Diving into the sea, staying dry and then staying a few days in an underwater paradise - sounds like a dream, but it can actually become reality for holidaymakers. We show you the most beautiful underwater hotels in the world.
1. "The Muraka" at the Conrad Rangali Island Resort, Maldives
The Maldives are considered a dream destination - but not only for those who like to enjoy the snow-white beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters from their hotel room. The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island resort, which belongs to Hilton, has designed an underwater dream with the suite "The Muraka".
The suite is located in a stand-alone villa at the end of the resort and can only be reached by speedboat - absolute tranquillity is thus guaranteed. "The Muraka" extends over two floors and is located five metres below the surface of the Indian Ocean. One of the three bedrooms is very special: it is in a kind of underwater tunnel that can be reached via a staircase or a lift. Even while holidaymakers freshen up in the bathroom, they can enjoy the view of fish.
Those who can't or don't want to spend around 11,500 euros per night on "The Muraka" can still watch fish from dry land at the resort. The underwater restaurant Ithaa is also located five metres below sea level and was the first underwater restaurant made entirely of glass when it opened in 2005.
2 Reefsuites at Whitsundays Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Snorkelling and diving are not the only things to do on the Great Barrier Reef. Since December 2019, there is also Australia's first underwater hotel there. The Reefsuites hotel is located at Whitsundays Island and allows a view of the world's largest coral reef from the bed.
At least for guests of the two suites equipped with bulletproof glass, which are located about 75 kilometres from the mainland. From here, both day and night, there is the possibility of discovering reef sharks or sea turtles, for example, in addition to all kinds of colourful fish.
By the way, a night in a double room at the Reefsuites is comparatively cheap: around 580 euros per person. For single occupancy it is 840 euros. By the way, another underwater hotel is being planned in the south of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
3. Jules' Undersea Lodge in Florida, USA
If you want to stay atJules' Undersea Lodge in the USA, you first have to get into the water: The hotel is located completely underwater and can only be reached by scuba diving - a diving instructor brings guests from ten years of age safely there.
The hotel was built in a former underwater laboratory and is located about one and a half metres above the floor of a protected mangrove lagoon. There are two bedrooms in the lodge off the coast of Florida, which can accommodate up to six people.
The guests have to share one living area. If the colourful hustle and bustle with seahorses and parrot fish in front of the porthole gets too boring, you can retreat and watch Netflix instead. Oh yes, for the hungry: there is a pizza delivery service! One night in Jules' Undersea Lodge costs 557 euros per person, those who want to stay only three hours pay 123 euros.
4. Ocean Suites at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore
At Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, you can stay twice as spectacular: The eleven "Ocean Suites" are located in the theme park - one of the largest in Asia. The drawback: although the suites are named after a sea, they are located in a private area of the theme park's aquarium.
In the "Ocean Suites" you stay among around 100,000 sea creatures, including hammerhead sharks, manta rays and clown fish - and all that for 1068 euros per night.
5. Manta Resort on Pemba Island, Tanzania
Waking up with octopuses and all kinds of colourful fish - that's possible on Zanzibar. More precisely, on Pemba Island, which belongs to Zanzibar. There you will find the Manta Resort, which has its own underwater room. Said room is located in a luxurious but small wooden hut about 250 metres from the resort, in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The underwater hotel is only accessible by boat.
While the living area and bathroom are above water and a terrace invites you to jump into the warm water and snorkel, one part of the bedroom is completely underwater. From the double bed, guests have a unique view of the private Blue Hole lagoon, a marine reserve with some rare marine animals.
Incidentally, a second bedroom is located virtually on the roof of the hut - here guests enjoy a view of the stars for a change. The luxury of this remote and spectacular hotel room with a view, unique in Tanzania, costs 1516 euros per night in a double room.
6. Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland, China
How about a warm bubble bath in the luxury tub while fish swim around you? At the Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland in Shanghai, China, you can. The luxury hotel in a disused quarry was designed by the architects who are also responsible for the Burj Al Arab in Dubai and comprises 18 floors.
Two floors are located under an aquarium around ten metres deep, where all kinds of colourful sea creatures cavort, including reef sharks and stingrays. In the two underwater suites, guests can fall asleep, have breakfast or bathe with a view of the animals. The two suites are available for 1785 and 2100 euros per night.
If that's too much for you, you can also simply spend an evening underwater in the underwater restaurant Mr. Fisher. Guests dine here in front of ceiling-high glass windows with a view of the aquarium's coral reef. The menu, by the way, mainly features sea creatures.
7. Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
In the north of the Male Atoll on the Maldives is the Huvafen Fushi Hotel. There are no underwater rooms here, but there are common areas: you can dine underwater and get a massage in the world's first underwater spa while the fish pass you by.
8. Atlantis The Palm Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai is the city of superlatives - so it's probably no surprise that the largest city in the United Arab Emirates also has an underwater hotel. In the luxury hotel Atlantis The Palm there are about 1500 rooms, and two of them are under the water. From the suites "Neptune" and "Poseidon" you have a view of life in the huge artificial lagoon Ambassador at the hotel. Around the coral reef in the lagoon live 65,000 marine animals - including sharks.
Two of the three floors of the suites are below the water surface, while the lounge is above ground. Bedrooms and bathrooms are fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows for the perfect experience. Since opening in 2004, the two suites have enjoyed great popularity - although a night in the "Poseidon" costs 13,838 euros and one in the "Neptune" 7484 euros. The prices are for three adults or two adults and two children.
Again, if you don't have the money, you should consider a visit to the Ossiano restaurant. It is located under water, as it were, and only a few metres away from the two suites. During lunch or dinner, guests enjoy more or less the same view, as the restaurant is glazed over its full width.
9. Hotell Utter Inn Västerås, Sweden
There is also an underwater hotel in Europe, at least a small one and not by the sea, but on a lake. About a kilometre from the mainland, on Lake Mälaren in Västerås in Sweden, you will find a small floating hotel that can accommodate two people. The Hotell Utter Inn is an art project by Mikael Genberg (who, by the way, also designed the previously presented Floating Hotel of the Manta Resort on Zanzibar) and consists of a small, floating, red wooden hut from which you can jump into the water.
But the highlight awaits you underwater: the bedroom is located three metres below the water surface and has panoramic windows on all four sides of the room. So you can watch the fish of Lake Mälaren from your bed. Guests pay around 350 euros per night for a double room.
10. "Lovers Deep Submarine" in the Caribbean, St. Lucia
Here comes one of the most expensive hotels in the world: The submarine "Lovers Deep Submarine", which has its home on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, is not only the most luxurious submarine in the world, you can even travel from place to place in your underwater hotel and thus always get to know new underwater life.
The British luxury travel agency Oliver's Travel has had the mega-submarine in its programme since 2014. As befits their status, a butler and their own chef are included in the stay. The fun is not cheap: one night costs a whopping 177,200 euros for two people.
11. Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, Maldives
The Maldives are pioneers when it comes to underwater hotels, and the Asian island state in the middle of the Indian Ocean also has the largest selection. On the island of Kihavah Huravalhi, the thatched bungalows of the Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas hotel complex await guests.
While the rooms are all topside, there is also plenty to discover under the sea. For example, the unique underwater wine cellar. Guests can also enjoy underwater life on dry land with a meal at the Sea restaurant, which includes the wine cellar. The dining room is one to two metres below the surface of the sea, depending on the tide, and lobster or beef is served while turtles and colourful fish swim past.
12. Atlantis Nassau on Paradise Island in the Caribbean, Bahamas
The Atlantis Nassau hotel complex on Paradise Island in the Bahamas in the Caribbean is completely dedicated to the theme of the ocean and water. The various hotel complexes are integrated into a water adventure park with slides, snorkelling and diving opportunities, lagoons and waterfalls.
Although you have to spend the night above water, parts of the hotel are located below the water surface, which provides maritime adventures for all guests. For example, how about rushing through the lagoon in a transparent water slide, past sharks and other fish? That's exactly what you can experience in the Mayan Temple Shark Lagoon!
If you want less action but still want to get up close to marine life, visit the Predator Lagoon. A 30-metre long transparent tunnel made of acrylic leads through the lagoon and allows you to see stingrays, sharks and other fish.
13. Niyama Resort, Maldives
The Niyama Resort in the Maldives doesn't have underwater rooms like some other hotel resorts there, but it does have a freely accessible underwater restaurant. The Subsix is located in the middle of the sea and can only be reached by speedboat. You descend three floors and experience a completely new world about six metres below sea level. Moray eels, turtles and parrot fish are among the inhabitants on the other side of the huge glass wall.
While the meals at Subsix are quite expensive at around 165 euros per person for a multi-course meal, you can drink cocktails for as little as 15 euros. So a trip to one of the many party nights down here is worthwhile.