Plans are being drawn up to install 16 floating hotels built by a Finnish company off an island in Qatar to help accommodate football fans at the 2022 World Cup.
The identical four-storey hotels will together have 1,616 hotel rooms and will be moored to Qetaifan Island North near Lusail International Stadium, which will host the opening and final games of the tournament.
The company, Admares, which specialises in floating or pile-supported structures, said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Qetaifan Projects, a company owned by Katara Hospitality that is developing a resort on Qetaifan Island North.
Relying on solar energy, the 16 floating hotels would each be 72m long and 16m wide, with 101 guest rooms, a restaurant, and a bar.Â
Designed by Finland’s Sigge Architects, the structures require a water depth of four or more metres, and can be moved to another coastal location after the World Cup.
"This is the first time ever that pure floating real estate has been used as a temporary solution for accommodation needs at this scale," said Admares chief executive Mikael Hedberg.
H.E Sheikh Nasser bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, managing director of Qetaifan Projects and vice chairman of Katara Hospitality, said: "We are pleased that there are investors who share our vision and see the development of Qetaifan Island North as a promising project that has a future as the first touristic destination in Qatar."
Image: Artist’s render of Admares’ floating hotels planned for Qatar (Courtesy of Admares)
