Abandoned Boeing 737 converted to luxury villa going for over $7000 per night
A retired 737 Boeing has been taken from drab to fab. The abandoned plane was once part of the now-defunct Mandala Airlines and has now been converted into a private vacation villa.
The Private Jet Villa, by Hanging Gardens, is now stationed on a clifftop near Nyang-Nyang beach in Bali. CNN shared the story of Felix Demin’s quest to purchase the aircraft beginning in 2021. The luxury space includes two bedrooms, a pool and a serene view.
The villa will be available to rent in April. The price tag for boarding the converted jet will run a little over $7300 per night.
The travel enthusiast and hospitality entrepreneur is the owner of Bubble Hotel Bali hotel chain. The chain consists of three of Bali’s most elaborate hotels.
Denim told CNN he was initially in the market to purchase a plane for private use. His search led him to over 20 choices of airliners in the Indonesian area before deciding on the 737.
Although the initial intention for the plane was personal travel, Denim admitted he saw its potential to be converted into a luxury rental space.
“Even before buying it, I thought that it was possible to convert it into some kind of unique object and decided to concentrate on creating a villa.”
The beginning of the treacherous process was to transport the aircraft from the selling yard to its current location. The transportation process “involved two cranes, a huge platform, various specialists and a police escort. Denim claimed the five-day project was the “most sleepless five days of my life.”
After two months of renovation planning, the demolition began.
All seats and equipment were removed from the shell of the plane’s interior. The design was kept to a minimalistic look that worked well with the space.
CNN states a staircase along the wing of the plane provides access to the main entrance.
Once inside, visitors may forget they are inside an airplane.
The villa has a living room equipped with a bar and sofa bed, two separate bedrooms with large walk-in closets and a kitchen with a dining area.
The cockpit now serves as a large bathroom. Traditional airplane-style windows have been left in the bathrooms allowing guests to see outside. The renovation also has an outdoor lounge area with a fire pit. The conversion took over two years, but Denim is more than happy with the outcome.
“Everything was done for the single purpose to get exactly the picture that was originally planned.”
Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her bylines include “person of interest” interviews, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything Beyonce.
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This story was originally published February 15, 2023 at 6:30 AM with the headline "Abandoned Boeing 737 converted to luxury villa going for over $7000 per night."