Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Bye, Bye Boatel: Floating Hotel Lifts Anchor, Leaves Rockaway Marina
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 17, 2012
Modified Oct 17, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 17, 2012
Modified Oct 17, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Photo by Sam Horine/Gothamist
When Boatel opened in 2011 it seemed like a cute enough idea: a bunch of old boats creating an artsy floating motel, just off the coast of that new media darling Rockaway. But soon enough there were complaints about the boats, which don't have a/c, or comfortable sleeping quarters, or very much at all... especially if you're used to high thread count accommodations. One former guest declared: "This place is a dump. There's nothing cute about sweating like Typhoid Mary while bugs, drunk on your plasma, hover mockingly just above your head. On a scale of 1 to 10 i give the Boatel the finger."
Towards the end of the summer we heard rumors that Boatel was losing money, that staff was quitting and/or not getting paid, and that the whole endeavour had become a huge, well, clusterfuck. Now DNA Info reports Marina 59's owner Ari Zablozki (who had donated the boats to Boatel) is pulling the boats from the water, but Boatel's organizer Angie Kang assures that her "boats will then be ready for something new"... though it's unclear what, and where. The last night of the current Boatel will be the night before Halloween.
As for Zablozki, he may be readying to create a new, shiny version of Boatel—Kang says, “He wants to create a place his mother would be comfortable staying." We've reached out to her for more info, and will update when we hear back.
Tagged
angie kang
Ari Zablozki
boatel
marina 59
rockaway
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .