Underwater resorts are still largely a product of a vivid imagination. Some hotels are in the planning stage, some are currently under construction, but a few hotels already offer the possibility to spend a holiday with the fishes. From partially submerged luxury suites to actual submarine stays, I hereby present you the 10 most spectacular underwater hotels on the planet.

There is more info below the slide show. Think I missed one? Share your favorite underwater hotel in the comments section, or take my poll below!

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10. SHIMAO WONDERLAND INTERCONTINENTAL, CHINA (under construction)

The 380 room Shimao Wonderland InterContinental is currently being built on the site of an abandoned quarry in Songjiang, China, around 30 miles from Shanghai. It will become one of the flagship hotels of the InterContinental Hotel group, and, notably, will features several rooms underwater as the abandoned quarry will be partially filled with water to create an artificial lake. There will be two underwater floors, the lowest of which will have a swimming pool. Construction of the hotel is estimated to be completed by 2017, only 2 years behind the originally planned 2015 completion date.

• Hotel website: Shimao Wonderland Intercontinental, China

9. PER AQUUM HUVAFEN FUSHI, MALDIVES

Boutique hotel Huvafen Fushi was one of the Maldives’ pioneer hotels and still delivers. It is located in a ridiculously clear lagoon, where you can relax on your own private stretch of sugar white sand, snorkel in one of the Maldives best house reefs, or swim in the lagoon-like infinity-edged pool. Huvafen Fushi’s spa, LIME,  has 6 overwater pavilions in addition to the world’s first underwater treatment rooms. Soft cushions evoke the tactile versions of the corals and sponges and the slow rhythmic flow of the water, punctuated by the spectral colours of tropical fish.

• Hotel website: Huvafen Fushi
• Other top 10 accolades: Huvafen Fushi also features in my top 10 list of the world’s most beautiful hotel pools.

8. PER AQUUM NIYAMA, MALDIVES

It may not be on the same island as Huvafen Fushi, but the world’s first underwater club – Subsix – is also in the Maldives. Located within the superb Niyama resort, Subsix is situated 500 metres (1650 feet) out in the ocean and six metres (20 feet) below the waterline, and it is accessible to anyone. From private Champagne breakfasts, intimate subaquatic lunches, wedding blessings to wine tastings, themed evenings and club nights, you can chill out and enjoy the good life. Or, alternatively, you can dance the night away in this incredible underwater club while looking into the depths of the Indian Ocean.

• Hotel website: Per Aquum Niyama

7. RESORT WORLD – SENTOSA, SINGAPORE

Discreetly tucked away on one side of the world’s largest aquarium, guests here are treated to five-star comfort and personalized butler service whilst enjoying spectacular views of this underwater sanctuary. Each of these 11 exclusive suites is designed like a deluxe two story townhouse offering guests with the best of both land and sea. The upper level consists of an open living area leading onto an outdoor patio and Jacuzzi whilst the lower level offers guests with an underwater view of over 40,000 marine fishes in the comfort and privacy of their own suite.

• Hotel website: Resort World – Sentosa

6. ATLANTIS THE PALM DUBAI, UAE

Located on the kingdom’s man-made, palm tree-shaped island, palatial Atlantis The Palm is one of Dubai’s most impressive resorts, part blockbuster luxury hotel (more than 1,500 rooms and suites!), part aquatic wonderland. The hotel’s signature underwater suites have breathtaking underwater views, including the “ancient” ruins of the mythical lost city of Atlantis and its 65,000 marine inhabitants. With floor to ceiling windows looking straight into the hotel’s Ambassador Lagoon, you will be blown away. And if that’s not enough, the suites come with a 24/7 private butler, massages and a dolphin encounter.

• Hotel website: Atlantis The Palm Dubai
• Other accolades: Atlantis The Palm Dubai also features in my top 10 list of the world’s best family hotels.

5. MANTA RESORT ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA

Elevated and crafted along an idyllic island beach, Zanzibar’s Manta Resort offers privacy, romance, adventure and water sports on East Africa’s finest island sanctuary.  While the resort has some gorgeous seafront villas and garden rooms, it is especially famous for its underwater room, a private floating island with a bedroom 4 meters or 13 feet below the surface. For $1500 per night, it is yours to enjoy while sunbathing and stargazing on the top deck, lounging and dining on the water deck and sleeping surrounded by a tropical marine environment.

• Hotel website: Manta Resort, Zanzibar

4. ANANTARA KIHAVAH VILLAS, MALDIVES

A truly exceptional dining experience awaits you at Sea, Anantara Kihavah’s restaurant in the Maldives where you can sample a delicious meal amidst the vivid view of the ocean floor. Here, inside one of only a few underwater restaurants, you can experience the world’s first underwater wine cellar. Prepare to be amazed as a brilliant array of sea life swim, dart and dance before your eyes. The international gourmet menu accompanied with a choice of wines spanning nine decades is truly world-class and paired by the resort’s resident Wine Guru.

• Hotel website: Anantara Kihavah Villas
• Other top 10 accolades: Anantara Kihavah Villas also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury resorts in the Maldives.

3. LOVERS DEEP, ST LUCIA

Situated just off the coast of a beautiful Caribbean island of your choice, Lovers Deep is leisure submarine intended for couples who want to have a private night together submerged beneath the ocean waves. The stunning views of the marine world will take your breath away and the vessel comes fully staffed with your very own team who are on hand to make sure you never have to take your eyes off the view, or each other. The airline industry has the Mile High club, but for the first time, you get an opportunity to join the Mile Low club. What are you waiting for?

• Hotel website: Lover’s Deep

2. CONRAD RANGALI ISLAND, MALDIVES

Rated ‘the most beautiful restaurant in the world’ by the New York Daily News in 2014, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island’s Ithaa restaurant sits 5 metres or 16 feet below the surface, offering 180-degree panoramic views of the vibrant coral gardens surrounding it. Ithaa (meaning ‘mother of pearl’ in the Maldivian language of Dihevi) restaurant typically seats 12, but for $11,710 a night it can be made into a spectacular suite for two. With the restaurant serving indulgences such as caviar in a six-course set dinner menu, you can expect top-notch accommodations for your one-of-a-kind overnight stay.

• Hotel website: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
• Other top 10 accolades: Conrad Maldives Rangali Island also features in my top 10 list of the world’s most over-the-top hotel experiences.

1. POSEIDON UNDERWATER RESORT, FIJI (under construction)

The world’s ultimate underwater resort is currently under construction in Fiji. Once it opens, the resort claims it will be the culmination of every elite vacationer’s vision. Accessible via a lift from the shore of the Viti Levu island, the resort’s 25 suites will be located forty feet under the sea in an off-shore lagoon, and boast wall-to-ceiling windows and underwater lights, promising eye-popping views of multi-coloured marine life. However, there are fears it may end up a wash out: the resort has delayed its opening until 2020, despite 150,000 guests lining up to pay $10,000 to stay.

• Hotel website: Poseidon Underwater Resort

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Wednesday newsletters always feature a luxury hotel and/or flight review.

Today (June 11, 2014): Review of the Post Ranch Inn, a Big Sur legend (California, USA).

• Location: Google Maps
• Address: 47900 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920, USA
• Hotel website: Post Ranch Inn
• Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso

The Post Ranch Inn, a resort built into the cliffs of incredibly scenic Big Sur, might be the ultimate destination for a luxurious escape. The 39-room resort is one of the most beautiful hotels in the United States and offers an intimate stay amid gorgeous natural surroundings, ideal for romance, relaxation or rejuvenation. The organic architecture is breathtaking, seeming to grow out of the ground beside the hotel’s surrounding redwoods.

The Post Ranch Inn features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most spectacular cliff-side resorts, the best luxury resorts in the USA, and restaurants with views that match the food.

In this review (more info below my Youtube clip & the slideshow):

• Pros & things I like
• Cons & things to know
• My verdict
• Tips for future guests & save money
• Best time to visit
• How to get there

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PROS & THINGS I LIKE

• It has been written and said many times before by other guests, but the setting of the resort is spectacular beyond words, high atop the cliffs of Big Sur, 1200 feet (400 meters) above the Pacific Ocean. The breathtaking views over the blue waters, with the foggy cloud layer in the distance, will keep you mesmerized no matter what time of the day.

• With natural architecture embracing the coast’s dramatic beauty, the 39 rooms blend rustic elegance, comfort and privacy with panoramic ocean or mountain views. Rooms come in 8 categories and are all located in separate “houses” located along the pedestrian walkway atop the clip: Butterfly, Mountain House, Tree House, and Peak House rooms all face the mountain side (some of them with open views, some of them with a view through the forest). Coast House, Ocean House, Pacific House, and Cliff House rooms all enjoy stunning views of the ocean. I stayed at an Ocean House room and an Upper Butterfly Room, and I loved them both, although the views from the Ocean House were hard to beat.

• Rooms are cozily decorated in a warm Pacific design with lots of wooden touches. All rooms feature a heavenly soft King bed (with organic mattress), a wood-burning fireplace, large windows to take in the splendid views, a private deck, and a spacious bathrooms with an indoor – or outdoor (in the most expensive room categories) – spa tub for 2 (only the Lower Butterfly Room does not have a spa tub).

• The minibar is well stocked with lots of complimentary snacks (cheeses, fruit juices, wines, soft drinks, chips, fresh-baked cookies).

• WiFi is complimentary.

• Valet parking is complimentary.

• The Post Ranch Inn offers two cliff-top hot basking spas and one swimming pool. The two infinity Jade and Meditation Spas offer expansive views that meld sea and sky. Kept at a constant 104 degrees Fahrenheit (41°C), they provide a rejuvenating place where the panoramic natural beauty of Big Sur warms body and soul. Located on a serene and sunny knoll down the hill, the heated lap pool is perfect for a refreshing swim or a relaxing poolside sun bath.

• The Wine Spectator Grand-Award winning Sierra Mar restaurant offers exquisite dining with endless ocean views (and when you time it right, gorgeous sunset views). The dining menu changes daily with the choice between a four or nine course tasting menu, priced at $120 or $160 per person respectively. Each morning, until 10.30 am, complimentary gourmet breakfast buffet (with cold and hot food stations) is offered and this truly is one of the highlights of the day. I especially liked the selection of fruits and the salmon bagels.

• The resort has many complimentary activities on offer: morning yoga, guided hikes or saunters, stargazing with a celestial telescope, and whale watching (from the resort terraces in the right season).

• I did not try it, but the Post Ranch Inn has a Spa on site (which is supposed to be excellent, according to many reviews).

• The staff is as friendly as they can be, and they offer excellent service.

• The resort is eco-friendly (guests can even borrow a Lexus Hybrid).

• The Post Ranch Inn is an adults-only property (so perfect for those in need of romance and tranquility).

• Lots of little touches make you feel very spoilt, from the glass of local champagne on arrival to the flasks of cold water when you leave. A lot of thought and care has clearly gone into making guest’s visit very special.

CONS & THINGS TO KNOW

The Post Ranch Inn is as perfect as it can be. Nevertheless, there are some things I want to share with you that you need to beware of when booking a room at the property:

• Room rates (starting at $750 for a mountain view room and more than $1000 for an ocean view room) and food (fixed dining menu starting at $120, excluding wine) are very high, but you should know before getting in. The resort does have some promotions from time to time, especially in low season (December-February, excluding the Holidays).

• The Post Ranch Inn is high above the sea and does not have access to a beach. However, it is only a 10-minute drive to the stunningly beautiful, wild Pfeiffer Beach.

• The rooms have no TVs or alarm clocks. But I considered this to be an advantage, not a disadvantage (why would you bother watching tv in this spectacular environment, with all the utterly romantic amenities on offer?).

• Hot tubs and swimming pool are located at a distance from each other (15 minutes by foot), so it is not an option to swim and revitalize in the hot tub immediately afterwards. In addition, in the blistering heat of a hot summer day (when there is no fog), a hot tub temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (41°C) is simply too hot, and there is no possibility to cool down the tubs a little (most of the year however, on the colder days, they must be heaven).

• WiFi at the swimming pool was working, but not near the two hot tubs, where I spent most of my time (because of the killer views). I missed it to surf the internet on my tablet while enjoying the view there.

• I found the setting of the dining room and its views to be more impressive than the dinner itself, which I thought was a little underwhelming for the price and did not fully met my high expectations. But … les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas.

• Sunset views are only possible from the restaurant and the adjacent relaxation garden, but not from most ocean facing accommodations, at least not in spring & summer.

• The views are outstanding on a clear day. However, if you get a foggy day, your experience might be slightly disappointing.

• While views over the Ocean are terrific, you cannot really see the cliffs very well. I missed the presence of some paths, small hiking trails or benches down the hills below the Inn (without compromising the privacy of the guest rooms) to soak up the spectacular views and surroundings.

• The decor of some rooms feels a little dated and tired, and they could use a refurbishment, to make guests feel a little more accepting of the very high room rates (which come with high expectations).

• All rooms feature one King-sized bed, so, unfortunately, this is not the best resort for a friends getaway. Only 4 rooms do have a window seating area that has a twin day-bed, hence allowing separate beds for friends (Ocean House North, Ocean House South, Upper Butterfly room, and Middle Butterfly room).

• The old-fashioned blinds were really hard to use and kind of annoyed me (they were not closed by the staff during the turn down service). In addition, the room could not be completely darkened and the sunrise light woke me up each morning.

MY VERDICT

• Location: 9/10
• Design: 9/10
• Rooms: 8/10
• Food: 8/10
• Service: 9/10
• Overall experience: excellent: 8,6/10

TIPS FOR FUTURE GUESTS & SAVE MONEY

• Save money: read my tips for getting the best deal at a luxury resort like the Post Ranch Inn (or receive many free perks).

• Save money: I recommend to book your stay at the Post Ranch Inn via Virtuoso, since this has the added benefit of free and exclusive VIP amenities (e.g. upgrade, daily breakfast, early check in, late check out, and $100 USD resort credit).

• Book an ocean-view room as they have more updated interiors and will give you a far superior experience because of the views.

• The resort Lexus Hybrid cars can bring you to local restaurants in the Big Sur area (complimentary). Make use of this service.

• The most scenic parts of the famous coastal Highway 1 are located 10 miles to the north and south of the resort (they are far less impressive on other parts). I added some photos below.

• Read my tips for preparing your trip in time.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The views from the Post Ranch Inn are sometimes obstructed by the pervasive fog that the area is known for, so you want to know what’s the best time of the year to plan your stay. Big Sur weather is best in spring and fall, with warm and clear days, and comfortably cool nights. The coast is often shrouded in fog during mid-summer (June to September). Winter can bring storms and rains. So the best months, that usually come with brilliant sunshine and clear views, are October, November, April and May.

HOW TO GET THERE

Big Sur is located along the scenic coastal Highway 1 and thus can only be reached by car. It is 140 miles from San Francisco (2 hour drive), 100 miles from San Jose, 218 miles from Sacramento, 310 miles from Los Angeles (6 hour drive), and 212 miles from Bakersfield.  From time to time, winter rains precipitate mudslides that can close California Hwy 1 near Big Sur.

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The post Hotel review: Post Ranch Inn (Big Sur, California, USA) appeared first on the Luxury Travel Expert.