AFTER a 10 year passion for houseboats, Adelaide-based architects Paul Pruszinski and wife Susan decided to use their professional skills to take this old-fashioned form of floating holiday to a new level. The result is the Boatel – as the name suggests, something more akin to a luxury floating hotel than anything that’s likely to be seen on your average river.
The Boatel, which has just started cruising the Murray near Adelaide, is light years ahead of most people’s idea of a humble houseboat. Its five bedrooms come with king-size beds, private balconies and swish bathrooms, including hotel-sized glass-walled shower. Other features include and atrium lobby, bar, electric blinds and windows, computer-aided navigation and air conditioning and heating. One level can be transformed into a cinema with surround-sound speakers at the touch of a button.
The Pruszinskis hit on the idea when they realised that many of the features of the five-star hotels they were designing could be used in a houseboat. After approaching a number of boat builders without success, they decided to do it themselves, assembling the prefabricated sections in three days. Paul Pruszinski describes Boatel as “a new concept in river boat holidays”. Certainly, the Murray has never seen anything like it.
The Boatel is located at Mannum, a 90-minute drive east of Adelaide. It takes up to 10 guests and can be hired for $1500 per night. A driving licence is required or a skipper can be arranged. More: (08) 8223 3030; www.dreamboatel.com.au