A luxury floating hotel with 148 bedrooms has opened at the King George V lock on the River Thames in London.

Built on a large floating platform, the hotel first opened in Amsterdam in June 2015 as a pop-up social enterprise project and has now been transported across the North Sea with the help of tug boats and a submerged barge.

While a fully-operational hotel, The Good Hotel will also aim to help long-term unemployed people get back into work.

“The purpose is to extensively train (long-term) unemployed locals in various jobs in the hospitality industry,” a spokesperson said. “After concluding the Good Training, participants will be offered a three-month contract at Good Hotel, followed by professional mediation in the city's hotel business.

“The entire process gives participants a real chance to get of welfare, reintegrate into the economy and get a new future.”

Rooms range from a rather small 13sq m standard to a spacious 30sq m deluxe room, and amenities include an en-suite bathroom, in-room safe, coffee/tea facilities, small writing desk and free WiFi.

Communal spaces include function rooms, a spacious lobby area and rooftop terrace.

The concept has been awarded with a REBEL business award for greatest innovation/disruption and introduces a new business-model into the hospitality industry.

All profits will be reinvested in the business, into education and stimulation of entrepreneurship.

The hotel is operated by Good Hotel Group – which was founded by Dutch entrepreneur Marten Dresen. It was designed by Dutch designers Remko Verhaagen and Sikko Valk.

The group is looking to open another eight hotels across the world by 2020.