Luxury travel has officially left Earth.
A Silicon Valley startup called GRU Space is taking reservations for a hotel on the Moon, with guest deposits ranging from $250,000 to $1 million. The structure doesn’t exist yet. The destination requires a rocket. The commute alone could cost more than most homes. Still, the company says people are already lining up.
GRU Space plans to open the hotel around 2032, beginning with inflatable lunar habitats designed to host up to four guests for multi-day stays. According to reporting by the Observer, visitors would take part in moonwalks, rover driving, and even lunar golf. The initial structure is expected to last about a decade before being replaced with something more permanent. The long-term vision includes a brick-style building inspired by San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, built using lunar materials.
GRU founder Skyler Chan, who launched the company at 22 after graduating from UC Berkeley, frames the project as more than a luxury flex. “We need to really shoot for the literal moon,” Chan told Observer, describing the hotel as an early step toward sustained human life beyond Earth.
Everything We Know About the Moon Hotel
The pitch taps into a growing belief in tech and aerospace circles that humanity’s future includes off-world addresses. Chan argues that space remains controlled by governments and billionaire-backed companies, and that tourism could open a third lane. “Lunar tourism is the best first wedge to spin up the lunar economy,” he said.
The economics are staggering. GRU’s reservation site notes that final pricing hasn’t been set, but the total cost of a stay will likely exceed $10 million once transportation is included. Applicants must also pay a $1,000 non-refundable fee and submit to medical, financial, and background checks. Review of applications is expected to begin this year.
GRU’s roadmap includes a 2029 lunar mission to test conditions and begin early construction experiments. Two years later, the company plans to deploy additional payloads near a lunar pit selected for protection from radiation and extreme temperature swings. Advisors on the project include planetary scientists, and the company has received early backing from Y Combinator, along with ties to aerospace and defense firms.
The idea aligns with broader space policy momentum. The White House has outlined plans for a permanent lunar presence by the end of the decade, citing scientific, economic, and national security goals.
The Moon hotel hasn’t welcomed guests yet, but it’s certainly welcoming money. What it offers is straightforward. Enough money and approval buy a night in a place few humans have experienced.
The post You Can Now Reserve a Hotel Room on the Moon, If You Can Afford It appeared first on VICE.
