Whispers of the Past | Part 1: Flotel Kolkata – Jewel of the Hooghly 🛳️

Shubham_Mondal Best of 2024 - Nominee

04-17 18:47

Welcome to Whispers of the Past — a series where we uncover lost landmarks, untold legacies, and the timeless charm of places that once defined an era. In Part 1, we travel to the heart of the Hooghly to revisit a floating marvel — Flotel Kolkata, India's first floating hotel.

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🔹 A Dream That Floated

In the heart of Kolkata, where time flows as gently as the Hooghly, a revolutionary idea took shape — Flotel, India's very first floating hotel. It wasn't born from a business empire or corporate planning, but from the passion of a dreamer — Manab Pal, a naval architect from Bengal.

He dreamt of creating something Kolkata had never seen before — a luxury hotel that literally floated on water. Inspired by hotel barges in Europe and Asia, he brought this dream to life against all odds.

With support from then–Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, the concept was approved and brought to life, turning what seemed eccentric into a living marvel.

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Photo from Google 


🔧 Built Across Borders

To realize this ambitious vision:

  • The floating barge was constructed in Singapore and brought to Kolkata.
  • The interiors were handcrafted in the shipyards of the city — blending international engineering with Bengali soul.

Manab Pal personally designed the interiors with period-style aesthetics — from wrought-iron beds and vintage gramophones to antique teapots and colonial textures.


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Photo From Google


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Photo by me


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Photo from Google


🏨 The Flotel Experience

Officially launched around 2006–2007, Flotel offered:

  • 49 heritage-themed rooms
  • A 360° view of the Howrah Bridge and Vidyasagar Setu
  • Candlelit dinners on the deck, river breezes, and vintage charm
  • Guided boat rides with local stories and soft music
  • An environment that combined luxury, nostalgia, and serenity

This was not just a hotel. It was an experience of floating time.

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Photo from Google
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Photo From Google


🌉 Why It Was Special to Kolkata

  • First of its kind in India and South Asia – a true pioneer.
  • Located on Strand Road, giving guests a view of the city like never before.
  • Merged Kolkata's colonial past, rich culture, and riverfront pride into one destination.
  • Stood as a symbol of innovation and elegance — proudly Bengali, quietly iconic.

It became a place where memories were made — from business conferences to romantic escapes — all on the waters of the sacred Hooghly.

💔 The Fall and the Comeback

Like many beautiful stories, Flotel saw silence too.

Financial struggles, lack of maintenance, and time took their toll.

By 2010, it quietly closed its doors, leaving behind whispers of what once was.

But history never truly dies. In 2021, Hotel Polo Towers Group revived it as Polo Floatel — retaining the legacy while adding modern flair.

Now, Flotel lives on — as a renewed symbol of Kolkata's timeless relationship with the river.


🌊 The river remembers… do we?

Flotel isn't just a structure — it's a story that floated, faded, and found its way back. As we move ahead with progress and tech, let's not forget the dreams that quietly shaped our past.

Because sometimes, the most beautiful legacies… don't shout, they whisper.


Thank You for Reading


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