Inside The World's First Underwater Hotel Room

Forget sea views, theConrad Maldives Rangali Island has just unveiled designs for a hotel suitethat offers 360 ocean views – from the ocean floor.

Suitably named 'The Muraka', which translates as "coral" in the nativeDhivehi language, the 100-square-metre lodge is made up of two levels; an extensive over water suite with panoramic views; and an underwater suite, five metres under the Indian Ocean. It will be completelyimmersed in marine life – with wild sea turtles, colourful tropical fish, sting rays and even sharks swimming above guests' heads.

Expected to open in November 2018, it will be the world's first underwater accommodation that sits on the ocean floor, surrounded byrich marine life.

Designed by Ahmed Saleem, the director at Crown Company, the two-storey water villa cost over £10 million to build and is made from steel, concrete, and acrylic, with one level above the water and another level below.

The underwater part was built above ground in Singapore, shipped to the Maldives and submerged over six hours. Fresh air, electricity and running water are all delievered to the underwater bedroom from the upstairs villa.

Submerged under the sea,the underwater suite has a king-size bedroom, living area and bathroom, all with clear, acrylic walls and acurved acrylic dome that offers 180 degree views of the crystal clear Indian Ocean.

A spiral staircase leads up to sea level, where there's an additional bedroom, an ocean facing bathroom, an integrated living room, kitchen, bar, and dining area, a gym and even abutler’s quarters.

There's also a sunset deck and a second deck which ispositioned to face sunrise—not to mention an infinity pool, naturally – all with sweeping ocean views.

The underwater suite comes with its ownprivate speed boat for the duration of the stay,as well as daily90-minute massages andnot one but four dedicated butlers on hand 24/7. It'sno surprise that the experience doesn't come cheap at £36,000 per night (and that's before taxes). But after all, in the words of a wise, singing crab, life is simply “better, down where it’s wetter, under the sea.”