This 53-foot houseboat rental is the first on the Grand Strand. See inside
For Tushar Mukhija and his wife Andrea, owning a houseboat started off with how most things seem to these days — a podcast.
The two had recently moved to Myrtle Beach with their son and were looking for a way to get into the hospitality industry. They then heard Brian Meyer, the co-founder and president of FLOHOM, an experiential hospitality brand, discussing the company and its unique houseboats.
Just like that, they were hooked.
Now Mukhija and FLOHOM are bringing that experience to North Myrtle Beach with their latest vessel the Palmera. The luxury houseboat is the 15th FLOHOM vessel and the first of its kind in the Grand Strand.
The Palmera is a 53-foot stationary one-bedroom houseboat designed to fit up to four people. Anyone from residents to people visiting the area can book the vacation rental, Mukhija said.
The vessel, which is docked at Barefoot Landing Marina, became available to rent April 17. A second houseboat, the FLOHOM 17, is expected to also dock at the marina the first week of May and will be two bedrooms, accommodating up to six people. The Mukhijas will also own and operate it.
“A lot of folks don’t have the luxury of getting an experience on the water or staying on the water,” Mukhija said. “We wanted to actually have that be open to everyone that essentially comes to Myrtle Beach.”
Targeting the Grand Strand
Meyer started his journey in the Grand Strand when he attended Coastal Carolina University for the first two years of college. When he helped start FLOHOM, he knew he wanted to place a houseboat on South Carolina’s coast, he said.
Up until now, FLOHOM has only had houseboats in the Mid-Atlantic with locations in place such as Baltimore and Virginia Beach. The newest addition to its group allows for them to break into a new market.
“We started (FLOHOM) with the mindset of scaling and building a brand that is synonymous with the top hospitality brands,” Meyer said. “Myrtle Beach was always on our placement strategy list, just because of the familiarity I had with it, and we already had some relationships with the marina owners in the area.”
Meyer began working with the Mukhijas in the summer of 2025. With some of its vessels, FLOHOM owns the property, but in other cases they have partnerships where another individual or family can own it, while the company manages it. With the Palmera, the Mukhijas will own and operate it, while FLOHOM oversees branding and other logistics.
The Palmera, like the other FLOHOMs, has a main level with a bedroom, full bathroom, kitchen and living room. A spiral staircase right outside the main level then takes visitors up to a rooftop with 360 degree views of the marina and surrounding areas of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Rates for staying at the Palmera vary depending on the timing. Some days are priced at as low as $293 a night, while more premier weekends like Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends can get as high as $960 and $1,516 a night, respectively.
Meyer said he recommends people to book their stay on the houseboat for at least two nights to get the full experience. Vacationers at the houseboat are located across from Barefoot Landing and will also have access to other amenities, such as the Barefoot Resort pool.
The Mukhijas are also hoping to add in some other experiences, such as hiring a private chef, for special occasions, Mukhija said.
“We just hope when people rent this, they can get away, de-stress,” Mukhija said. “Get away from the noise, be on the water, sit on the rooftop and just enjoy life.”
Building a local partnership
Finding the right marina was just as important, Mukhija said. They visited every marina from Little River to Georgetown. Barefoot Landing Marina became the best fit due to its location and facilities.
“Everything hit the checkbox of what we were looking for and what would help this business or this model be successful,” Mukhija said. “I don’t think we could have done it anywhere else in the Grand Strand.”
Marina dockmaster Danny Marcey has been working at Barefoot Landing Marina for five years. At first, he didn’t know much about FLOHOM, but once he started researching the group and talking more with Meyer and the Mukhijas, he knew it would be a good fit for the marina.
“It gives people the opportunity to come down, spend time on water at a great place in North Myrtle Beach,” Danny Marcey said. “I feel very fortunate that they picked us, because I think we’re gonna have a good partnership.”