This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eric Saw, the 73-year-old founder of Doulos Phos The Ship Hotel, in Bintan, Indonesia. It has been edited for length and clarity. I used to ...

Eric Saw bought a 96-year-old ship with the dream of converting it into a hotel. Finding it a resting place and renovating it took him nearly 10 years.

Now, the ship has been transformed into a beachfront hotel on its own reclaimed island in Indonesia. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Eric Saw, the 73-year-old founder of ...

Eric Saw bought a 96-year-old ship with the dream of converting it into a hotel. Finding it a resting place and renovating it took him nearly 10 years.