Floating hotel plans approved for Docklands
Tower Hamlets Borough Council has granted permission for a 170m (558ft) super-yacht hotel to be moored permanently in London's Docklands.
The proposals for Thames Quay in West India Dock were put forward by the Dubai-based developer, Aquiva, and the project is now set to go before the Greater London Authority for final approval. Located adjacent to Canary Wharf, the floating hotel will feature up to 180 staterooms and suites, as well as an on-board ballroom, a gym, a swimming pool, a private business club and spa facilities. The top deck of the super-yacht will also include a celebrity chef restaurant and a bar.
It is hoped that the floating hotel, which will sit 23m (75ft) above the waterline, can be in place in time for the London 2012 Olympics, and aims to attract both leisure and business travellers to the capital.