Bahrain to open first ever floating hotel

Bahrain’s first ever floating hotel will open in Manama’s Al Fateh Corniche.

Bahrain has unveiled the US $5 million C-Hotel, built on the base of an old house boat at Coral Bay, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the region, reports sister title Arabian Business.

Launched by Seven Leisure Group, the five-star property has 14 rooms, of which two are large suites.

The floating hotel features Italian design and is the newest addition to the Hotel des Charmes group, which specialises in luxury boutique hotels worldwide.

“This is a boutique hotel offering a five-star experience to guests by providing different facilities. It’s a unique project that was started with small investment and it took three years of work to complete,” Seven Leisure Group owner Akram Miknas told Gulf Daily News.

Miknas said the idea of the hotel first came to him when he bought a houseboat for his personal use.

“I bought the hotel from a prominent family in Bahrain and decided to convert it into a luxury hotel on a docked boat. It took us three years to make the changes, including designs approved by a marine architect, Italian interior décor, furniture and other facilities in the rooms,” he added.

Standard rooms in the hotel include a dining area, a big screen television and a writing desk.

The C-hotel had a soft launch in December and has proven popular since, with an average occupancy of 80%.

While it is a hotel, it includes a full resort experience with beach access, a spa, a gymnasium, and several restaurants. It is meant to attract visitors from within Bahrain and across the region.

Prices start atUS $150 (BD55) per night for a standard room and $350 (BD130) for a suite.