'Floatel' gets approval for Vancouver's waterfront

Vancouver’s council has approved a 250-room floating hotel on the city’s waterfront that councillors say would bring more accommodation capacity and generate economic activity in the area.

The application for the so-called floatel was brought by Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre Ltd., and council at a meeting Tuesday evening approved the hotel and a connecting public dock with a walkway and commercial uses.

The project is proposed by Finnish hospitality group Sunborn International, which operates yacht hotels and floating real estate in London and Gibraltar.

The proposal calls for a vessel six storeys tall from sea level, situated in the water in front of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Sunborn says the project would support up to 225 jobs when in operation with the entry level of the vessel being fully open to the public, which would “attract locals and tourists to come down and experience the waterfront,” driving economic activity and vibrancy.

A number of members of the public spoke out in opposition to the project during the meeting, with one telling council that the structure “sits right in the line of sight to one of the most amazing views in Vancouver,” while others expressed concerns over congestion, and potential pollution in the harbour.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2026.