Floating Hotel

“The Grand Budapest Hotel in space, Floating Hotel is a hopeful story of misfits, rebels and found family, perfect for fans of Becky Chambers” in the description for this book had my hopes HIGH. Becky Chambers is one of my absolute favourite authors and found family is one of my all time favourite tropes so I was really excited to get this ARC.

Luckily, this book lived up to my expectations. Getting to know the different characters, seeing all the intersections of their lives, the plot developing steadily throughout the novel and taking us from one characters pov to another without feeling disjointed or going too fast or too slow. It’s just so well done and, for me at least, a real step up from Frontier (which I did enjoy as well, just not quite to the same extent). I can’t wait to reread this and to see what Grace Curtis comes up with next. (This is also one I’m definitely going to have to buy in hardback as soon as I can as well!)

"Getting martini drunk on this trawler is the closest thing I get to annual leave"

I was drawn in by the description of this book and it totally exceeded my expectations.

I was completely immersed in the world that was created here. I loved getting to know the different characters that inhabit the Grand Abeona. I would definetly read a whole additional book about their lives and relationships with each other.

I loved that the perspective was based around hospitality work. I enjoyed the underlying storyline about the empire and the mysteries that get revealed as the story progresses. Genuinely really well done, good pacing, and very engaging.

This book reminded me of Becky Chambers and Martha Wells where it is scifi but with a more 'cozy', character forward perspective.

Floating Hotel was an entertaining read that kept me engaged the entire time. Would love to read more of Grace's work. Really recommend you pick this one up.

(4.5 stars)

I think this book could be best described as a cozy SciFi with a bit of mystery sprinkled in. The blurb intrigued me and it definitely lived up to it (mysterious love poems - sonnets to be precise- and all). It takes place on the Grand Abeona - an intergalactic hotel. While we do see snippets of the guests, the story focuses on the experiences of the staff, some of whom snuck aboard as stowaways (in one case to retrieve a countess's forgotten muff) and find friendship like they have never known before. I also loved the little drawings at the start of each chapter!

I loved reading about the hotel. It seems so fantastical (and of course reserved for the richest of the rich). The elegance of beauty of the hotel reminds me a bit of The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), but it is light and elegant where the circus is more dark and gritty. The style and events are very different too. I would love to see the Galactic Diorama (think an artistic ever-changing map of the solar system that shows the position of the ship). It sounds like such a marvelous sight to behold. And despite all the glory and beauty that the guests experience, there is still a very real and functional ship behind the scenes (something I appreciated the author mentioning). I also enjoyed all the random little tidbits the author threw in about space travel that one would not necessarily consider (e.g. the lack of signal for most of the journey and the fact that people can't just leave because oops, they aren't close to anything). I feel like a lot of it might be based on how cruises function and has been expanded to a space setting. I definitely enjoyed the thought put into the hotel, its functioning and its surroundings. Given that space tourism is already (somewhat) a thing, I could definitely see the rich deciding t holiday in space in the future (even if not in quite this much of a tour like manner).

I loved the characters and their interactions. But that being said, there were a lot of them and it took me a while to be able to keep track of everyone. A character list would have been super helpful. There were a couple of points where I found myself wondering who a character was when we started following them, but I usually remembered within a couple of paragraphs. A list would still have been helpful though (especially should someone put down the book for a few days). All the characters were clearly well thought out and had distinct personalities. I enjoyed how close they all were and their movies nights. Working in such isolated conditions is definitely incredible for team comradery and the author captured this beautifully. I loved Unwade and how she likes that her physical prominence means that she is largely unnoticed by the guests and can go about solving mysteries undisturbed. Oh, and of course I love Garbage, because who doesn't love a pet rat?

If a found family story set in a space hotel sounds like your kind of book, I definitely suggest that you pick this one up. The writing is beautiful and the characters are lovely (even if they have to deal with not so lovely circumstances with the guests sometimes). This is definitely a ship I'd love to visit again, be it in real life or between the pages of a book.

4.5/5 Stars

I want to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Y'know when a blurb advertises a book as "perfect for fans of Becky Chambers", I feel it is my duty to read it and see for myself. This one? Oh yes.

Safe to say it's easy to see where the comparison comes from, but Floating Hotel has its own very unique charm. The story is told through a dozen characters as focalizers and, even though each of them has their own story to tell (which they do) and their own little plot to work on, they also keep building the story of this space hotel as a big cohesive group. There are characters you'll hate, those you'll love, any everything in between. The book goes deep emotionally but since it is rather short and has so many different perspectives, it goes deep very fast instead of with the long build-up like a Becky Chambers book.

Nonetheless, this made me laugh and tear up and restore a little hope in humanity. And that's all you can want from a book.

Grace Curtis has a skill in writing stories that are about people and relationships, intertwined with quirky, smooth, gently thrilling, storylines. I was swept away in an enjoyable read. In this book there is a hotel floating through space. A hotel of renown, for the upper class space tourist. But the book really focuses on the staff who service the customers. We see a part of their past lives and present on-board experiences and how they work together like a family. Along with mischief and intrigue. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Floating Hotel is a wonderful book with a clever plot. I loved the idea of a hotel on a space ship that travelled around.. Seeing it from the perspectives of both guests and crew made it particularly enjoyable. At first I was puzzled as the book seemed to be a series of stories about different crew members and guests, but as the book progressed I realised that they were all converging to tell one story. The book kept me guessing right to the end, and, unusually for me, I didn’t figure out the ending ahead of time. I really enjoyed the surprise.

Grace Cullis is a very good writer. The depictions of the characters and their back stories had depth and interest. Her world building is very well done and unlike any ideas I’ve read in other books. You will love this book!

I absolutely loved Floating Hotel!
I can definitely see Grace Curtis becoming a favourite author of mine as I also loved their previous book, Frontier.

I've been really loving the authors writing style!
I enjoyed how different this book was with how every chapter was in a different characters pov's.
I found it really unique and while some people may not like that i thought it was done really well and loved it!

This was a great Sci-fi read and I highly recommend it and you won't regret it!
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I downloaded this ARC from NetGalley because I saw it compared to Becky Chambers. Yes! It's so rare to find sci-fi that's kind, gentle, and thoughtful, but it's a winning combination. This book is perfectly balanced. It has a large cast, with only one chapter from each person's point of view - that sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, but she pulled it off beautifully. The little vignettes of each character weave gradually into a plot that ties them all together and brings it to an immensely satisfying conclusion.

I once read that the sale of bright red lipstick is inversely correlated to how bad the times are: if everything else is grey and hopeless, at least you want this one small, bright thing that can be bought for just a little bit of money. I think the recent popularity of the kind of cozy, found-family book that often has little actual plot beyond how a group of misfits comes together and finds family and a home agains all the odds is the red lipstick of the reading world. And looking at the world we're living in, it's easy to see why.

Floating Hotel fits this mold, too; with its group of people, all damaged somehow, all searching for something they can't quite name, all looking for home and connection and belonging. On the face of it, we're solving a kind of mystery, told from the changing viewpoints of various people aboard the Abeona. And indeed the Abeona is one of them, if not the secret main character of the book; with her corridors and suites and rooms and luxuries, but also her seedy underbelly, the secret backways where the crew lives and moves to keep her afloat among the stars.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoyed books by Becky Chambers, Travis Baldree or Aliette de Bodard.

I want to thank NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this.

Grace Curtis is a wonderful writer. In Floating Hotel and Frontier we find just the right amount of detail to create a rich and unusual setting while letting our imaginations take the reins. I really like this about their writing style. I find myself so immersed in these worlds because I seem to have been given the perfect details to bring them to life.

While this book is set on a hotel that travels through space, the story is very people focussed. We read chapters from a range of different characters with their own histories and motivations, all distinct. They are loosely connected via Carl the hotel manager. Curtis manages to say a lot in just a chapter editing her stories so well to give you exactly what you need to connect with the character.

There is an undercurrent of something more sinister that we see dappled throughout what almost feels like loosely linked short stories. Betrayal, theft, conspiracy, murder all appear throughout the course of this book.

I continue to be impressed with this author and will read anything written by them in the future.

After loving Curtis’ first book, Frontier, of course I was going to jump at the chance to read her second one. And a book set on a hotel spaceship certainly sounded like something I would love. As the five star rating gives away: I did!

Like Frontier, this book is heavily character driven. We meet a new character each chapter, dipping into their world and their story. While it was the main character’s journey that helped string the previous book’s chapters together, in this book it is the hotel, Abeona. Each chapter gives insights not only into the characters, but the hotel. You could argue the hotel is the main character.

All the characters are great, in that I loved learning about them, but did not love everything about them. They were flawed, and that made them so real. Every member of staff ended up stuck there by accident and chose to stay on purpose. Their love for the hotel and each other was beautiful and, like each of them, imperfect. I wanted to see more of characters who didn’t get their own chapters, too. Reggie, Mataz… Nina.

The non-staff characters were more hit and miss for me. Some I warmed to while others I didn’t. Though they all had something to add to the bigger plot weaving between the chapters, it was the staff and their connections to the hotel and each other that I enjoyed the most.

Talking of the plot. It was slow at first. Small hints at something. Then several somethings cropping up. Not all of which mattered to the main thread, but all fed into it. It was the last 100 pages or so where things really got going, and only the last 25 where all the threads pulled together. I love the part of a story when everything comes together.

The end was extremely bittersweet. I knew things weren’t as simple as they seemed and that my man Carl was working some kind of ploy. The outcome for Abeona and her staff wasn’t as safe and happy as I had hoped, but it wasn’t as dire and bleak as I had feared, either. It was sad and hopeful and perfect. I want to follow the hotel and join it on its next adventure.

Thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful little story, which drew me in immediately and didn't let go. I loved the writing style and characters, and will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!

Huge thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I really was fascinated by Floating Hotel, I loved meeting all of the characters, the.backstories, the detail. It was. just unique and brilliant. I. love Grace Curtis’s book Frontier, so this was another five stars for me.

This is a beautiful and fun novel for lovers of character- or plot-driven stories!

In Floating Hotel, we meet a diverse cast of characters who all get a chance to have a share of the limelight. The structure of this book is unusual in that each character (bar one) only gets one POV chapter. While each character only has a short time in the spotlight, we learn about all of them more as the supporting roles in each others' stories, so each one feels fully formed and fleshed out. This structure gives the book a feeling of an anthology or series of vignettes, but the major narrative takes place over a period of time of just a few weeks and is contained mainly in the setting of the hotel, which keeps the book cohesive.

This is a perfect book for a lover of mystery - there are secrets to be unravelled and revealed, and these are happening as we are gradually learning more about the empire in which our characters live. These common threads weave all the parts of the story together and kept me hooked!

My favourite aspect of this novel were the characters. Whether kind and loving, or abrasive, or just downright evil, these characters were incredibly well written! The bonds that developed between them as a bunch of misfits and runaways were moving and tender. I particularly loved the development of Professor Azad, who begins the novel as someone very jaded.

I would absolutely recommend for a fan of cozy sci-fi and fantasy! The overall feel of the novel is warm, but there is darkness creeping in at the edges.

I absolutely adored Curtis's first novel Frontier, and was so excited to read this new one. I think Curtis has taken what she accomplished in her first novel and really honed in on it and made a stunning novel.

This is a story of the many people who live and work about the space shop hotel the Aboena. Just like her first novel, Curtis has taken these characters and given us episodes of their lives in such a way that they feel real and tangible and relatable.

The underlying tale is slowly brought to life until a crescendo at the end, which is so well crafted, I was hooked and could not put it down. Genuinely one of the best books I've read this year, and if you like Becky Chambers of This is How You Lose The Time War, you will adore this book. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced reading copy.

Floating Hotel is an out-of-this world delight. Equal parts cosy and grotesque, Curtis writes with a warmth and a wit that takes pulpy sci-fi concepts and creates something unforgettably beautiful with them. This is The Bear or Ted Lasso in space, where the stakes are relatively low but your investment in them is absolute. Come meet Carl and the gang and orbit the universe in a hotel that’s seen better days – you won’t regret it.

I adored this book and found myself slowing down to try to savour it. Inventive and smart but without allowing clever detail to bog the pace or cloud the character studies. Profound without being didactic and wholesome without being twee.

This was excellent. Feel-good but also exciting, and with definite nods to other authors including Becky Chambers and even Agatha Christie while feeling wholly new as well.

AAAAnd the last in this batch of reviews I wrote and forgot to post because I'm me. I really enjoyed this one, it has that "just vibes" vibe. It's cozy and comfy, doesn't require too much brain power to go through and has a great balance between a little plot to not be completely boring and character development. I read this under a blanket with hot chocolate so you can imagine that I was in the perfect mood for such a book. 4.5 stars

This book was a gorgeous suprise. I read Grace Curtis's debut novel Frontier and really enjoyed it so decided to request this one from NetGalley of the back of that. I ended up loving it infinite times more than Frontier.

Curtis has a really unique writing style in that she tells an overarching story from multiple POV's that never recur. So it's almost like reading a lot of short stories that contribute to one overarching plotline.

Floating Hotel had a cosy sci-fi feel with a really interesting mystery at the heart of it. The world building was easy to follow (which is often not the case for sci-fi) and the characters were all unique and loveable in their own ways.

Overall a fantastic book, I would highly recommend. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5!

Really enjoyable, with engaging characters and a brilliant setting. Curtis' unique humour is weft into even the most heartfelt situations and I would definitely read more by her.

I adored this book.

I rate my reads out of 5 based 8 categories, only 3 books in 2023 got 5 on every category. And then bam! Floating Hotel hits all 5 stars in Jan 2024!

This is everything I would want in a book; complex characters with interesting backstories that interact in an authentic way, a cozy feel still with dark intricate themes and plot, a luxe world built that filled every sense.

Lit perfect for me.

I received this free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for review.

This book sat me down in a chair, fed me the finest steak while a hotel pianist played quiet songs, and I was more than happy to go along with it. Never have I wanted a flying hotel in space to exist more.

This book weaves together what amounts to a series of short stories from a multitude of different perspectives, which all work together to let you slowly piece together the world and the overarching story in this book. The book doesn't really seek to resolve anything, per se, and maybe the ending was a little weaker than I'd have liked because of it, but it was such a ride getting there. This books is definitely about the journey, not the destination (and I suppose, how could it not be, when the Abeona flies in a great circuit of the galaxy each year, never going anywhere new). In particular, the richness of all the characters, each one feeling distinct and revealing the world from a different perspective, was the highlight of this book. I loved all of them, from the protective and kind Carl, to the grumpy Rogan and the fastidious Ephraim.

I'm so happy I read this book, and I'm so sad it's over. I hadn't got around to reading this author's debut novel, despite wanting to, and it's definitely gone up on my list now.

Once regarded as a luxurious getaway for the privileged, the Abeona is now in a state of gradual decline. Circumstances in the galaxy being what they are - combined with decisions made by hotel management - have meant that the once grand and palatial luxury ship is not quite the nirvana it once was, faded grandeur very much the vibe these days. However, you wouldn’t know it from its staff, the most dedicated and loveable bunch of space hospitality workers going. OK, that might not be a particularly widespread profession in science fiction, but they’re still wonderful. Curtis writes about them all with great empathy and wisdom, and is clearly an astute and attentive study when it comes to human behaviour. At the same time, realistic characterisation never comes at the expense of a good bit of bantering dialogue or a heartfelt moment.

All of these characters are distinct and bring something to the story, which is structured similarly to Frontier, in that there are a number of smaller stories occurring within an overarching larger one. Where those smaller stories in Frontier felt like tales that a haggard gunslinger was “just passin’ through” on their way to settle a score, however, the stories here focus on individual members of the crew or passengers and what they contribute to the overall atmosphere and environment of the Abeona. Their reasons for being there are fleshed out and serve as entertaining and emotionally arresting character pieces, so much so that by the end you’ll feel fiercely protective of every single one of them. It feels somehow rewarding to find out more about these people, as if you’re being let into their confidences and trusted with their secrets.

That overarching story unfolds gradually over the course of the novel, with elements of it in some characters’ individual stories dropping hints before key plot points are expanded upon later. There’s some very impressive weaving of narratives here, reminiscent of those sidequests in sprawling RPG games which don’t seem all that big at first but develop into something significant later on. On top of this, we are privy to some seditious propaganda that adds some political intrigue into the mix, as well as sketching in more of the background detail of this universe. Thankfully, Curtis never gets bogged down in fleshing out all of the power structures, governance and politics of the big powers that are pulling the strings, wisely choosing to show glimpses of the evil empire through its effects on the lives of everyday people.

And so, with bags packed and goodbyes tearfully waved, it’s time for a final verdict. Floating Hotel manages to feel as welcoming, comfortable and familiar as the Hotel Abeona itself, and I unreservedly love it for that. It also delivers on all the promise of Frontier and then some - itself no mean feat - and I can’t wait to see what Grace Curtis comes out with next.

Grace Curtis has done it again! Floating Hotel is her new cosy sci-fi novel with a unique structure. The multiple points of view showing us snippets of backstory and the roles of the passengers & crew of the Abeona was wonderful and I loved seeing all the different perspectives & personalities.

Some of my favourites were Ooly & Azad's work on decryptic a code, Dunk's hunt for an Ox, Reggie's film nights & Uwade's search for the sonnets. Throughout it all there's an over arching plot which is full of secrets and helps propel the story along.

Overall, this is another fantastic novel from Curtis and once again shows she knows how to write such unique characters & craft amazing settings. Looking forward to her next novel and a big thanks to Hodder & Stoughton + Netgalley for the arc!

I absolutely loved this book; it’s quirky, almost artsy, and full of fascinating characters and has a wonderful twisting narrative that allows us to explore the amazing Grand Abeona hotel on it’s voyage through the stars. We hear the stories of both crew members and guests, not all of whom are who they seem. There’s mystery, intrigue and some beautifully crafted storytelling.
A definite recommend for fans of Becky Chambers and Wes Anderson, a real joy to experience.

I read Grace Curtis’s debut, ‘Frontier’, last night and I really enjoyed it. I reviewed it right here! But I loved ‘Floating Hotel’ and it got my second five-star rating of 2024.

I’m really hitting my sci-fi era at the moment - I’m currently making my way through the ‘Red Rising Saga’ and ‘The Expanse’ series - and this was a really lovely change of pace in the sci-fi realm. It reminds me more of Becky Chambers’ style of sci-fi with a strong focus on character and world and found family with less action. ‘Floating Hotel’ hit the spot for me and I adored it.

The Grand Budapest Hotel in space, Floating Hotel is a hopeful story of misfits, rebels and found family, perfect for fans of Becky Chambers, Martha Wells and Aliette de Bodard.

Welcome to the Grand Abeona Hotel: home of the finest food, the sweetest service, and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. Year round it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury - and a magnet for intrigue. Intrigues such as:

Why are there love poems in the lobby intray?

How many Imperial spies are currently on board?

What is the true purpose of the Problem Solver's conference?

And perhaps most pertinently - who is driving the ship?

At the centre of these mysteries stands Carl, one time stowaway, longtime manager, devoted caretaker to the hotel. It's the love of his life and the only place he's ever called home. But as forces beyond Carl's comprehension converge on the Abeona, he has to face one final question: when is it time to let go?

I love a book that tells a story of a group of people one character at a time, an ensemble cast, if you will, but it’s not an easy feat. Grace Curtis nailed it. I was invested in every single POV and all of them added and built on the main plotline and mystery, each adding in their own history and experience to what’s really happening on the Abeona.


One of the main themes of ‘Floating Hotel’, other than found family and home, is the crimes and oppression of capitalism and corporation. I’m noticing this a lot as I journey through sci-fi and they seem to go hand in hand with the pushing of humanity’s crimes and our trail of destruction out into the galaxy once we’re drained Earth of all of her resources. It escalates the problems that already exist under a capitalist society: housing, jobs, poverty, displacement, oppression of the lower classes and minorities, and the insatiable greed of those in power at the expense of everyone else.

This is a novel that thrives on the slow accumulation of knowledge and putting together the puzzle pieces so I’m not going to say anymore about the plot, just know that the entire novel is magic. ‘Floating Hotel’ is one of my favourite books of the year so far; it’s found family, anti-capitalism, character-driven sci-fi at it’s best.


‘Floating Hotel’ by Grace Curtis will be released in the UK on 21 March 2024 by Hodderscape.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the review copy.

- No spoiler review -
You are in for a journey!
For me it was reading a script for a TV series, with each episode focusing on a different persona that is working/staying at the hotel. Something in the style of mixing Doctor Who, Avalon, topped with some 1984 vibes, all wrapped-up in a captivating writing style.
The fact that you get to know each of this characters helps quite nicely with their decoted chapters, makes you really understand them, put yourself in their places and start to think if they are the one everyone is looking for.

p.s. As a person that works in the Tourism industry (be it not in the hotel/restaurant sector) I can attest that everyday life in the hospitality sector really is this chaotic and charming at the same time

A cosy, slice-of life space opera with found family, misfits and mystery, Floating Hotel follows the characters aboard the Grand Abeona. It’s a hotel floating through space, with the best service and food the galaxy has to offer, but some guests have secrets and something sinister seems to be going on…

As expected, I absolutely adored this book. The space hotel setting completely drew me in and I loved getting to know all the characters on board. It’s both cosy and unsettling, with a mystery element that keeps you guessing throughout.

Like Frontier, it’s very much character led, and Grace Curtis creates the best characters once again. Every personality comes to life from the pages and I found myself falling in love with each distinct perspective. My favourites were Rogan, Daphne, Azad and Ooly, but there wasn’t a single chapter I didn’t enjoy.

Grace Curtis is definitely an auto-buy author for me now and I know this will make my top books of the year!

Thank you so much to @hodderscape for sending me a copy!

I was not quite sure what to expect from this book but it certainly exceeded what I had hoped for. The depth and range of the different characters was wonderful. Delightfully quirky .

Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis

Thank you Netgalley for the arc for an unbiased review.

Covid, pleurisy then a virus since Christmas has curtailed my reviewing by some margin. However, as a huge fan of Frontier by Grace Curtis, I couldn't give up the opportunity to read and review Floating Hotel.

The style and pacing for Floating Hotel, much like Frontier, won't be for everyone. Yet I found myself immediately drawn in.
This story gives us individual stories that interact with each other on one level or another.
This means it is heavily character weighted, which as I enjoy the way Grace Curtis writes, I didn't find difficult at all. Far from it. I was a quarter of the way through before I'd even realised I'd got that far into the book. I genuinely thought I was only around 10% or a little more into it. A sign that whatever others might think, my enjoyment was already looking at a 5 star review.

As with Frontier the overall feel is pretty light, yet it has its darker edges, which lends itself to a satisfying balance as I read. It allows the story to culminate into an ending that felt right overall.
It's a story about love, betrayal, found family, and a general manner of cosy wrapped up in razor wire that will occasionally snag you.

My one minor gripe is I did feel the ending was slightly rushed. However, it feels as if this is a book where we could return to the characters. I certainly hope we do. It would be a shame to see the door close on this for good. Funnily enough I felt the same with Frontier, on it could potentially see more exploration, so perhaps this is just how Grace Curtis writes. Time will tell.

Happily giving this 5 out of 5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟