Mark Finlay from Simple Flying – Reports
Have you ever dreamed of staying in a hotel on a beautiful tropical island, unlike anything you have ever experienced? If so, you might be interested in the Private Jet Villa in Uluwatu on the Bukit Peninsula of Bali, Indonesia. The Private Jet Villa is the world’s first luxury hotel constructed in what was once a Boeing 737-200 jet airliner.
You can stay in the luxurious Private Jet Villa in Bali from $ 2000 to $6,500 per night.
Nestled high up on a cliff nearly 500 feet above the Indian Ocean, the luxurious Private Jet Villa and its two sumptuous suites with en-suites can accommodate a maximum of four people. 33-year-old Russian entrepreneur and extreme sports athlete Felix Demin created the Private Jet Villa concept in 2020 after having already created the Bubble Hotel Chain and a private villa construction company called “Bali Investments.”
The Boeing 737-200 used to belong to Mandal Airlines
In 2014, low-cost Indonesian carrier Mandala Airlines went into liquidation and had all its assets sold to the highest bidders. The now 41-year-old plane with the registration PK-RII was bought by an Australian who had plans to turn it into a nightclub. The vision, however, never came to fruition, and he left the plane abandoned. When learning about the abandoned aircraft, Demin came up with the idea of turning it into a sustainable luxury villa that he could rent out to people vacationing in Bali. The plane would also be available for weddings and corporate events.
Denim had big plans for the project but was keen on getting another investor involved in the project, which is where former KGB officer and later banker Alexander Lebedev stepped in. While on vacation with his family on Bali, Lebedev was introduced to Demin by a mutual friend, and being an aviation enthusiast, he liked the idea of turning a Boeing 737 into a luxury villa.
Lebedev also liked the project’s sustainability of using the unwanted aircraft to create something people could enjoy. After being taken to the cliff-top site, Demin had secured Lebedev invested $200,000 into the project.
It took longer to build than was first thought
While dealing with problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project made slow progress and was finally completed in December 2023. Now open to guests, the Private Jet Villa swiftly earned a place among the world’s most high-end resorts.
When speaking about how difficult it was to make the dream a reality with the South China Morning Post newspaper, Demin said: “It was my dream to make this happen, and I achieved it. But it was incredibly hard and I won’t be making another one. There’s a billionaire in the US who wants me to make one for him; he already has the plane and the land, he just says come and renovate it and he’ll write me a blank cheque. I turned him down,
“I have 150 finished and ongoing construction projects, but this one project was more difficult than all of them put together.”
Guests can book the Private Jet Villa for slightly more than $2,000 per night, but depending upon dates, the price can rise to as much as $6,500. The Private Jet Villa also features a helipad to allow guests to be transported from Denpasar International Airport (DPS) to the villa by helicopter.
- The private Jet Villa costs between $2,000 and $6,500 per night
- Other features of the Private Jet Villa are:
- A private butler service
- A private over-wing bar where guests can enjoy a cocktail while watching a spectacular Bali sunset
- A decadent menu designed by the villa’s head chef
- Sumptuous bed linens and towels
- Spectacular cockpit jacuzzi
- A first class suite with a hand-carved marble bath
- A glass-front infinity swimming pool
- Manicured gardens with an outdoor fireplace and a picnic area
