by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 1:10 PM ET, Tue January 21, 2025
What's a hotel developer to do when faced with a tight market for land in Vancouver? Sunborn International Holding (SBIH) wants to take its newest proposal onto the water. Partnering with Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre (VHFC), the Finnish developer is floating the idea of a "world-class hospitality venue" built on the water.
"The new floating hotel will be a jewel for the crown of Vancouver's waterfront," says Graham Clarke, Chairman of VHFC. "The new property will contribute to the urgent need for hotel rooms in Vancouver in an innovative and effective way, with no permanent footprint or environmental ramifications, adding new public spaces, viewpoints, cafés and restaurants to Vancouver's vibrant waterfront."
The Sunborn Vancouver hotel will be 250 rooms and connected to the Vancouver Convention Centre's infrastructure, meaning will operate the way a hotel built on land does, with no waste discharged into the water. The proposed low-carbon hotel will be built off-site, then moved to its place on the harbour, minimizing disruption. The Sunborn Vancouver will be will be an environmentally friendly development, sourcing its power needs from renewable energy.
"We are excited about the opportunity to bring our new generation of low carbon floating hotels to the Vancouver waterfront," says Hans Niemi, CEO of Sunborn International. "The vessel will be newly built for Vancouver and our intention is to develop a beautiful on-the-water hotel, blending seamlessly and adding new spaces for the public to enjoy."
Pending rezoning approval, the Sunborn Vancouver will open in 2027, helping to fill the growing demand for hotel rooms in Canada.
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