Here Is the World’s First Floating Eco-Lux Hotel Suite, Worthy of a Bond Villain

Call it a hotel suite or call it your home away from home, but it’s definitely a stunner. Anthénea is actually a floating pod that is also modular, so can be adapted into a larger structure – like, say, as part of a floating hotel. It can also work on its own, offering a couple much-needed privacy, utmost relaxation and exactly zero feelings of guilt about the impact their holiday might have on the environment.

Compared to a yacht, Anthénea isn’t just cheaper but also considerably greener. It is completely self-sufficient and allows living off the grid for longer stretches. To boot, it’s more than just comfortable: it’s not as spacious as a yacht, for sure, but it’s cozy and luxurious at the same time, thanks to smart usage of all available space.

Designed by French naval architect Jean-Michel Duacancelle, Anthénea draws on the villain lair in The Spy Who Loved Me for inspiration. It took 15 years and several prototypes to get to the current model, which retails for upwards of $535,000.

The 540 square-feet pod is divided into 3 main spaces and 2 levels, with interiors decorated by Pierre Cardin. There’s a day space, a night space and a relaxation area, with the first two grouped on the lower level and the third upstairs.

The day space includes a minibar, a sofa and curved furniture, an equipped and panoramic kitchen, and the most astonishing feature: a 10-foot underwater window that allows guests to watch sea-life. The central well of the day space acts as natural air conditioning system, but an AC can be mounted on request, at an extra charge.

The night space is comprised of the bedroom and a bathroom with a spacious bathtub and double sinks. The bathtub can be filled with either fresh water or saltwater, or judging by one of the promo videos, rose petals. (That last part is obviously a joke.)

The relaxation space is upstairs and comprises a solarium with 12-person bar with circular sofa and an adjustable hardtop that offers protection from the elements. A wood-burning stove can be added as an optional feature. A generator, central vacuum cleaner, double glazed windows and watermarker can also be added upon request.

The pod is definitely tiny, but it manages to be luxurious and comfy at the same time. All the materials used to build it are sustainable, earning the pod the 2019 Innovation Trophy from French tourism magazine L’Echo Touristique. This makes it a cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative to a yacht with conventional propulsion system.

Anthénea comes with five solar panels mounted on the roof and six electric motors that can be charged from the pontoon. This means that, at least in theory, the pod can remain at sea indefinitely. The fact that it’s easily piloted and more stable than a boat, adds to its potential of going completely off the grid.

The makers say that this pod can withstand powerful storms and remain operable even in the most extreme temperatures, from -30 degrees to +40 degrees Celsius. Its footprint is nearly non-existent, thanks to an eco-responsible technology for wastewater, eco-lighting and the combination of solar panels and powerful batteries.

“I am passionate about the idea that tomorrow's habitat will absolutely have to be eco-friendly and be put at the heart of our natural environment, immersion with the marine and sub-marine world,” Duacancelle said of the idea behind this luxurious floating pod.

A pre-commercial version was launched last summer in France and those interested in investing or purchasing one such modular floating pod can do so through the official website.