At Bota Bota, water holds energy, vibrations slowed to a rhythm of silence and season…
Here, close to the city and yet worlds away, an era is ending.
But the tide never really stops, ebbing one moment and flowing another… ready to shape new horizons
Elisapie
CANADIAN INUK SINGER-SONGWRITER AND FILMMAKER
From today's steam to yesterday's waters
Going up the river,
finding the traces of time
relaxation
on the water
2025
September 2025
NEW
Opening of the parking area
May 2025
NEW
Opening of the new Welcome Terminal
April 2025
NEW
Opening of the on-site laundry
2023
November 2023
NEW
Launch of Reconnexion
Thursdays
Introduction of guided meditations
on the boat’s third deck
2021
“A truly special moment was when we welcomed our millionth guest.
I was there with a bouquet of balloons. It turned out to be her first visit — she was a Pilates instructor who lived nearby.
We offered her an annual passport, and she naturally became one of our ambassadors.
It was such a pleasure to welcome someone like her for a whole year.”
— Geneviève Émond
August 2021
VISITORS
Bota Bota welcomes its 1,000,000th visitor
2020
September 2020
NEW
Opening of the Plein Sud terrace
The construction of five new treatment rooms provided the opportunity to add a large rooftop terrace. Facing directly South, it offers maximum sunlight to passengers wishing to unwind in the sun.
2017
Still little known to visitors but loved by the crew, this sauna offers a unique and peaceful haven, directly on the water.
November 2017
NEW
Opening of the floating sauna
2015
Mai 2015
NEW
Opening of the gardens
The gardens came to life, offering guests a new relaxation area —
this time on land — while preserving the same sense of inner journey, with a view of the boat.
“It was a memorable moment for me because I was pregnant with my first child at the time.”
— Geneviève Émond
2013
Much smaller than it is today, the restaurant has since undergone several transformations to satisfy growing appetites.
October 2013
NEW
Opening of the floating restaurant
2011
July 2011
RECOGNITION
Winner – Cannes Lions Gold Award
February 2011
RECOGNITION
Winner – Four Grand Prix du Design awards for the overall project
December 2010
OPENING
Grand opening of Bota Bota, spa-sur-l’eau “That first week, it was mostly family and friends coming by as we found our rhythm,” says Natalie Émond. Excitement and anticipation filled the air as we welcomed each new guest aboard.
August 2010
TOWING
Bota Bota towed to its final mooring at the Old Port The name Bota Bota came naturally. “When we heard it, we looked at each other and said, ‘That’s it!’ In Japanese, ‘bota’ evokes the sound of a water drop — like drop by drop,” explains Natalie Émond. Beyond its meaning, it’s pleasant to pronounce, its “O”s echoing the boat’s round portholes.
2010
2009
March 2009
The boat is launched in Sorel
“Normally on a ship, all the weight must be placed low, but we wanted our pools as high as possible to enjoy the view. It was quite the puzzle for the engineering team.”
— Geneviève Émond
October 2009
TOWING
The boat is towed from Sorel to the Port of Montréal, facing Habitat 67
“We had to wait for the river level to drop because the structure — a massive wooden frame — had begun to rise, and we needed to make sure everything could pass under the bridges.”
— Natalie Émond
2008
October 2008
TOWING
The boat is towed from Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu to Sorel for dry dock and exterior work
“It stayed in dry dock in Sorel to be widened and stabilized by filling the sides with concrete.
Structurally, it was an innovative project — as far as we know, it had never been done before.
Water is incredibly heavy, and everything had to be perfectly stable.”
— Natalie Émond
June 2008
THE MANDATE
Purchase of the floating theatre L’Escale
The Émond family acquired L’Escale before beginning renovations.
Architect Jean Pelland of Sid Lee Architecture was given the mandate to create a one-of-a-kind urban spa — a tribute to the St.
Lawrence River and Montréal’s heritage.
May 2008
THE IDEA
Geneviève and Daniel Émond imagined creating a spa in Montréal’s Old Port by transforming a former ferry.
“Back then, you really had to leave the city to go to a spa.
It wasn’t accessible for Montrealers, for people without cars, or for those looking for just a quick escape.
In the end, a boat became the perfect solution — close to the water, right in the heart of the city.”
— Geneviève Émond
1967
L'ESCALE
Floating arts centre and theatre boat
The ferry was converted into a theatre boat known as L’Escale.
With its signature central staircase — now gone — it sailed along the Ottawa River before being docked at Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu.
1951
THE ARTHUR CARDIN
Ferry between Sorel and St-Ignace-de-Loyola
Originally, the Arthur Cardin operated as a ferry between Sorel and
St-Ignace-de-Loyola (Berthierville) during the 1950s and 60s.
For fifteen years, Bota Bota has sailed between innovation and serenity, offering each guest a moment suspended between sky and river.
The journey continues, carried by the current of well-being.
