yacht hotel near excel

Sunborn London Yacht Hotel

Royal Victoria Dock, Newham, London, E16 1XL, United Kingdom – Great location - show map – Railway access

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Located less than a minute's walk from ExCeL London, the Sunborn London is a floating super-yacht hotel docked in Royal Victoria Dock, boasting free WiFi access, a bar and a restaurant. The hotel is 7 minutes' drive from London City Airport and a 6-minute drive from the iconic Canary Wharf. Each of the smartly designed rooms feature a TV with Freeview, air conditioning and an electric kettle. Also included is a shower, a hairdryer and free toiletries. Some of the rooms also benefit from a view overlooking The Royal Docks. At Sunborn London there is a 24-hour front desk and a sun deck. Other facilities offered at the property include a ticket service, a tour desk. The lounge bar serves a selection of beers, wines, ciders and spirits. In the restaurant, a buffet breakfast with continental and cooked items is served each morning. An à la carte menu is available in the evenings. Custom House Docklands Light Railway Station is 5 minutes' walk away. It offers direct routes to Westfield Stratford City and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Emirates Royal Docks Skyline is a 5-minute journey on foot. It offers a direct route to The O2 Arena.

Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 8.8 for a two-person trip.

Distance in property description is calculated using © OpenStreetMap

• Family rooms
• Non-smoking rooms
• Room service
• 24-hour front desk
• Tea/coffee maker in all rooms
• Good breakfast

Property highlights

Top location: Highly rated by recent guests (8.9)

Want a great night's sleep? This hotel was highly rated for its very comfy beds.

Availability

Select dates to see this property's availability and prices

Sustainability certification

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Hotel surroundings

Restaurants 1 restaurant on site.

• Cuisine British • Mediterranean • Asian • International
• Ambiance Modern
• Dietary options Vegetarian

Facilities of Sunborn London Yacht Hotel Great facilities! Review score, 8.4

• Toilet paper
• Bath or shower
• Private bathroom
• Free toiletries
• Wardrobe or closet
• Sun terrace
• Coffee machine
• Electric kettle
• Clothes rack
• Seating Area
• Flat-screen TV
• Tea/Coffee maker
• Invoice provided
• Concierge service
• Luggage storage
• Daily housekeeping
• Dry cleaning Additional charge
• Laundry Additional charge
• Fax/photocopying Additional charge
• Meeting/banquet facilities Additional charge
• Fire extinguishers
• CCTV in common areas
• Smoke alarms
• Security alarm
• Key card access
• Safety deposit box
• Air conditioning
• Non-smoking throughout
• Wake-up service
• Laptop safe
• Ironing facilities

House rules Sunborn London Yacht Hotel takes special requests - add in the next step!

Child policies.

Children of any age are welcome.

To see correct prices and occupancy information, please add the number of children in your group and their ages to your search.

Cot and extra bed policies

Cots and extra beds are not available at this property.

The fine print Need-to-know information for guests at this property

Please note that the extra child or adult can stay in a sofa bed.

Cash payments are currently unavailable due to to Coronavirus (COVID-19). Please note the same card used for booking needs to be presented at check-in.

An incidentals charge applies upon arrival. A charge of GBP 40 per day is required if guests pay via credit or debit card, or GBP 100 per day if guests pay with cash.

Guests are required to show a photo identification and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.

Please inform Sunborn London Yacht Hotel in advance of your expected arrival time. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly with the contact details provided in your confirmation.

In the event of an early departure, the property will charge you the full amount for your stay.

This property may host on-site functions and some rooms may be affected by noise.

In response to Coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property.

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), this property is taking steps to help protect the safety of guests and staff. Certain services and amenities may be reduced or unavailable as a result.

In accordance with government guidelines to minimise transmission of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), this property may request additional documentation from guests to validate identity, travel itinerary and other relevant information, during dates where such guidelines exist.

Spa and gym facilities at this property are unavailable due to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

FAQs about Sunborn London Yacht Hotel

What are the check-in and check-out times at sunborn london yacht hotel.

Check-in at Sunborn London Yacht Hotel is from 15:00, and check-out is until 11:00.

What is there to do at Sunborn London Yacht Hotel?

Does sunborn london yacht hotel have a restaurant on site.

• Lands End Restaurant

How much does it cost to stay at Sunborn London Yacht Hotel?

The prices at Sunborn London Yacht Hotel may vary depending on your stay (e.g. dates you select, hotel's policy etc.). See the prices by entering your dates.

What type of room can I book at Sunborn London Yacht Hotel?

How far is sunborn london yacht hotel from the centre of london.

Sunborn London Yacht Hotel is 6.2 miles from the centre of London. All distances are measured in straight lines. Actual travel distances may vary.

The best of London

Institutions.

• Houses of Parliament
• Buckingham Palace
• Tower of London
• Tower Bridge
• Victoria Park

Popular areas

• Trafalgar Square
• Piccadilly Circus

Shopping areas

• intu Lakeside Shopping Centre
• Stratford City Westfield
• Borough Market

Stadiums and arenas

• Olympic Stadium
• London City Airport (LCY) 1.1 miles
• London Heathrow Airport (LHR) 20.7 miles
• Rochester Airport (RCS) 23.2 miles

Railway stations

• Blackheath station

Underground railway stations

• Stratford Tube Station
• Canada Water
• Liverpool Street Underground Station
• London Bridge Underground Station

Most popular cities

• Southend-on-Sea

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Sunborn Yacht Hotel

Location & Hours

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Royal Victoria Dock

London E16 1XL

United Kingdom

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• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
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• 5 star rating Great

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Overall rating

Afternoon tea at a 5 star hotel, count us in. Since Gibraltar is under British control English is their spoken language. Our bus driver Shannon took us completely around this little island before bringing us to the stop for a snack and tea before returning us to the port drop off point. I'm glad we chose to book a shore excursion, get off the ship, learn about the history of Gibraltar and drive past The Rock. Little Sandwiches of ham, rolled tuna, cucumber, plus some sweets. Definitely not a fancy high tea like at Boston Library or my favorite white hotel with columns in Waikiki. This was a simple choose your own tea bag, pour your own hot water, help yourself to the two layer items split between 4 people. My favorites were the ham sandwich the bread was super soft, the ham sliced so thin. The scone or crumpet like a biscuit to cut in half to add some clotted cream and jam from a mini jar of jam. Shannon was knowledgeable and the kindest tour guide who helped whoever needed assistance onto a collapsible stool onto and off the bus.

Hair there. That's right, I found a hair on the wall near the hair dryer in the bathroom. I went to the lobby desk told them about it and requested a new room. The person told me all the rooms were booked that night which is amazing because she never looked to see. Clearly she is Psychic. She notified housekeeping and told them to do a double cleaning in the bathroom. They showed up, wiped off the hair, found a couple of spots on the floor, wiped that up with a hand wet towel thing and that was it. They told me this happens all the time because the girls clean fast. I should note I told the GM about this via their post stay survey. They responded by saying they did a thorough cleaning job. If that's thorough, I'm FDR. The room is ghastly. Totally dated as in 80s. I was afraid to use rhe shower which the bathroom had tiles, and old days decor. I mean it screamed 50s in appearance. The bed is hard, and basically just a mattress like thing on top of two blue bases. Mine nearly came off. I did have a water view. Room food options via service is poor and good luck getting into the restaurant. They will make a made to order omlette for breakfast, but the spread is poor and you have to go early, as I did for one day, to have hot. I note one day, because I checked out of that dump and went to the Novotel next to it, which is 1000 times better. Let me put it this way. 3rd class on the Titanic would have been better. The Posiden Adventure with you hanging on a Christmas tree upside down would have been better. Dump.

This is a different way to stay in a hotel, a dry docked boat. Overall the service was not bad and the rooms are decent. There is a restaurant and bar which is not bad. I was there for a party and they did a good job hosting the party. They are friendly and helpful. the rooms are a bit pricy so get prepared for that. Overall I would recommend and would stay again.

See the table in the picture? It has a nice view right? And it was empty when we arrived, and still empty when we left 1.5 hours later. But there were only 2 of us so we weren't allowed to sit there. Jus watch it from the middle of the room. They made accommodations to find space for other people outside, even though we'd requested this at booking time. Not for us though. Pretty poor service experience all 'round really.

Beautiful yatch in docks at East London. I attended and was playing music for a birthday party on the top deck. Place looked amazing and the staff where very friendly. The look of the boat is very plush. Didn't try the restaurant but we had warm canapé which was nice and presented well. Would like to spend a night and eat at the restaurant to access this hotel better.

We stumbled across this yacht while looking for somewhere to have a drink before heading to the O2. It was a really beautiful day and so the deck looked like a perfect place to sit for a couple of cocktails! The setting is really lovely, especially in the sunshine. Very dramatic views of the Thames all the way round the boat, and on a sunny day the water even looked appealing. The service was friendly & attentive. The cocktails were OK (a little on the pricey side, but to be expected). You're definitely paying for the setting though, which I would say is worth it! A really great place to come for something a little different.

Colourful cocktails!

View from the deck

Great location, good service, and nice venue. This is still a "hidden gem" for those who are needing hotel rooms or meeting space near the ExCel Convention Center. Docked permanently across the grass park from ExCel and Hotel Novotel, the Sunborn's impressive profile welcomes guests up its gangplank entrance aboard a unique yacht venue that can accommodate overnight guests or double as meetings/events space. Opened recently in the summer of 2014, this venue is quick to catch up to speed with the service and support of the most seasoned hotel properties in the area...and has worked through most of the learning curve issues that most brand new most of the learning curve issues that most venues painstakingly take awhile to work out.

Sunborn Yacht...great location for hotel or meeting space if you are attending the ExCel Convention Center

Just okay, but honestly not as nice of a hotel as we anticipated. The view from our room (the side opposite the water) is pretty disappointing. Our room tablet says the hotel bar is open until 2am on Saturdays, but late Sat night when we planned to order service, reception at the front desk told us those are old hours and it actually closes at 1am; staff said these hours were valid a year ago. Not sure why this hasn't been updated? Very well-made cocktails in the bar, but pricey. The queen bed in our room is actually more like two beds pushed together (there is a gap in the middle) which makes it a bit more uncomfortable for my fiancé and I to sleep closely. We can frequently hear very loud footsteps outside our room reverberating through our room, and there is no ventilation in the bathroom which has made our room stuffy. Service in general has been decent.

I wish I had the same experience as everyone else here but I did not at all! We arrived and were put into room 1030. When we got in, we noticed it was quite warm and stuffy so we turned the air down. We had plans so we left our stuff and came back, and it was still warm. I looked at the temp and it was 25* when we had turned it down to 15*. We tried dealing with it, turning it off and on, etc and nothing worked. My boyfriend and I don't like complaining so we just went to bed. I woke up an hour after falling asleep drenched in sweat, the temp was now 26* and I am mad and sweaty. I call down and they switch our rooms. SAME problem at 1046! The air is like on 23 when we get in, we turn it down to 16, and it has stayed above 22 all night, ranging from 22-26! SO annoying! I feel like others have had this problem before in these rooms and they put us in these rooms anyways! The carpet has huge brown stains, couch had brown stains, bathroom was tiny, everything is so outdated! Not worth the money I spent at all! When I told the staff at checkout, she said that if we paid for another night they would upgrade us to the water view! As if that was any kind of reconciliation. Ugh will not be back ever ever.

Brilliant idea having a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant in a yacht landed in Thames. Everything is well organized and friendly stuff is there to warmly welcome you. My experience refers to the restaurant and the sea food menu. The sea food buffet had a huge variety of really fresh sea food and the desert at the end was also excellent. The most amazing thing while being on yacht is of course the view you can have while on deck with a glass of wine!

3 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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Sunborn London

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Sunborn London – The Floating Hotel

Enjoy a stunning city vista along with a cocktail in London’s only luxury floating hotel.

What is the Sunborn Floating Hotel?

A sleek yacht-hotel with a stunning waterside restaurant and bar.

Enjoy fabulous picturesque river views along with cocktails in the Sundown Bar or a first-class dinner in the restaurant.

See website for drinks list and menus.

Opening hours

Sundown Bar 11:00am – 01:00am Monday to Friday 11:00am – 11:00pm Sunday and Public Holidays

Lands End Restaurant Breakfast: 06:30am – 10:30am Monday to Friday 07:00am – 11:00am Weekends and Public Holidays Lunch: 12:00pm – 03:00pm Monday to Friday 12:30pm – 03:30pm Weekends and Public Holidays Dinner: 06:00pm to 10:00pm

Visit website >

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All aboard the Sunborn Yacht Hotel London

• Stef Bottinelli

With beautiful cabins, stunning views and delicious food, the superyacht moored by the Excel in East London is not just a four star hotel, but a veritable experience.

Moored by the Royal Victoria Dock, right next to the Excel, Sunborn Yacht London is the only first floating hotel in the capital.

The superyacht arrived in the UK in April 2014 and opened to guests in the autumn of the same year. It’s been very popular ever since, thanks to its beauty, interesting concept, proximity to the Excel and the city and the fact that it has a marriage licence.

The 128 metre-long, five storey craft boasts 136 roomy and elegant cabins and suites, spectacular views of Canary Wharf and central London, fine dining in the form of the Lands End Restaurant, the Sundown Bar, meeting and conference rooms, an auditorium and for those in need of pampering, even an Elemis SPA.

With its grand central staircase, spectacular crystal chandelier, teak wood panelling and brass railings, staying at the Sunborn feels like being on a luxurious cruise ship (albeit one that doesn’t sail, as this yacht does not have an engine). And with kingsize room prices starting at just under £140 per night, this is a cruise that won’t break the bank and it’s certainly cheaper than buying your own yacht or chartering one.

We visited Sunborn London on a splendid autumnal Sunday. We were immediately impressed by our spacious and stylish room (a term preferred by the management rather than cabin, which conjures up a cramped space), all wood and clean lines with  a comfortable double bed, sitting room area, an all white bathroom stocked with Molton Brown products, mini bar, tea and coffee facilities, a large TV, free WIFI, a tablet and stunning views across the Thames.

After settling in, we headed for the Sundown Bar, and enjoyed a glass of wine on deck, watching the sun setting over the London skyline – a very relaxing way to spend the end of the weekend.

Post  aperitif  we headed upstairs to the Lands End Restaurant, were dinner was fine indeed. The menu has a modern British/European feel and is well thought out, with simple, classic and delicious dishes. Starters include mouthwatering scallops with spring onion, pea purée, soft shell crab (£13), octopus tranche, red pepper & onion confit, avocado, lime & chilli (£11.00) and chicken and leek mousse and Shimeji mushroom & honey roast ham, chive beurre blanc (£11.00). Mains feature duck leg confit, celery root, roasted plum, watercress soubise (£22.00), sea bass, fennel textures, Polonaise sauce (£21.00) and pickled & slow braised pork belly, buttered savoy cabbage, carrot purée, beetroot with cider jus (£20.00). Vegetarians are well catered for too with at least two imaginative and tasty options per course, such as an entrée of cauliflower and ginger pudding, spinach shortbread, Parmesan foam (£10.00) and mains of vegetable roulade, spinach, goat cheese with tomato fondue (£18.00) and gnocchi, Stilton cheese, roasted almonds and herbs (£16.00).

Sunborn London Yacht Hotel doesn’t just offer a luxurious stay, but a real experience. Its proximity to the Excel and the city and its connections to central London by public transports or boat, make it an excellent alternative to standard accommodation, whether you are in the capital for pleasure or for business, or simply want to spend a relaxing weekend pretending you are indeed chartering a yacht, sailing away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

For more information visit Sunborn Hotels London.

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Hotels near ExCeL London

Our pick of hotels near ExCeL London. There are lots of hotels located within walking distance of the conference centre, and many have easy access to the nearby London Docklands Railway Stations. Find the best hotel near ExCeL London, with budget and luxury options available just a short distance away.

1. Aloft London ExceL – directly connected to the ExCeL!

Aloft London is the only hotel directly connected to the ExCeL. The hotel has 252 stylish guest rooms and suites and is ideal for conference attendees. The W XYZ bar is one of the trendiest bars in the area, and guests can also enjoy the Docksider Restaurant, gym and pool. Aloft London is located nearby excellent transportation, next to Prince Regent DLR station and just a 5-minute bus ride from London City Airport. This is one of the most popular places to stay for guests near ExCeL London, with an excellent location. Parking is available onsite for an additional fee.

More details & prices: View here >>>

2. Novotel London – opposite the ExceL

Novotel London ExceL is located opposite the west entrance of the ExCeL conference centre and is ideal for business trips. It’s also a 3-minute walk from Royal Victoria station on the Docklands Light Railway, with easy access into Central London . The hotel features contemporary rooms, with a restaurant, bar and meeting rooms. Private indoor parking is available for an additional fee and guests particularly like the hotels’ location and service.

3. ibis – opposite the ExceL

ibis London ExceL Docklands is located opposite the conference centre, next to the Novotel. This is a great budget option, with comfortable and cosy rooms ideal for a short stay. The hotel has views over Royal Victoria Dock, and there’s a restaurant serving up international cuisine. It’s just four stops on the Docklands Light Railway to get to London City Airport, and the DLR links directly with Central London. This ibis is a popular choice for ExceL conference visitors, due mainly to its very close proximity to the conference centre.

4. Hilton – 5 minute walk away

The DoubleTree By Hilton London ExceL is located near ExCeL London, and it takes just 5-minutes by foot to get to the conference centre along the dockside path. The hotel sits on the waterfront, and many of the guest rooms and suites have a view of the water. This Hilton hotel is equipped with an on-site restaurant, free self-parking with 40 complimentary spaces available, a fitness centre, business centre and free wifi. It’s a 5-minute walk to Prince Regent DLR station with fast links to Central London and there’s a free shuttle service to Canary Wharf.

5. Crowne Plaza – 5 minute walk from ExCeL

The Crowne Plaza London Docklands is located very near ExCeL London and is just a 5-minute walk on foot from the conference centre. The hotel has 210 comfortable bedrooms, with Superior Rooms offering a river view of the Royal Docks, whilst guests can enjoy modern European cuisine in the Docklands Bar & Grill. The hotel also includes a modern leisure club and a luxurious spa. Highlights include a 14-metre heated pool, three treatment rooms, jacuzzi, steam room & sauna. Royal Victoria DLR station puts you within easy reach of Central London and London City Airport, whilst a Canary Wharf shuttle bus is available on weekdays at scheduled times.

6. Sunborn London Yacht Hotel – just steps away from ExCeL

The Sunborn London Yacht Hotel is located near ExCeL London, offering an experience like no other. Stay in a superyacht moored in Royal Victoria Dock that’s a 1-minute walk from the western entrance to the conference centre. There are 136 spacious rooms and four suites, that are notably bigger than most hotels rooms in London, offering a view of either the river or dock. The yacht has five decks, with a curved double staircase and a grand chandelier along with restaurant, bar & spa.

7. Hampton by Hilton – located nearby

Hampton by Hilton is just 9 minute walk from ExCeL London, and is also in walking distance of London City Airport and waterside restaurants. The hotel has free WIFI, free breakfast, a fitness centre, a business centre and meeting rooms. Guests particularly like the location nearby ExCeL London, and there is private parking available for an additional fee.

8. Holiday Inn Express – a popular budget choice

The Holiday Inn Express London ExCeL is a popular budget choice nearby. You’ll find everything you need in this modern waterside hotel, just a 10 minute walk from ExCeL London and a 20 minute ride from London City Airport on the DLR. The hotel includes a free breakfast, and there’s a bar, lounge and restaurant. Daily self-parking is available for an additional fee. Guests particularly like the room cleanliness, as well as the staff and service.

9. Moxy London ExceL – budget design hotel

Moxy London is a budget design hotel located close to ExCeL London and London City Airport. The hotel includes 148 smart bedrooms and 16 suites, all with a chic design and free high-speed wifi. The bar is at the heart of the hotel, and also serves as the front desk, with food and drinks available 24/7.

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The Truth Behind Trump Tower Moscow: How Trump Risked Everything For A (Relatively) Tiny Deal

This story appears in the June 30, 2019 issue of Forbes Magazine. Subscribe

I t’s getting late, and Felix Sater—a onetime Trump partner, two-time convicted felon and longtime government cooperator—sits in the back of a New York City restaurant, ready for a drink. “A very dirty martini, Russian vodka,” he tells the waiter. “A collusion martini.”

No one outside of the Trump Organization has more firsthand knowledge of Donald Trump's connections to Russia than Felix Sater. In 2006, he scouted a potential deal in Moscow with the president's children Don Jr. and Ivanka. In 2007, he stood alongside Trump at a launch party for a hotel Sater had helped get built, Trump SoHo, which marketed partially to Russian buyers. And during the 2016 presidential campaign, Sater helped plan a giant Trump tower in Moscow.

"Here's to fun times," he says, hoisting his martini glass in the air.

Fun times indeed. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report highlights three separate proposals to develop a Trump property in Moscow around the time of the election. Yet key details have remained vague. Forbes got in touch with the people at the center of all three—and uncovered concrete answers to fundamental questions about Trump's plans in Russia.

Three years ago, Michael Cohen was working on a potential Trump tower in Moscow. Today he is in prison for crimes that include lying to Congress about the project.

Such as who was actually going to pay for the project. Trump, now more of a licensor than builder, certainly wasn't planning on putting in much of his own money. And according to Sater, who brokered the proposal that extended furthest into the campaign, nor was Trump's official partner, Andrey Rozov. Instead, Sater says, he was cooking up a plan to raise huge sums from additional investors, including two of Vladimir Putin's closest cronies, Boris and Arkady Rotenberg . "We would have gone to them and asked them for four or five hundred million dollars cash," Sater says.

Another big, previously unsettled question: How much money could Trump have made in all of this? Both Mueller and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen have suggested, vaguely, "hundreds of millions." After mining business agreements and surveying real estate experts in Moscow, however, Forbes believes that's almost impossible. It seems more likely that Trump would have walked away with roughly $35 million up front and $2.6 million or so in annual fees, if everything went according to plan. In the rosiest of scenarios, Sater says, Trump could have gotten about $50 million. A lot of money to most people but less than 2% of the president's net worth ( estimated at $3.1 billion ).

Taken together, these revelations paint a new picture of Trump's plans in Russia and the president's way of doing business. His deal came with far greater risk—and far less reward—than previously understood. In short, candidate Trump jeopardized his eventual presidency on a middling deal and one that would have had Vladimir Putin's fingerprints all over it.

P art of the reason the Trump Tower Moscow narrative confuses people: There were three different attempts to attach the president's name to a Russian property in recent years. The first one emanates from the infamous 2013 Miss Universe contest, where 86 women strutted through a Moscow concert hall. Donald Trump, the co-owner of the pageant, took home the money, collecting an estimated $3 million from the local hosts: billionaire real estate tycoon Aras Agalarov and his son Emin, a pop singer. "I had a great weekend with you and your family," Trump tweeted afterward, tagging the elder Agalarov. "You have done a FANTASTIC job. TRUMP TOWER-MOSCOW is next."

One month later, in December 2013, the Trump Organization signed an agreement to brand an Agalarov property in Moscow, according to the Mueller report. The plan eventually called for 800 apartments near the concert venue that hosted the Miss Universe event, with 3.5% of sales going to Trump. If the whole building sold out, Emin Agalarov estimates Trump would have come away with $17 million or so.

2013 Miss Universe Pageant. Miss Venezuela took home the crown, but Donald Trump took home the money, collecting an estimated $3 million for bringing the pageant to Russia

Trump's daughter Ivanka toured the site in February 2014. That same month, though, the geopolitical landscape was shifting. Crowds were in the streets of Kiev, protesting Ukraine's Russia-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovych. He ultimately fled Ukraine, reportedly with the help of Putin. Within weeks, Putin sent soldiers into Crimea, a Ukrainian region neighboring Russia, effectively taking over. The landgrab sparked outrage in the international community, and the United States retaliated with economic sanctions.

Those measures, combined with falling oil prices, crippled the Russian economy—including the Moscow real estate market. The average price of new apartments plummeted an estimated 30% in 2014. Condos were selling for less than the cost of construction. Even in the unlikely event that the Agalarovs managed to build something amid all the turmoil, Emin Agalarov tells Forbes that Trump's payout would have been cut in half. Communications between the Trumps and the Agalarovs began to fade in the fall of 2014, according to the Mueller report. Donald Trump Jr. later told the Senate Judiciary Committee the project died because of "deal fatigue." A more likely cause of death: U.S. sanctions.

Who's Who In Towergate

With donald trump on one end and vladimir putin on the other, the web of people involved in trump's plans for moscow included members of the first family, oligarchs and russian officials..

In November 2015, Donald Trump, by then a presidential candidate, sat down with former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, who challenged him over his accommodating stance toward Russia. "[Putin] doesn't make deals," O'Reilly reasoned. "He just rolls soldiers in to cause destruction and shoots down airplanes."

"Well," Trump replied, "he does what he has to do."

Unbeknownst to the American public, the Trump Organization, which did not respond to requests for comment on this story, was secretly communicating about a second potential deal in Russia around the same time. In September 2015, nearly a year after the Agalarov partnership dropped off, and with Trump now leading the Republican primary race, his lawyer Michael Cohen traded messages with a man named Giorgi Rtskhiladze, according to the Mueller report. Cohen and Rtskhiladze had previously worked together on business in the former Soviet states of Georgia and Kazakhstan.

Rtskhiladze sent Cohen a draft of a letter ultimately intended for the mayor of Moscow, which pitched a Trump development as a symbol of strengthening ties between the United States and Russia, according to the Mueller report. "[The mayor] is aware of the potential project and will pledge his support," the note said, according to the report.

Today Rtskhiladze says he was just passing along the message on behalf of a longtime friend and that friend's acquaintance. He claims the letter never made it to the mayor. And he suggests he's not even sure if what he sent Cohen was accurate. "I don't know if it's true or not if [the] mayor's office was ever notified, okay."

That's how it goes in Russia, a place where trust is in short supply and outsiders can suddenly find themselves in unnerving situations. Rtskhiladze says he had previously warned Cohen of the risks: "You have to be careful who you get involved with."

C aution, however, is not the Trump way. Cohen dismissed the Rtskhiladze plan and chose to pursue a third proposal, brokered by a man with a checkered past: Sater. Moscow-born, Brooklyn-bred, Sater started a career on Wall Street, until a bar fight—he stabbed a man in the face with a margarita glass—led to 15 months in prison. Three years after his release, he pleaded guilty to racketeering in a mob-connected pump-and-dump stock scheme. He stayed out of prison this time by working with the feds, ultimately supplying information about the Mafia, North Korea, Russian cybercriminals, even Osama bin Laden. At Sater's sentencing, about a decade after he began cooperating with the government, FBI agent Leo Taddeo, one of Sater's handlers at the bureau, credited him with helping pave the way for law enforcement to "basically eliminate" the mob from Wall Street's penny stock business. Former FBI official Ray Kerr adds: "There was nothing he wouldn't do or wouldn't try."

At the same time that he was serving as a government cooperator, Sater reinvented himself as a real estate dealmaker. It was in that role that he ended up working with the Trump Organization, on projects in Arizona, Florida, New York and, ultimately, Russia. For the Moscow effort, Sater served as both broker and dealmaker. His friend Andrey Rozov, who did not respond to our request for comment, was officially the local developer in Russia, but Sater says he expected a cut for himself as well. Trump signed the letter of intent, dated October 28, 2015, the same day as the third Republican presidential debate.

Felix Sater (right) stands alongside Donald Trump and Tevfik Arif at the Trump Soho Launch Party on September 19, 2007 in New York.

The tower was meant to be the tallest building in Europe, featuring a few floors of prime shopping, a high-end hotel and new office space, topped with 250 luxury residences, homes for the Russian elite. According to the terms, Rozov was on the hook for construction while Trump would simply lend his name and help manage the place once it opened. In exchange, according to the Mueller report, the presidential contender would get a cut of condo sales, beginning with 5% of the first $100 million and gradually stepping down to 1% of everything over $1 billion. Sater says each unit would have been about 2,500 square feet, far larger than the typical luxury condo in Moscow. They were targeting a price of about $1,500 a square foot, about 30% above the average for luxury apartments in town. If all went well, Trump would have walked away with an estimated $34 million from condo sales and upfront fees. Big money, sure, but nothing life changing for a guy worth $3.1 billion.

To juice the numbers, Sater says, he wanted to give away a penthouse to Putin. On top of the terrible optics, this could have put the Trump Organization in danger of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bans American companies from bribing foreign officials. Sater says the plan was not meant to entice the Russian president. "You've got to have a billion dollars for [Putin] to take you seriously," he says. "It's good for Congressman [Nancy] Pelosi or [Adam] Schiff to say that, but in the real world, Vladimir Putin ain't getting bought with a penthouse." When contacted, a representative of Putin deflected questions, saying, "We believe that you should address to relevant authorities, not to the press office of the president of Russia."

To Trump small amounts of money matter—the tower agreement details the slices he could shave off every year, including hotel management fees (an estimated $1.3 million), office rents (est. $240,000), residential management fees (est. $225,000), spa operations (est. $75,000) and so on. Add everything up and Forbes figures Trump could have gotten an additional $2.6 million annually—math verified by Sater, who confirmed an Excel spreadsheet that details the projected payments line by line.

Count enough years and it's theoretically possible to get to any number: $13 million over 5 years, $67 million over 25, $94 million over 35. Regardless, even with the condo deals, it wasn't really close to the "hundreds of millions" Cohen and Mueller cited.

R obert Mueller did not find collusion to steal the 2016 election—but he did find evidence of collusion to try to make money. Sater and Cohen did the work on the ground, rubbing elbows with oligarchs and Russian-government entities.

In sworn testimony before Congress, Cohen left no doubt about who was ultimately in charge: "To be clear, Mr. Trump knew of and directed the Trump Moscow negotiations throughout the campaign and lied about it."

There was good reason to lie, given the cast of characters involved. On October 9, 2015, before Trump had even signed the letter of intent, Sater wrote that he was meeting with Andrey Molchanov , a former member of the Russian senate who controlled a plot of land that could work for the tower. Three days later, Sater claimed the chairman of VTB, a Kremlin-controlled bank on which the U.S. imposed sanctions, was "on board" with the project. A spokesperson for VTB said the bank never dealt with Sater or his affiliates in Russia. Ultimately, Sater secured an invitation to Russia from a different bank, days after it had also landed on the U.S. sanctions list.

“You've got to have a billion dollars for [Putin] to take you seriously. It's good for Congressman [Nancy] Pelosi or [Adam] Schiff to say that, but in the real world, Vladimir Putin ain't getting bought with a penthouse.” Felix Sater

Then there was Sater's plan to get billionaire brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg to invest hundreds of millions in the project. From a political standpoint, it would be hard to think of a more problematic pair to bring into a deal with a U.S. presidential candidate. Arkady Rotenberg has known Vladimir Putin since childhood, when they were judo partners. He and his brother are now among Russia's richest people, worth an estimated $3.7 billion combined, with interests in banking and construction. Arkady Rotenberg's companies got $7.4 billion in government contracts for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, over $5 billion for the 2018 World Cup (which Russia hosted) and more to build a bridge connecting Russia and Crimea. In 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned both brothers, identifying them as members of Putin's "inner circle." The Rotenbergs did not respond to our request for comment.

The same thing that made the Rotenbergs targets of the U.S. government—their ties to Putin—made them appealing to Sater. In his mind, if he could get Putin's associates to invest $400 million or $500 million, then the Russian president would surely greenlight the project—a key step in a country where the government calls the shots on major real estate developments. Trump would have theoretically had to sign off on bringing in the Rotenbergs or anyone else who wanted a piece of the action. "Everybody was going to make money on this," Sater says. "And at the end of the day, some schmuck from Vladivostok with a lot of money would have put up all the money."

It is not clear whether Trump knew about the plans to give Putin a penthouse or his cronies a chunk of the deal. Which is remarkable in itself. A presidential candidate delegated a radioactive deal, in a hostile foreign country, to a former convict (Sater) and a soon-to-be convict (Cohen).

Virtually every part of their plan involved Putin or someone close to him. The equity? Putin's boys. The debt? Kremlin-connected banks. The land? A Putin ally. The approvals? Government entities. The marketing? Putin himself. Look at Trump Moscow long enough and it gives the impression it was less of a deal between Trump and a random Russian and more of a deal between Trump and Putin.

I t also came with a lot of bluster. By December 2015, Trump's men still had not locked in a plot of land. Or financing. Or investors. And Cohen was waiting on an official invitation to Russia. "I will not let you f--- with my job and playing point person," Cohen texted Sater between Christmas and New Year's, according to correspondence first released by Buzzfeed and confirmed by Forbes . "I still have no numbers from anyone who is allegedly involved in this deal, other than the fact I will have whatever invite I need within 48 hours. Not you or anyone you know will embarrass me in front of Mr. T when he asks me what is happening."

Cohen told Sater he was done working with him, and the text stream devolved into something like a souring love affair. "Please don't do this, Michael," Sater wrote.

"We're done," Cohen responded. "Enough. I told you last week that you thinking you are running point in this is inaccurate. You are putting my job in jeopardy and making me look incompetent. I gave you two months and then best you send me is some bull---- f------ garbage invite by some no name clerk at a third-tier bank. So I am telling you enough as of right now. Enough! I will handle this myself."

Kiev Protests. Political turmoil in Ukraine led to a Russian takeover of Crimea, which in turn prompted U.S. sanctions against Putin’s regime. Those measures put a dent in Moscow’s real estate market—and Trump’s potential windfall.

Cohen, who did not respond to a request for comment on this article, reached out to the office of Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov. On January 20, 2016, he heard back from Peskov's assistant. They talked for 20 minutes about a tower in Moscow, and Cohen came away impressed, according to the Mueller report. Cohen updated Trump, remarking that it would be nice if the Trump Organization had assistants who were as good as the Kremlin's, the report says.

Sater texted Cohen the next day. "Call me when you have a few minutes to chat," he wrote. "It's about Putin. They called today."

Money has a way of repairing relationships. Cohen and Sater eventually sketched out plans to travel to Russia. Cohen talked to Trump about it, and the candidate said he would be willing to go as well, so long as Cohen could "lock and load" on the deal, according to the Mueller report. Cohen settled on a rough timeline: "My trip before Cleveland," he texted Sater, referencing the Republican National Convention. "Trump once he becomes the nominee."

On May 5, 2016, Sater followed up with Cohen, offering promising news. "Peskov would like to invite you as his guest to the St. Petersburg Forum, which is Russia's Davos. It's June 16-19. He wants to meet there with you and possibly introduce you to either Putin or [Russian prime minister Dmitry] Medvedev."

But Sater was apparently bluffing. He now says he never actually had an invitation from Peskov, although he was confident he would meet some heavy hitters at the conference. When the Peskov invitation failed to materialize, Cohen called off the trip, according to the Mueller report, and checked in with Trump. But he did not tell the boss the deal was off, since there still seemed to be a chance it could come back to life in the closing months of the campaign. Or possibly afterward, when Trump would return to just being Donald Trump, private citizen.

What ultimately killed Trump Moscow was not all the bluster, nor the ties to Russian oligarchs, nor even the limited financial upside. When asked why the deal ended, in a sworn congressional hearing, Cohen pointed to one part of the plan that went awry: "He won the presidency."

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