turn a boat into the world’s largest floating spa
In the Old Port of Montréal, a boat has undergone a complete transformation and has been turned into… a spa. Anchored in the Quays of the Old Port, with an unobstructed view of the St. Lawrence River, Bota Bota offers the water circuit, a unique aquatic experience—on the boat floating on the water—, and includes all of the services we’ve grown accustomed to in Nordic spas. Built in 1951, this boat started life as a ferry in Sorel before going on to become a showboat that criss-crossed the province. Abandoned for a few years, the 55-metre long boat was purchased by sisters Natalie and Geneviève Émond in 2008, with the idea of transforming it into a floating spa. They entrusted the metamorphosis to Jean Pelland, architect and partner at Sid Lee Architecture. Today, with its 678 portholes, five decks, two outdoor hot tubs, cold baths, two saunas, steam bath, twenty therapy rooms, rest areas, bistro, and immense terraces, Bota Bota has become the world’s largest floating spa. It’s an astonishing creation that has already received some recognition: Sid Lee Architecture has been awarded several design excellence awards for the creation of Bota Bota, including the Project of the Year award from Prix Intérieurs | Ferdie.
