An old Russian military aircraft carrier named "Kiev" has been revamped and is set to reopen as a floating luxury hotel in China.
The upcoming opening of the Kiev comes just days after sea trials for China's first aircraft carrier Varyag caused heightened tension in the South China Sea
Proudly billed as China's first aircraft carrier hotel, the Tiajin Aircraft Carrier Hotel's owners believe China's burgeoning naval power will drum up customer interest.
"Previously, China didn't have aircraft carriers. People find them mysterious and are curious about them. Even though China's first aircraft carrier has now gone on sea trials, it will be quite hard for the public to ever visit it," said marketing manager Liu Chang. "I guess people can come here to fulfill their curiosity."
Binhai Aircraft Park, which owns the hotel, reportedly spent upwards of $15 million on renovations, outfitting the ship with five lavish presidential suites.
Have a look inside:
An attendant tidies up a presidential suite at a luxury hotel under construction inside the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" at Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011. China's first aircraft carrier luxury hotel, occupying an area of about 6,000 square meters, has entered the stage of internal decoration and will be opened this year inside the 273 meter-long and 53 meter-wide Kiev Aircraft Carrier, which was sold to a Chinese company in 1996 and was a part of a military theme park since 2004.REUTERSAn attendant cleans a toilet in a presidential suite at a luxury hotel under construction inside the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" at Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011.REUTERSAn attendant tidies up a presidential suite at a luxury hotel under construction inside the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" at Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011.REUTERSAn attendant stands in the living room of a presidential suite at a luxury hotel under construction inside the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" at Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011.REUTERSA girl walks through a channel where a game tests the reaction of people to the dizziness inside the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" at Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011.REUTERSA visitor watches a wash house next to a waxwork inside the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" at Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011.REUTERSA visitor walks out with a bowl of instant noodles from a shop on the decommissioned former Soviet aircraft carrier "Kiev" on Bagua beach, on the outskirts of northern China's Tianjin, August 16, 2011.REUTERS
