- Lilypad is a floating hotel off the coast of Sydney, Australia.
- It’s designed for two guests to stay overnight, starting at $1,142 per night.
- The floating villa runs entirely on solar power.
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Off the coast of Sydney, Australia, Lilypad Palm Beach has a solar-powered hotel that might be the perfect place to vacation during the coronavirus pandemic. The hotel has an offshore villa, Lilypad, that sleeps two guests. The villa runs entirely on solar power.
Lilypad is another in a recent trend of luxury accommodations that emphasize solar power and sustainability. In February, Serenity Yachts debuted a $3.3 million solar-powered yacht that could travel around the world without stopping.
Dutch company Soel Yachts is releasing a line of solar-powered shuttles to transport guests to a resort in Bora Bora. LilyPad isn’t a boat, but the floating villa similarly combines high-end outings with sustainability, and it can also be rented through Airbnb.
Here’s what it looks like.
The villa is about a 30 second boat ride offshore.
It's also available to rent for a 16 person lunch, or a six person spa.
For $1,142 per night, two people can rent the villa.
On board, there's a wine cellar and food for an included breakfast.
From the inside, it almost looks like just a luxury hotel with an ocean view.
But, with doors open out to the deck, it's a way to enjoy the water and "eliminate the pitfalls of the traditional boating experience whilst amplifying the rest,"according to designer Anderson.
As a floating structure rather than a boat, the villa is stable, while still drifting slightly with the ocean.
Anderson said that it was key for him to make the structure in a way that wouldn't harm the pristine natural environment of the Australian coast.
Guests can go for a swim off the side of the boat, or borrow paddle-boards, fishing poles, and a floating daybed.
Guests also have full use of a boat to take them back and forth to shore.
