The British airship R-100, described as 'small hotel,' flies through a thick layer of cloud in 1929. The airship was designed to hold 100 passengers and was made up of three decks, with 14 two-berth and 18 four-berth cabins. She was scrapped after the crash of her sistership, the R-101, in 1930. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

Ocean liners are known as the epitome of luxurious travel, offering the best amenities and entertainment on board—from swimming pools and restaurants to golfing to zip-lining. But in 1929, a British airship set off in its maiden flight, offering glamour and luxury designed to compete with the great liners.

Built in 1925, the R-100 was part of a British government , according to The Daily Mail. The six-petrol engine-propelled airship,which took off on its first flight in 1929 holding 100 passengers and 37 crew, was intended for commercial operations to India and Canada.

The airship, which was described in brochure as "like a small hotel” and "intermediate in comfort between a Pullman coach and ocean liner," had three decks for passenger and crew accommodations. Crew occupied the lower deck, while the second deck featured an elaborate dining room, which doubled as the passenger lounge, plus the kitchen, 18 four-berth passenger cabins and a deck on either side with windows offering passengers views. The third deck held a gallery running around the dining-room and 14 two-berth cabins.

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The R-100 made her maiden flight on December 16, 1929, departing from Howden, Yorkshire in England, and flying slowly to York. Its first long-haul voyage was originally set for India but the destination was changed to Canada, as it was considered that a flight to the tropics with petrol aboard would be too hazardous.

The airship departed for Canada on July 29, 1930, reaching its mooring mast at the St-Hubert, Quebec Airport (outside of Montreal) in 78 hours. The airship stayed at Montreal for 12 days with enthusiastic crowds of over 100,000 people visiting the airship each day while it was moored there. It returned to Cardington, England in August after a 57-hour flight.

However, that would be the R-100's last voyage. Its sistership, the R-101, encountered a large storm over France during a voyage to India and crashed, killing all but eight men on board. The British Air Ministry ordered the R-100 grounded. The airship waseventually sold for less than £600 after being grounded and steam-rolled flat, according to The Daily Mail.

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Circa 1936: Air hostess Daphne Kearley of Golders Green tending to the crew of the new luxury air service from Croydon, England to Paris, operated by Air Dispatch. (Ward/Getty Images)