We love how creative hotels get when opening a property, especially when it comes to folding its surroundings into the new space. One design trend we really love are hotels that offer underwater accommodations. Although only a handful of them can boast rooms where you can sleep with the fishes, we have a feeling these immersive experiences will only grow in the coming years. Here are six hotels where you can lay your head next to colorful marine life:
Atlantis, The Palm — Dubai
Atlantis, The Palm offers two underwater suites, Neptune and Poseidon, that view out onto the ancient ruins of the mythical lost city and the hotel's namesake. With floor-to-ceiling windows peering out into the Ambassador Lagoon, guests will be able to catch a glimpse of more than 65,000 marine creatures from their beds. Each three-floor suite comes with a 24-hour butler, dolphin encounter, daily session with a personal trainer, a massage and priority restaurant reservations. Rates begin at around USD $8,800 a night.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island — Maldives
Although Conrad Maldives’ Ithaa Undersea restaurant isn’t a hotel room per se, it can actually be transformed into a suite should a guest request it. Situated 16 feet below the surface, the space offers 180-degree panoramic views and has just enough room for two. On most other occasions, the 12-person dining room serves contemporary European cuisine in a set, six-course dinner menu. So if the exclusive room is not available, be sure to still make it down for a decadent meal. Rates available upon request.
Manta Resort — Pemba Island
Probably your best bet when seeking a private underwater room is Manta Resort which has a floating island bedroom for guests. The only one of its kind, the suite lies approximately 820 feet from the shore, and the bedroom sits 13 feet below the surface. Above water, the building has a lounge area, bathroom and deck. A ladder leads to its roof which lends itself to more sunbathing areas and the perfect spot for some star gazing. From the bedroom, guests can watch shoals of reef fish go by from the with 360-degree glass panes. There are also resident wildlife such as three bat fish and a trumpet fish who are always around. In the evenings, octopus and Spanish dancers have been seen attaching themselves to the glass which are lit by underwater spotlights. Rates begin at around $1,500 a night.
Planet Ocean Underwater Hotel — TBD
Planned for Key West in Florida, the Planet Ocean Underwater hotel is still in its planning stages and is awaiting a developer to get its concept off the ground. Last year, the project finally received USA Patent and Trademark approval and is looking toward Hawaii, Egypt, the Bahamas and Malaysia as its preferred locations.The room pods will be designed in a factory before being transported to the area for on-site assembly. The hotel itself will be made of thick double-welded steel and sheets of clear, thick acrylic. The resort will have a dining area, lounge and an underwater elevator that will take off from a floating catamaran. Projected rates will be between $3,000-$6,000 per night.
Poseidon Undersea Resorts — Fiji
Almost 15 years in the making, Poseidon Undersea Resort seems to be no closer to opening than when work first began on the structure in 2001. However, its website seems to suggest that hope is not yet lost. The brainchild of L. Bruce Jones Chairman of U.S. Submarines, the resort is aiming to be the world’s first permanent one-atmosphere structure on the seafloor. If everything goes as planned it will boast 22 guestrooms, a restaurant, bar, wedding chapel, spa, conference room and 1,200-square-foot luxury suite. Each room will be made from transparent acrylic and will have underwater lights controllable from an inside switch and an external fish feeder. Its 5,000-acre lagoon reaches depths of up to 90 feet and will be a playground for snorkeling and diving fans. There’s also a hefty waiting list, with an estimated 150,000 guests waiting to experience the resort.
The Water Discus — Dubai
Much like Poseidon, The Water Discus has been in the works now since about 2012. Polish company Deep Ocean Technology's (DOT) took on the project with aims at offering travelers a chance to sleep beneath the waters of the Persian Gulf. Swiss firm BIG InvestConsult AG has been tasked with constructing the futuristic property whose underwater portion houses 21 suites. Focusing on 11,000-square feet of space, the submerged areas will sit about 33 feet below the water. It will also feature a restaurant, bar, dive center, decompression chamber and air locks, a spa, open terraces above the waterline and a helipad. Guests will also have the chance to utilize remote-controlled macro cameras that will roam the ocean outside suites, giving them an up-close view of the coral gardens.
