Doulos Phos isn’t your average hotel. It is a 6,800-ton, 111-year-old ship parked on land in Bintan, Indonesia. And it has been everywhere, from hauling onions to helping in World War II, then serving as a floating library. Today, it is a fully restored luxury hotel with 93 cabins, portholes, and a whole lot of history packed into its steel bones.
Built in 1914 as SS Medina, just two years after the Titanic set sail, Doulos Phos has seen more lives than a cat. What started as a cargo ship out of Virginia spent the next century changing names, jobs, and oceans before landing its final gig as one of the most unique hotels in Southeast Asia.
Here's Eric Saw answering the queries of neizens:
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In 2010, Singaporean businessman Eric Saw stepped in with €900,000 to save the ship from demolition. The vessel had already served under multiple names like SS Roma, MS Franca C, and MV Doulos. Its last job was a missionary ship and a floating bookstore.
Saw saw something more, no pun intended!
Doulos / IG / Eric Saw spent 15 years and $18 million of his own money to turn Doulos Phos into a destination. The ship was old, rusting, and huge. Moving it took seven long weeks and involved airbags, winches, and a concrete platform on a reclaimed artificial peninsula.
They couldn’t get a spot in Singapore, so they planted it on the coast of Bintan.
A Hotel Unlike Any Other
Step on board, and you are not just stepping into a hotel. You are walking through time. Doulos Phos kept its soul. The porthole windows, engine room, original lifeboats, and brass details are still there. You can smell the history if you slow down long enough.
The rooms have fire escapes, elevators, private balconies, and real beds. Prices range from $105 to $235 per night, making it surprisingly affordable for a floating antique with four-star comfort. Each cabin gives a taste of ship life, minus the seasickness.
Doulos Phos opened briefly in 2019. Then COVID-19 hit, and the world stopped traveling. The hotel had to shut its doors just as the buzz began. It is back now, and word is spreading fast. But it has not been smooth sailing.
Rust is a daily battle. The ship may be on land now, but salt air doesn’t care. Maintenance is constant. Keeping it pretty takes serious dedication. Saw and his team aren’t giving up.
Doulos / IG / Eric Saw doesn’t run this place like a businessman. He draws a symbolic $1 a year in salary. All profits go to Christian charities!
He never planned to make back the money, and he is okay with that.
Every design choice on Doulos Phos was made with care. Even the major changes are reversible. If someone down the line wants to put her back in the sea, they could. Saw thinks the ship could easily last another 111 years if cared for right.
The name Doulos Phos means “Servant of Light” in Greek. That fits. This ship has carried goods, people, and hope across generations. Now it rests on land, still serving, just in a different way. It gives travelers a place to sleep, think, and maybe feel a little awe.