{{Short description|MV Fingal - Former lighthouse supply and maintenance ship converted into a luxury hotel}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Use British English|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = MV Fingal 1980s Hebrides.png | image_caption = MV ''Fingal'' sailing in the Hebrides }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = | country = United Kingdom | flag = 60px | name = ''Fingal'' | owner = Northern Lighthouse Board | operator = | route = | ordered = | builder = Blythswood Shipbuilding Company, Glasgow | yard_number = | way_number = | laid_down = | launched = 8 August 1963 | completed = | christened = | acquired = | maiden_voyage = | out_of_service = | registry = Leith | identification = IMO 5419957 | fate = Sold to Tamahine Investments in 2000 | status = | notes = }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = title | country = | flag = | name = ''Windsor Castle'' | owner = Tamahine Investments | operator = | route = | ordered = | builder = | yard_number = | way_number = | laid_down = | launched = | completed = | christened = | acquired = | maiden_voyage = | out_of_service = | registry = | identification = | fate = Sold to the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust in 2014 | status = | notes = }}
|section4={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = title | country = | flag = | name = ''Fingal'' | owner = The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust | operator = Royal Yacht Enterprises | route = | ordered = | builder = | yard_number = | way_number = | laid_down = | launched = | completed = | christened = | acquired = | maiden_voyage = | out_of_service = | registry = | identification = | fate = | status = in service as a luxury hotel | notes = }}
|section5={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | type = Twin screw motorship | tonnage = {{GT|1342}} | displacement = | length = {{convert|238.9|ft|m|abbr=on}} | beam = {{convert|40.3|ft|m|abbr=on}} | height = | draught = | draft = | depth = {{convert|18.5|ft|m|abbr=on}} | decks = | ice_class = | sail_plan = | power = | propulsion = 2 x British Polar 2-stoke 6 cyl diesel engines | speed = | capacity = | crew = | notes = }} }} '''MV ''Fingal''''' is a former Northern Lighthouse Board ship converted into a boutique hotel. ''Fingal'' is permanently berthed relatively near the former Royal Yacht ''Britannia'' as part of a major tourist attraction in Edinburgh, Scotland.<ref name=":SY1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fingal.co.uk/your-ship/|title=About The Ship | Luxury Floating Hotel Fingal Edinburgh|website=www.fingal.co.uk}}</ref><ref name=":SY2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk/register/2815/mv-fingal|title=Name MV Fingal | National Historic Ships|website=www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk}}</ref><ref name=":SYNEWS2">{{cite news |last=Flockhart|first=Gary|date=2022-05-16|title=Edinburgh's luxury floating hotel, Fingal, voted one of the UK's best at TripAdvisor awards|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/lifestyle/food-and-drink/edinburghs-luxury-floating-hotel-fingal-voted-one-of-the-uks-best-at-tripadvisor-awards-3695787?itm_source=parsely-api/|work=Edinburgh Evening News|access-date=2022-05-17}}</ref>
== History == ''Fingal'' was built by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company in Glasgow, Scotland for the Northern Lighthouse Board. Launched in 1963, she was stationed for thirty years in Oban and then for six years in Stromness as a maintenance and supply vessel for lighthouses and buoys. The ''Fingal'' was retired from Northern Lighthouse Board service in the year 2000.<ref name=":SY1"/><ref name=":SY2"/><ref name=":SY3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nlb.org.uk/history/ships/|title=Our ships|first=Noemi|last=Ocana|website=Northern Lighthouse Board}}</ref><ref name=":SYNEWS1">{{cite news |last=Rooney |first=Richard |date=2014-08-12 |title=New luxury life set for old lighthouse boat|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/312563/new-luxury-life-set-for-old-lighthouse-boat/|work=The Press and Journal|access-date=2022-05-17}}</ref>
Following her retirement from the Northern Lighthouse Board, ''Fingal'' was sold to Hong Kong based Tamahine Investments, who renamed her ''Windsor Castle''. The ship was maintained in working order for the next 14 years while moored on the River Fal in Cornwall.<ref name=":SY1"/><ref name=":SYNEWS1"/>
In 2014, ''Windsor Castle'' was acquired by the Royal Yacht Britannia Trust who restored her original name.<ref name=":SY1"/><ref name=":SY2"/> alt=MV Fingal painted in a dazzle pattern designed by the artist Ciara Phillips as part of the commemorations marking 100 years since the battle of Jutland|left|thumb|MV ''Fingal'' painted in a dazzle pattern, 2016
In 2016, ''Fingal'' was painted in a dazzle pattern named "Every Woman" designed by the artist Ciara Phillips as part of commemorations marking 100 years since the Battle of Jutland. The pattern used was a contemporary reimagining of dazzle camouflage specifically created to recognize the role of British women during World War I.<ref name=":SYFTDAZZLE">{{cite news |last=Fullerton|first=Elizabeth|date=2016-06-01|title=A contemporary dazzle ship docks in Leith|url=https://www.ft.com/content/07a79600-226a-11e6-9d4d-c11776a5124d|work=Financial Times|access-date=2022-05-19}}</ref>
===Luxury hotel=== alt=The Fingal's Engine Room following refit as hotel with the original engines behind glass on either side of hotel corridor|left|thumb|''Fingal''{{'}}s engine room following the ships conversion into a luxury hotel
In 2019, following extensive modifications and refurbishment by the Pedley Group, ''Fingal'' was formally opened as a luxury floating hotel. It is berthed in the Alexandra Dock in the Port of Leith, about {{Convert|600|m|abbr=on}} from the former Royal Yacht ''Britannia'' at Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh.<ref name=":SY1"/><ref name=":SY2"/>
The hotel has 23 bedrooms, named after Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses. Plans for the floating hotel were approved by the council by 6 votes to 5, following potential noise concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-08 |title=Leith Docks permanent new home for luxury floating hotel |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/leith-docks-permanent-new-home-for-luxury-floating-hotel-283267 |access-date=2025-12-20 |website=Edinburgh News |language=en}}</ref>
In 2022 the AA awarded the ''Fingal'' its top five-star rating along with two AA Rosettes for its onboard restaurant, the Lighthouse.<ref name=":SYNEWS231">{{cite news |last=Ritchie|first=Gayle|date=2023-04-29|title=How Scotland's only 'luxury floating hotel' once served the country's lighthouse keepers|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/lifestyle/4341049/luxury-floating-hotel-lighthouse/|work=The Courier|access-date=2023-06-23}}</ref> The AA praised the Lighthouse restaurant as "exceptional" and named the ''Fingal'' as one of the 25 best Hotels in the United Kingdom.<ref name=":SYNEWS232">{{cite news |last=Smail|first=Alexander|date=2022-11-10|title=Scotland's 'only luxury floating hotel' crowned one of the best in the UK|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/scotlands-only-luxury-floating-hotel-28455783|work=Daily Record|access-date=2023-06-23}}</ref>
== See also == * Northern Lighthouse Board
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{official|https://www.fingal.co.uk/}} {{authority control}}
{{coord|55.9792|N|3.1691|W|display=title}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Fingal}} Category:Ships built on the River Clyde Category:Hotels in Edinburgh Category:Hotels in Scotland