Sleep Underwater in the Maldives

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed)
Apr 24th 2010 at 3:02PM

The world's first undersea restaurant opened 5 years ago this month at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, and to celebrate the anniversary the restaurant is offering guests the chance to not only eat under the sea but sleep under it as well. The 12-seat restaurant will be converted to a private bedroom suite for two, complete with private champagne dinner and breakfast in bed.

Ithaa sits five meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean, encased in plexiglass and reached by descending a spiral staircase. The restaurant offers breathtaking views and 'fusion Maldivian cuisine' (local cooking with a western twist), and rumor has it that over lunch the place is so bright that guests and staff have to wear sunglasses (they even keep spares on hand and offer a sunglasses cleaning service). Sounds wonderful, although I imagine seeing the sun rise while eating breakfast in bed is even better.

Tags: hilton, hotels, ithaa, Ithaa restaurant, Maldives, restaurants, sleep underwater, underwater hotel suite, underwater restaurant

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

reallytorkedoff Apr 24th 2010 4:10PM

This is really a fascinating idea, but I have several issues:

1 - How do you get any privacy? Any diver could just swim in and start knocking on the plexiglass, right?

2 - What exactly are the emergency procedures if a major leak occurs or a boat drags a keel or anchor across this thing/

3 - Are the water areas above somehow marked off?

4 - Wouldn't a full moon make it awfully bright inside, too, making it hard to sleep? Or is sleeping really the point?

Toni May 2nd 2010 3:01AM

Well, torked
1) There is a staircase that leads from the restaurant/suite to the surface, so could easily exit. i would have to assume once uptop there is a walkway from there to the shore, otherwise a dock of some sort, point being would be above water. Plus even if couldnt reach the staircase in time, it is ONLY 15 feet beneath the surface, and one could easily just swim to the surface.
2) I would assume the area is roped off in some way so that boats and divers cannot interfere with the patrons enjoying their meals and anyone sleeping in the suite. Plus boats would drive the fish and wildlife away from the plexiglass, which is kind of the point of the whole thing, lol
3) Good point about the full moon, but then if one were to rent this, why in the world would you sleep? i would sleep before i got there so i could observe everything throughout the night.
4) i think it would be incredible to make love all night in this suite with the moonlight above the water line and all the undersea wildlife.. THAT is an experience to share with the grandkids, lol.
5) but in reality, most of us could either not afford what a night here would cost, or desire to spend that kind of monies for same.. It would be an extreme financial indulgence either way, lol.

msuenprestige1 Apr 27th 2010 8:32PM

How amazing to sleep under the ocean, Hilton Maldives is beautiful. http://www.mayleisuen.com

nthn Apr 24th 2010 10:19PM

1. Maybe divers aren't allowed in this part? Either way, don't sleep nude.
2. I would assume that it's not just in the open ocean and that it's somehow sectioned off. As for a leak - you're screwed.
3. I would assume so.
4. Wear one of those eye masks.

Sal Apr 27th 2010 7:57PM

FOR WHAT IT COSTS PER NIGHT YOU CAN SLEEP ANYWAY YOU WANT.

Bryan Apr 25th 2010 10:56AM

How much a night??

brooks Apr 26th 2010 10:43AM

Technically this is now a Conrad property. You can find the website here: http://conradhotels1.hilton.com/en/ch/hotels/index.do?ctyhocn=MLEHICI

indianradha Apr 27th 2010 2:15AM

i do like honest consern and questions. real inocent..... but make sense of
questions and answer make sense............but i water is heavey and any thing happens then surely to die. i do not trust under water anything..... and i am not crazy about fish i would rather like mountain, river, sun, moon and fresh air.........

Deb Apr 27th 2010 8:46AM

I would stay there in a heart beat!!!!!!!!!

Karen Apr 27th 2010 9:17AM

I think that this is an awesome idea. I thought about the privacy issue, too. But just to be under the ocean and sleep under the ocean gives me a since of freedom. What beauty!!! The place has operated as a restaurant for a while with no leaks, so it is probably safe. Some day would like to own a home under the ocean. My ultimate dream!

gloria casola Apr 27th 2010 9:49AM

I would be so scared. It sounds like an awesome idea, but I really really would be scared.

MJSCHWARZ Apr 27th 2010 10:40AM

Gosh, not my idea of paradise. Imagine a great white shark swimming around your head, or a whale. Ick!

Sherylynn Peacock Apr 27th 2010 4:24PM

OMG!

Tina Apr 28th 2010 12:06AM

Who cares about privacy? It's beautiful!! And if a diver happens to wander overhead and catch me in my skivvies, he's gonna want to claw his eyeballs out...

bagc May 1st 2010 10:14AM

It would be like living in a fish bowl.

Duck May 1st 2010 11:04AM

If you could rig this up to hold a bunch of these loonies that voted for the current administration . . . . Great. Get`em settled - - then pull the plug.