The World's 14 Coolest Underwater Hotels
There are plenty of hotels in the world that offer remarkable views, from tropical island escapes right on the water to New York City penthouses with breathtaking skylines. While they are all incredible stays in their own right, these underwater hotels take it one step further. This once-in-a-lifetime experience can transport you to a whole new world, and provide unparalleled aquatic views of colorful fish swimming past your window every night before you go to sleep. Perfect for a romantic getaway, honeymoon, or just a unique trip, these properties from Sweden to the Maldives all offer unique experiences to admire the ocean from a new perspective. (All in the most luxurious of settings, of course.)
Whether you're looking for an overwater-meets-underwater villa where you can jump in the sea before falling asleep under it, or want to dine in a restaurant surrounded by ocean life, these are 14 of the world's coolest underwater hotels to add to your must-visit list.
This article has been updated since its original publish date.
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Courtesy Conrad Maldives Rangali IslandConrad Maldives Rangali Island, Maldives
In 2018, Conrad’s Rangali Island debuted The Muraka (which translates to “coral” in Dhivehi, the local language), a luxe suite submerged more than 16 feet underwater. The two-level structure has an above-water living area, which sits over the main bedroom with acrylic walls that provide 360-degree views of the surrounding ocean. Before you gawk at the price tag, note that the suite includes a gorgeous hotel infinity pool, butler’s quarters, and enough space to sleep nine people.
Nightly rates from: $9,999
Courtesy Niyama Private Islands MaldiveshotelNiyama Private Island Maldives, Maldives
$$$ |
Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023Niyama Private Island Maldives is known for its family-friendly activities and dreamy overwater villas. But the resort's coolest attraction is actually below the waves—Subsix, an underwater restaurant with Champagne breakfasts and views of living coral. To get to Subsix, guests at the resort have to take a quick speedboat ride and descend a three-tier staircase before diving into the seafood menus—all appropriately dramatic (and exclusive) means to a dazzling end.
Nightly rates from: $714
Pia Nordlander/Utter InnUtter Inn Hotel
While the Utter Inn Hotel in Sweden is not surrounded by the warm, tropical waters that many of the other picks on this list are, it's still just as remarkable. This micro property sleeps just two and is set out on a pontoon in Lake Mälaren. Guests can enjoy hanging out on the deck and taking in the views during the day if the weather permits, then retreat to their underwater oasis (about 10 feet below the surface) where they can admire the fish from all four sides of their bedroom before falling asleep. As a bonus, it's one of the most budget-friendly options on this list.
Nightly rates from: $329
Courtesy Journey BeyondReefsuites, Australia
Even for those lucky enough to have visited Australia’s Whitsunday Islands and the nearby Great Barrier Reef, few will ever see the area as intimately as guests staying in Journey Beyond’s Reefsuites do. The suites are all part of a larger experience. First, visitors will snorkel the reef off of a pontoon boat moored 46 miles from Queensland. Then, it’s a sundowner and dinner under the stars, before retiring to a private room below deck with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows ensuring you don’t miss a single fish swimming by.
Nightly rates from: $995
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Courtesy HurawalhihotelHurawalhi, Maldives
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018You may have already seen pictures of Hurawalhi's exceptional underwater restaurant, which is the largest all-glass underwater restaurant in the world. While this hotel doesn't have any underwater accommodations so you won't be able to actually sleep with the fishes, you will get a completely unique experience when eating surrounded by them. The second you step into the undersea restaurant, you'll be amazed by the aquatic life on all sides of the tunnel. Once you've had your fill of being underwater, you can head back to stay at one of the property's luxe overwater villas and see the sea from a whole new perspective.
Nightly rates from: $1,043
Courtesy Intercontinental Shanghai WonderlandInterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, China
The $300 million InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland was built on an abandoned quarry in Songjiang, about 20 miles outside of Shanghai’s city center. Upper-level rooms are afforded balcony views of the surrounding quarry and waterfalls, but the hotel also has two submerged floors with “Premier Underwater View” suites. There’s also a restaurant and swimming pool—yes, an underwater swimming pool.
Nightly rates from: $1,100
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Photo by Jesper AnhedeThe Manta Resort, Tanzania
Open since 2013 on Pemba Island (part of the Zanzibar archipelago), Manta Resort’s “Underwater Room” is a two-minute boat ride away from the beach—consider it more of a tiny private island than a hotel suite. The three-level accommodation offers coral reef views from its submerged bedroom, plus incredible stargazing views from its roof deck. The hotel also offers dive trips all along Pembra Island for when you’re ready to take down the wall between you and the nearby sea critters.
Nightly rates from: $1,840
Courtesy Resorts World SentosaResorts World Sentosa, Singapore
Resorts World Sentosa, just off the coast of Singapore on Sentosa Island, offers 11 two-story suites (Equarius Ocean Suites) with direct access to the resort’s massive aquarium. Overnight guests here can experience the best of both worlds—an outdoor patio on the upper level, and underwater views of the aquarium’s 40,000 fish on the lower level.
Nightly rates from: $1,450
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Courtesy Anantara Kihavah Maldives VillashotelAnantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, Maldives
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Virtually every aspect of the luxury resort island of Anantara Kihavah Maldives is unbelievable, from the white-sand beaches to the thatched-roof villas with private infinity pools. But even those amenities pale in comparison to Sea, the property’s underwater restaurant and wine cellar. Enjoy Maldivian lobster for lunch or pan-seared Japanese wagyu for dinner, all while taking in views of tropical fish and sharks swimming right past the panoramic windows.
Nightly rates from: $1,515
Courtesy of Huvafen FushihotelHuvafen Fushi, Maldives
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023Set in the Indian Ocean, Huvafen Fushi’s rooms are breathtakingly beautiful, though they aren’t underwater themselves. However, you can submerge nearly 25 feet below the surface at the resort’s Huvafen Spa, which offers panoramic reef views during treatments. Guests also have access to Lonu Veyo, the saltwater flotation pool filled with mineral-laden water from the sea.
Nightly rates from: $996
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Georgette Douwma/GettyPullman Maldives Maamutaa
If you've already checked an overwater villa off your travel bucket list, consider visiting The Aqua Villa Experience at Pullman for your next aquatic adventure. The two double-level villas feature an underwater main bedroom as well as an overwater secondary bedroom, meaning you can get the best of both worlds and switch up your view depending on the night. The villas also come with a private pool, deck area, and other great amenities. Take a dip in the waters during the day and then catch the sunset from the private deck before retreating to your own personal aquarium bedroom at night. Wake up to the sights of colorful fish and gorgeous coral.
Nightly rates from: $8,731
Courtesy Atlantis, The PalmAtlantis, The Palm, Dubai
The floor-to-ceiling windows in the Underwater Suite at Atlantis, The Palm look into the resort aquarium’s Ambassador Lagoon—and the 65,000 sea creatures that fill it. The extravagant space comes with plenty of perks beyond the underwater views (although having sharks swim past your bathtub is definitely a highlight), including breakfast in bed, free airport transfers, and a 24-hour private butler.
Nightly rates from: $7,125
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hotelRadisson Collection Hotel, Berlin
$$Radisson Collection Hotel, Berlin (formerly Radisson Blu Hotel) has a variety of accommodations on offer, from cathedral view rooms to the spacious Nikolai Suite, but we’re particular fans of the Aquarium View rooms, which look directly out over the famous 264,000-gallon cylindrical aquarium in the wondrous hotel lobby atrium. While these rooms aren’t technically underwater, the effect is essentially the same—falling asleep to the sight of tropical fish and dreamy blue waters.
Nightly rates from: $283
Courtesy Jules’ Undersea LodgeJules’ Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, Florida
Arriving at your room in Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo will take some work: The only way to get there is to scuba dive. Unlike a number of other underwater accommodations, the entire structure of Jules’ Undersea Lodge is submerged—that’s because it was once a research laboratory (originally set off the coast of Puerto Rico). Today it offers two bedrooms, Wi-Fi, and even a free pizza delivery for dinner. The real joy of staying here, though, is gazing out your window at the mangrove lagoon that surrounds you on all sides.
Nightly rates from: $1,687