Top 5 Hotels With Underwater Rooms
Fancy spending a luxury holiday in a room with a view? How about an underwater room? With the establishment of the following luxury resorts, your dreams have been made a reality. Welcome to the modern age, where anything is possible. These are our Top 5 destinations around the world with underwater rooms.
1. Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
For the ultimate in relaxing vacations, Huvafen Fushi resort offers 43 overwater bungalows decorated in sleek lines and minimalist colours.
In 2004 the hotel owners took this concept to a whole new level and constructed two underwater treatment rooms for Huvafen Fushi’s Lime Spa. These treatment rooms reflect the spa’s philosophy, that ‘water is the equilibrium and elixir of life.’ The spa complex is laid out in a series of bungalows, with the underwater rooms accessible via a staircase.
If you can’t manage to get a reservation, don’t panic. Huvafen Fushi’s other spa-treatment rooms have glass-bottomed floors so you can still gaze off into the deep.
2. Jules’ Undersea Lodge, Key Largo
The Jules’ Undersea Lodge, named for science fiction author Jules Verne, is the only undersea hotel currently in existence. To enter the lodge, guests must scuba dive 21 feet beneath the surface, swimming past all manner of marine life on their way.
This destination is aimed at avid scuba divers. Thus, the decor focuses on functionality, as opposed to extravagance. There are two guest rooms and a common room which doubles as a galley, dining and entertainment area.
Breakfast and dinner are served in the underwater rooms, but for something a little bit extra, guests can request the services of a “mer-chef” who dives down to the hotel to prepare and serve a gourmet dinner.
3. The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa
The Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa is spread over two islands and is famed for its overwater villas, each a massive 1,600 square feet in size and featuring their own private sun decks and outdoor Jacuzzis. Also available are spa villas, which have their own private treatment room with sea views.
But to truly experience the treasures of the deep guests can book a table at Ithaa, an all-glass, underwater restaurant. Ithaa is situated five metres below sea level. Diners enter from an overwater platform so they never even get their feet wet. The room has a domed glass ceiling and 180 degrees views of the sea, with accommodation for 12 diners.
To cap off a truly aquatic experience guests can head to the spa, which is built on stilts 110 yards out to sea.
4. Hydropolis, Dubai
Scheduled for completion late 2009, Hydropolis will be the world’s first luxury underwater hotel. Architect Joachim Hauser’s futuristic vision is taking shape 20 metres below the surface of the Persian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai.
The original idea for Hydropolis developed out of the architect’s passion for the sea. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares.
This undersea resort even features a children’s SeaWorld.
5. Atlantis the Palm, Dubai
Today, the Atlantis holds the prime spot on the outer rim of the Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island that juts from the coast of Dubai.
The 1539-room Atlantis consists of two towers, a conference centre, a spa, a private beach and the water park. Taking the mythological sunken island of Atlantis as its theme the resort aims for the wow factor right from the start, with terraced water gardens at the entry and an ornate, high-vaulted lobby.
The Neptune and Poseidon suites, which face that three-story aquarium, have private floor-to-ceiling underwater views from the bedrooms. If guests are unable to tear themselves away from watching the 65,000 marine animals, a 24-hour private butler is available to serve refreshments.
Then there are the Lost Chambers Suites – with bed and bath views directly into the underwater world of the Ambassador Lagoon.