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Still Not Happening: Istanbul's Fantastical Underwater Hotel

You know the feeling you get when you look at fantastical hotel models? You think: "wow wouldn't that be great! Too bad it'll never actually get built." Well, that's how we feel about the rumored Underwater Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, which—believe it or not—is due to open later this year.

YEAH RIGHT. Nevermind that we don't have a name for the hotel (the rumor is it's called "Poseidon"--snore!) and nevermind that the information about the place is the same stuff being circulated since early 2008; we would really like to sleep in a 7-star hotel underwater, so we want it to work out, damnit.

Yes, you heard that right—this baby is aiming to be a 7-star hotel, like Dubai's Burj Al-Arab, except that the Al-Arab is above the water's surface and this one won't be. It's being developed by Tanriverdi Holding, and the budget is a cool $500 million.

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Underwater Hotel at the Great Barrier Reef: Is It Really Eco-Friendly?

We are big fans of Queensland's incredible Great Barrier Reef and since we keep reading that it's kinda threatened by human activity and global warming, we're not really sure that we like the idea of the floating hotel called Reefworld that the UK Times reported about on the weekend.

They're saying that Reefworld will be the world's first "fully eco-friendly floating hotel" and includes eight underwater guestrooms. The bathrooms will have glass walls so all the fish will be able to see what you're up to in there! The plan is to combine it with a research facility, and also power the whole thing using solar panels and its own turbines and "underwater trickle-charge generators".

It sounds a bit science fiction-like and reactions have been mixed. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority have apparently given it their support, but local dive operators are more skeptical. And while in theory we love the idea of an underwater bedroom, we'd rather make sure the reef was still there for future generations to enjoy. Because that's just the kind of people we are.

[Photo: Leonard Low]

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Underwater Hotel Planned for Istanbul

Planned Underwater Hotels Poseidon (Fiji) and Hydropolis (Dubai) are getting some more competition.

Istanbul has announced its own plans for an underwater hotel which will open in 2010, the same year the city will be taking over as the Capital of Culture. From TrendHunter:

The underwater hotel is being built on the ruins of a historical 1930s tobacco factory and will have restaurants, exhibition halls, and rooms all with sea view rooms.

It will be interesting to check-in and check-out the underwater hotel rooms and facilities, as local experts suggest that the underwater visibility of the Istanbul Bosphorus Strait (which is the body of water that links the Black Sea, to the north, with the Sea of Marmara, to the south) is about ten feet.

We have zero faith in these underwater hotels so we can't get really excited about all this. However, The Poseion Resort has got a fancy website that is pretty legit. With an opening date of September 2008, (reservations are to start March 17, 2008) this place should be well under construction. Although since the location is supposed to be a "secret" no one can really check on the status.

We have a feeling this is going to end up as another land-lubbing resort with overwater bungalows but prove us wrong Poseidon.

Tags: Britney Spears / Airport Hotels / WiFi Hell / Hotel Sick / Underwater Hotels / Donald Trump / → All Tags

Drurys and Comfort Inns Hating on HotelChatter?

· Britney Spears: Can she just give up her parental rights now? The trainwreck claimed to be too sick for a deposition in a child custody case but went out later that night to the Four Seasons.

· Hotel WiFi Hell: Brother site Jaunted reports that the DIA airport blocks some websites and even more shockingly, HotelChatter is a blocked site at some Drury and Comfort Inns. Whatever, our Trapper Keeper is cooler than yours.

· Airport Hotels: Forbes has put together a list of the world's best. Not on the list? Yotels.

· Hotel Sick: You probably shouldn't drink from those hotel room glasses.

· Underwater Hotels: We still don't believe any of these underwater hotels will open but The Hydropolis Hotel still keeps putting out the hype.

· Donald Trump: The Trumpster pushes his way into Scotland.

Tags: Hotel Openings / Hotel Hype / Underwater Hotels / Macau Hotel Reviews / → All Tags

Hard Rock is Coming to Macau

Where: Macau, China

Since Macau is doing everything they possibly can to recreate the Las Vegas strip on their own Cotai Strip, it's no surprise that a Hard Rock Hotel will open there as part of the City of Dreams complex. What is surprising is this Hydropolis trend might have legs:

The City of Dreams development is planned to feature an underwater- themed casino and four luxurious hotels, including Hard Rock Hotel, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency and the Crown Towers, among other features. The development is planned to open in two phases, with the first phase (which is planned to include the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Macau), expected to be opened late 2008.

Ok, so it's not actually an underwater hotel but we're guessing the City of Dreams will have lots of fish tanks around.

As for the Hard Rock, plan on seeing approximately 380 rooms all designed by "Hard Rock designers", probably like Ashlee Simpson and Carmen Electra, including two "Rock Star" mega-suites. LIke the other Hard Rock properties there will be a live menu venue, a Hard Rock restaurant, a VIP nightclub, and a pool area. No word on whether or not you can have sex in the pool there.

[Photo: VelouriaDark]

Related Stories:
· Hard Rock International Announces Signing of Definitive Agreements for Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Macau [Yahoo! Biz]
· Ashlee and Carmen: Suite Designers [HotelChatter]

Tags: Underwater Hotels / Hotel Hype / Futuristic Hotels / → All Tags

A More Plausible Underwater Hotel

We mentioned this hotel last week in our PM Linkage but we decided that it really deserves a closer look.

The Cool Hunter reported that the Atkin's Architecture Group was the winner of an international design competition with their resort hotel complex that is built within a natural water-filled quarry in Songjiang, China.

[T]he 400 bed resort hotel is uniquely constructed within the natural elements of the quarry. Underwater public areas and guest rooms add to the uniqueness, but the resort also boasts cafes, restaurants and sporting facilities.

The lowest level runs with the aquatic theme by housing a luxurious swimming pool and an extreme sports center for activities such as rock climbing and bungee jumping which will be cantilevered over the quarry and accessed by special lifts from the water.

We actually think this is a more plausible hotel design than some other underwater hotel designs like Hydropolis. No word on when or if this thing will actually be built.

Related Stories:
· Waterworld [Cool Hunter]
· Cool Cliffside hotel [Brem Experience]

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A Virtual YouTube Tour of Poseidon Undersea Resort

The Poseidon Undersea Resort is not slated to open for another couple of years, but this week a virtual tour of the resort surfaced on YouTube.  Furthermore, the resort website is claiming that starting January 15 2007 you can start making reservations at $30,000 per couple per week.

This all sounds suspect, since as far as we know this place isn't even built yet.  Maybe they are opening a Second Life version next year--only half kidding.

Here is what we said a couple years back about this place:

In our fantasy reality program Poseidon Real World 30 is a mix of Survivor, Real World, and American Idol. Every couple of weeks the audience gets to vote one annoying cast member out of the pod and into the ocean. Then, we get to watch, on live television, as the annoying cast member is tossed through the transparent acrylic walls into the ocean and told to fend for themselves.

And here is what a YouTube commenter said about his vision for the resort:

All the bellhops should be like fish people. And when they talk, they just have bubbles come out of their mouth. And you would just tip them with coral or some fish food, and they're all happy to get it because they're fish.

Related Stories:
· Underwater Hotels [HotelChatter]
· 1,200 Square Feet Under the Sea [Popsci]

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Fiji's Underwater Hotel to Open Soon? That Sounds a Bit Fishy

Where: Fiji

The facts are getting a little more concrete on Fiji's coming underwater hotel--although to match its name, the exact location of Poseidon Resort's Mystery Island is still, well, a mystery. Press reports are pretty firm on construction beginning next month, with 24 underwater suites 40 foot down will complement beach and over water bungalows to make up the resort. Submarine engineers have been hard at work designing the suites, revolving restaurant and spa treatment rooms to give you the ultimate in live-with-the-fishes luxury--remember, they're calling it a 7-star resort.

Just when you'll be able to spend your $15,000 a week (note that only 2 of these nights will actually be spent underwater) is still a bit murky. Here at HotelChatter our last predicted completion date was mid-2008; press reports have pushed that a little to September 2008, and Poseidon's website itself mentions early 2009. We don't recommend making your reservations just yet.

Related Stories:
Underwater Hotel Death Match [HotelChatter]
Underwater Resort on the Horizon [Business Traveller]

Tags: Hotel Hype / Underwater Hotels / → All Tags

Underwater Hotel Death Match: Poseidon Versus Hydropolis

We love this statistical breakdown of the proposed underwater hotels--Hydropolis and Poseidon--compiled by Waterlog. Using information gathered from hyped-up press releases, news reports, and brochures, Waterlog assembles a side by side comparison of each hotel. So far it looks like Hydropolis is winning with its earlier opening date, more number of rooms, missile-detecting radar and a cheaper room rate. (Although having in-room fish feeders would have been nice.)

But in the end, this is all the ultimate in hotel hype. Or as Waterlog puts the chances of these hotels opening:

Neither one is my bet. Most of these Jules Verne fantasies get no further than a URL.

Amen. The same can almost be said of Jason Pomeranc's hotels.

Related Stories:
· Underwater mega-resort smackdown: Fiji v. Dubai [Waterlog]
· Hydropolis, Dubai: 20,000 Leagues Under the Persian Gulf [HotelChatter]
· Poseidon Looking to Fish Slap Competition [HotelChatter]

Tags: Underwater Hotels / → All Tags

Underwater Hotel to Be Built in Dubai

Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

We've seen the wonders of the Ice Hotels and Tree Hotels but we've only heard the whispers of the Underwater Hotels.

Today we have some answers.

The Khaleej Times reports that the construction of the $500 million Hydropolis Underwater Resort in Dubai will start next month. The completion date is set for 2008.

It appears that the hotel, with rumors of rooms going for $3,000 a night, will have two distinct parts.

The shallow water hotel will be shaped as a bowl and will be positioned on the sea ground.... The deep water version is floating in the sea with anchors on the ground.

The bowl will be constructed externally and then positioned on the location. It will then be emptied of the water and equipped with huge aquariums as an attraction for the guests. "At the shallow water hotel, guests are exposed to big fish tanks that contain controlled water and fish, since shallow water is muddy and not transparent. At the deep water hotel, visitors are looking directly into the sea," [a spokesperson for the hotel] said.

Despite the announcement of construction, the hotel has been hard-hit to find financing. "Banks have so far been very reluctant," said one official in the article.

Um, maybe because we all fear that scene in Jaws where the shark bites through the underwater aquarium walkway will actually come to life during our "peaceful" hotel stay?

Related Stories:
· Underwater hotel construction to begin next month [The Khaleej Times]
· 20,000 Leagues Under the Persian Gulf [HotelChatter]
· Poseidon Looking to Fish-Slap Competition [HotelChatter]

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Poseidon Looking To Fish Slap Competition

A couple months back we did a story on the Poseidon--and it excuse our terrible joke--but the story seems to have resurfaced on ABC News, and a couple of blogs.

For those interested here are the couple of stories we have on underwater hotels:

• Watch Out For Peeping Fish
• 20,000 Leagues Under The Persian Gulf
• Diving Away To Key Largo

BTW: If these underwater hotels ever come to fruition, we are rooting for the Poseidon to host to Real World 30 in the year 2020. The premise? We watch seven people, live under water, to see what happens when people stop being polite, and start getting wet.

In our fantasy program Poseidon Real World 30 is a mix of Survivor, Real World, and American Idol. Every couple of weeks the audience gets to vote one annoying cast member out of the pod and into the ocean. Then, we get to watch, on live television, as the annoying cast member is tossed through the transparent acrylic walls into the ocean and told to fend for themselves.

Make it happen Bunim-Murray.

We are glad this whole underwater hotel theme is top of mind again.

Related Stories:
·   Five-Star Hotel Under the Seat [ABC News]
·   Sleeping with the fishes [We Make Money Not Art]
·   Poseidon Resorts [Luxist]

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Watch out for Peeping Fish

Where: Bahamas

For those not content to vacation on the beach or even just off the beach, another option is on the way. We've seen too many movies featuring underwater complexes plagued by sharks and giant squid to line up for this one, but it looks like the world's first real undersea hotel is about to become a reality.

Poseidon Undersea Resort will open in early 2006 off Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. A $40 million development by submarine expert Bruce Jones, the resort will offer 22 $1500/night rooms 50 feet under the surface of the sea. Predictably, it will be made of clear acrylic, so you can feed the tropical fish in the surrounding coral garden, and ostensibly to give you a better view of any approaching sea monsters.

Unlike other, geekier undersea destinations, the Poseidon will require no scuba diving to enter; the seafloor complex will be connected via acrylic walkways to a dive shop, swimming pool, tennis courts and cafe onshore. 22 rooms will also be available shoreside, for those who'd rather not go the Jacques Cousteau route.

Jones is going to have to move fast: A competing higher-budget and yet more sci-fi project off the coast of Dubai is also in the works. (Click here for artist's renderings.) Hydropolis Underwater Resort Hotel will cost a projected $550 million and guests will fork over $5,500 a night.