Sail Into The Roaring Twenties On This Polish Billionaire’s Art Deco Superyacht

Forbes Lifestyle Boats & Planes Sail Into The Roaring Twenties On This Polish Billionaire’s Art Deco Superyacht Rachel Ingram Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I cover innovation and trends in luxury aviation and yachting. Following Jun 19, 2023, 02:20pm EDT | Press play to listen to this article! Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Phoenix 2 was originally build for late billionaire Jan Kulczyk who passed in 2015 and was once .

. . [+] Poland’s richest man ©Jim Raycroft It’s clear that Phoenix 2 was not the late owner’s first superyacht.

Billionaire Jan Kulczyk , once Poland’s richest man, had a clear vision of what he wanted and recruited the help of two of the industry’s biggest names – Germany shipyard Lürssen and British designer Andrew Winch – to bring his Art Deco dream to life. “A highlight as we go through is the attention to detail,” says Rupert Nelson, Senior Partner at Burgess, which represents the 295. 3-foot yacht’s current owner.

“This is not the owner’s first yacht. He obviously took a lot of experience from his previous vessels, and this was very much a labor of love. In fact, although arguably Andrew Winch is the designer on record, it’s the late owner’s design that Andrew built.

” Stepping onboard, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped onto a Great Gatsby film set or gone back in time to 1920s Manhattan. “There’s a lot of speakeasy , roaring twenties, Art Deco features throughout the vessel,” Nelson says. “There’s no particular reason for choosing New York as a theme – those are just the details that the owner wanted to pick up on.

” Upper deck lounge ©Jim Raycroft Art Deco staircase and elevator Burgess MORE FOR YOU ‘Elemental’ Posts Pixar’s Worst Box Office Premiere In Decades As ‘The Flash’ Underperforms Eight Popular Misconceptions About Leadership India Box Office: ‘Adipurush’ Earns $17 Million Worldwide Amid Controversies I’m told that the design team spent between four and six weeks in New York carrying out research for the interiors. “It must’ve been a nightmare based on those receipts,” a representative jokes. The results, however, are striking.

Some nods to Manhattan are obvious – such as the skyscraper motifs on the back of chairs in the bar and the skyline on the walls of the cinema room – but other are more subtle. The golden bespoke armchairs in the main saloon catch my eye – they’re modelled on the twenties-style ‘big wheel’ arch on classic motor cars, which were hugely popular in the United States at the time. Tank deck cinema ©Jim Raycroft Main deck lounge ©Jim Raycroft The theme extends through every space in the yacht, from the glass elevator shaft where a skyscraper can be followed from the bottom to the top of the boat, to the carpet design which stretches the length of one deck – stand at the bow to see the full design in its glory.

When it was built, Phoenix 2 boasted of the most expensive interiors ever installed for a yacht of its size. “[The owner] pushed the boundaries,” Nelson says. “I heard 40-something million euros, but that can’t be verified.

Suffice to say, at the time, I was told it was the most expensive interior ever installed in a yacht. It’s not to everyone’s taste necessarily and you may decide to change it, but it would be a shame because I think, as a whole, it all works as one. ” Master cabin bedroom ©Jim Raycroft Upper deck owner’s lounge ©Jim Raycroft A particularly impressive space is the Owner’s duplex suite.

It’s so huge it should be renamed an “apartment”, Nelson says. It features a panoramic-view sky lounge, a full-beam bedroom with walk-in wardrobes and study, a giant ‘his and hers’ bathroom clad in black and white marble, and a private deck and hot tub. There are six additional cabins, including two VIPs, accommodating up to 14 guests in total.

Another is the formal main saloon which is split into three sections: a golden lounge, a bold red entertainment space (here you can find a self-playing piano and wine cellar) and a dining area. The latter continues the music theme and the chair backs are embellished with images of musicians – when meals are served, the plate setting for each diner mirrors that of their chair. The musicians also appear on a rich bronze artwork on the back wall.

Look out for the gold conductor statue leading them. Phoenix 2 main deck lounge ©Jim Raycroft Main deck dining ©Jim Raycroft On the lower deck, there’s also a giant Art Deco cinema with a popcorn machine, ample storage for toys and tenders, and a health and wellness centre with a gym, beauty salon and black and gold tiled hammam. The exterior spaces are equally entertaining.

Guests can make sure of a large sun deck with showers and a projector for movies under the stars, a lounging area that doubles as a helicopter launch pad, a pool with skylights over the spa, and a hot tub. There’s also various charter-friendly features such as an outdoor barbecue, a golf machine with eco-friendly balls that turn into fish food, and a giant beach club that’s right on the water. The beach club doubles as another dining area where you could facilitate a dinner party for up to 28 guests.

Sun deck pool and hot tub ©Jim Raycroft Sun deck loungers ©Jim Raycroft In recent years, under its current owner, Phoenix 2 has been available for charter, during which guests are looked after by around 30 crew including a particularly special chef team. Head chef Daisy, at 27 years old, is one of the youngest female head chefs in the superyacht industry. She specialises in contemporary boundary-pushing international fare and is supported by another young female talent, her 22-year-old sous chef who is, conveniently, a trained chocolatier.

Phoenix 2 currently up for sale for €124. 95 million (reduced from €129 million). She’s being sold because the owners wish to move into a “greener environment” and move away from diesel engines: “perhaps they’ll build a sailing boat”, Nelson reveals.

For those who desire a slice of floating Art Deco history, there may not be a better chance. Phoenix 2 is currently for sale through Burgess and available for charter through Edmiston Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn . Check out my website .

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