Mumbai gets its first floating hotel `A B Celestial’

Mumbai has got its first floating hotel, AB Celestial, which has now opened for business after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis officially inaugurating it on Sunday.

Imported from the US, AB Celestial is a three-tier luxury dining `floatel' with a sky deck, two galleys and a capacity to accommodate a minimum of 660 guests across four tiers.

While dining on the `floatel' where one can enjoy a relaxing evening in the backdrop of the iconic Bandra -Worli sea link, will no longer be conventional, it will be a bit pricy as a meal for two could cost anywhere between Rs3,000 and Rs5,000, including drinks.

The five-deck ship, AB Celestial, will offer food, liquor and room services - it has a coffee shop, banquet hall, dining lounge and sky deck, besides eight rooms

This new theme hotel is docked at the Maharashtra Maritime Board's jetty at Bandra under the Bandra-Worli Sea link, Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) said in a release.

The concept is conceived by WB International Consultants (the founder of AB Celestial) in association with MTDC and Maharashtra Maritime Board.

The floatel, mainly targeted at city's affluent and foreign tourists, houses two multi-cuisine restaurants, including a club lounge equipped with a 24-hour coffee shop.

Earlier, the floatel was launched in 2014, by then state tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal, but could not open to public due to issues over permissions.

Currently in India, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have floating hotels. Globally cities like New York, Dubai, Hong Kong, Saigon in Vietnam have floating restaurants.

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) sources said the project cost close to Rs20 crore. Parking arrangements have been made along a new road that leads to the 'floatel'.