used in conjunction with a luxury spa hotel in Finland. It was given a refurbishment and tugged to the UK at a total cost of $67 million.
Despite its hefty five-storey size, the superyacht doesn't actually have an engine. It was towed from Finland to England over two weeks.
"We'd like to give our clients the option of using the space for private events or themed parties, like under the sea afternoon tea, or Titanic parties," said Nowacka.
"I think it is definitely the future of design, because there are so many cities with large marinas and rivers that could be used as well," said Nowacka.

Built around the mid 19th century, Royal Victoria Dock was a major cargo hub for the city. By the 1930s, the Docklands were one of the busiest ports in the world
But with the emergence of bigger cargo ships in the 1960s, the shipping industry was forced to move to deep-water ports just outside London in Essex. By the 1970s, London's Docklands had become a deserted wasteland.

In the late 1980s the site was redeveloped, including financial sector Canary Wharf (pictured). "When the Docklands first opened, they were a closed working space," said Georgina Young, senior curator at the Museum of London. "So this also represents an opening up of the area, with more of a focus on wealth and luxury."

Source: CNN