Hydropolis – Undersea Hotel Off the Coast of Dubai
Hydropolis, the world’s first luxury undersea hotel, is set to open in 2009. Located off the coast of Dubai, in 66 feet under the Persian Gulf (known locally as the Arabian Gulf), the resort will encompass 260 hectares (1.1 million square feet), and contain 220 hotel suites. The complex will also contain a ballroom, a shopping mall, and a missile-defense system against terrorists.
Joachim Hauser
The $520 million project is being developed and designed by Joachim Hauser, who says he was inspired by Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The resort is being built on the last free piece of beach property on this particular coast, of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktourm, Crown Prince of Dubai.
The form of the hotel will be a figure eight, lying on its side, encompassed in a circle. The forms in the figure will contain restaurants, meeting areas, bars, and themed suites. Passengers will enter Hydropolis through a noiseless train moved along by a cable.
Rooms under construction:
Hydropolis will not be a dive resort. It’s being developed specifically to cater to those who do not even swim, as a way for them to enjoy the undersea world. Hauser says, “We are expecting around 3,000 visitors per day in addition to the hotel guests. The aim is to inspire people to develop a new awareness of the sea.” A chain of underwater hotels is now being planned. Nine countries including Oman, Monaco, and China (for the Yellow Sea) have shown interest.
Madame Monet
Tags: Missile-defense system
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
April 7, 2008 at 4:36 pm
This is absolutly amazing. I would love to visit!
April 7, 2008 at 4:50 pm
That first photo of the Hydropolis makes it look like a crocodile with its mouth open–is that how it SHOULD look? Of course the submarine in the 20,000 Leagues is always represented as a fish or other sea monster. Funny how architects get their ideas from fiction–and OLD fiction!.
April 9, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Now, this Madame Monet, is the hotel of my dreams! I loved Jules Verne’s visionary writing, and I’m a sci-fi nut, so what better place to visit? Someone I used to work with out in the Caribbean, a show producer who developed the spectaculars for the cruise ships and London theatres, was recently commissioned to mount an enormous spectacular show for the “Palm Tree” resort in the Middle East, I forget the name. All I know is, that area is awash with business dollars, and I think we can expect to see even more jaw-dropping projects on the horizon.
April 9, 2008 at 9:00 pm
That is hardcore. There is no end to what american petro dollars can buy these days. Maybe when gas gets to $5 a gallon we can get a discounted room rate.
The hotel reminds me a bit of Atlantis. I dunno much about it yet, but I understand it holds the key to many of our questions.
Can you recommend a good Shiraz or Syrah for under $10? I know it is cheap, but I do not have a lot of bread to throw around. With my vodka and craft beer diet, there is little room to budge.
April 11, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Well, Kev Moore, this is not the hotel of MY dreams! I would accept to visit it, would be surely very excited about it, but not more! I am sure I would feel like in a prison down there…
Strange that I have this feeling in fact, because I have done a lot of scuba diving and I totally loved it. I never felt claustrophobic down there, on the contrary, i felt very free, much more free than up there on dry land.
But to live there? No!
June 23, 2008 at 12:55 am
The guy is a genius, absolute genius!! I can not wait to see the final product, this has brought a whole new world to construction, unbelievable!
July 20, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I Think That This Is Really Incredible. But All I Want To Know Is How much will it cost to stay for a whole week?????????
July 21, 2008 at 6:24 am
I’ve been wondering what the cost will be, too! Whenever they do open, I’ll see if I can find out the cost and do a post on it.
Madame Monet
July 24, 2008 at 2:17 am
G. Marie,
See my latest post on Jules’ Undersea Lodge, where you CAN visit NOW, and the price is $475 per person, per night.
http://winewriter.wordpress.com/2008/07/22/jules-undersea-lodge-off-key-largo-florida/
Best regards,
Madame Monet
April 29, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Has anyone noticed how it looks like a phallic symbol?
April 29, 2009 at 2:33 pm
i wanna go.i wanna go. i wanna go!
my mom has gone their as a guest but i never went their.do u hav any idea how much it coasts?? ALOT!
May 2, 2009 at 4:46 am
This is awesome, Im kinda poor- well not quite middle class and hope this will be an affordable visit.
PS…The picture on top looks like a huge penis on its side. seems the ego of the creator has slimpped in the design itself ?
Its still very pretty though 
May 2, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Waw!!!! So, Gorgeous!!! and very contrast with our islamic school building.
May 15, 2009 at 7:14 pm
is a beatiful hotel in the world
June 16, 2009 at 6:36 am
can anybody tell me for sure if this has even started construction??
July 17, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Yes it has:
http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/Hydropolis/
August 7, 2009 at 5:31 am
Oh Lord..
This hotel very amazing.. I can’t imagine! i wanna go there surely..
I love it badly!
August 27, 2009 at 2:04 am
[...] http://winewriter.wordpress.com/2008/04/06/hydropolis-undersea-hotel-off-the-coast-of-dubai/ [...]