Sleep Beneath the Sea: Top Underwater Hotels Around the World

A hotel room’s view can make or break a stay, but if you’re looking to go beyond—or rather, below—picturesque sunsets and city skylines, an underwater hotel is a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

From the comfort of your bed, you can watch fish, reef life, and other marine creatures glide past your window. At night, you may even spot bioluminescence and nocturnal species drifting through the dark. It’s also a surprisingly weather-proof vacation experience: Even on cold, windy, or rainy days, you’ll still enjoy prime underwater views from your cozy room.

You can also rest assured that these rooms are built to rigorous safety standards, with thick, pressure-resistant materials and constant monitoring, giving travelers peace of mind as they take in their subaquatic wonderland.

Here are our top picks for the best underwater hotels, with options for a diverse selection of experiences.

Best curated marine life

Equarius Ocean Suites, Resorts World Sentosa | Sentosa Island, Singapore

Tucked on Sentosa Island just off the coast of Singapore, Equarius Ocean Suites at Resorts World Sentosa offers 11 two-story suites that open up not to the ocean, but to the Singapore Oceanarium’s Open Ocean Habitat, home to 40,000 fish. Guests enjoy the best of both worlds with an outdoor patio on the resort’s upper level. Unlike traditional ocean views, the suites’ floor-to-ceiling windows showcase an aquarium, ensuring that stunning marine life is always on display—even right from the comfort of your bed—without the worry of missing a moment of the spectacle.

Best underwater spa

Huvafen Fushi | Maldives

If you aren’t set on an underwater room but are a spa enthusiast happy with an overwater suite, put Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives on your radar. The resort introduced the world to the first underwater spa, where guests descend below the surface of the Indian Ocean to enjoy treatments surrounded by panoramic reef views. Spa experiences range from massages to full-body therapies, all enhanced by the mesmerizing backdrop of marine life just beyond the windows, adding an extra layer of meditative bliss and restoration to an already restful escape.

Best guided experience

Reefsuites by Cruise Whitsundays | Great Barrier Reef, Australia

If you’ve ever wanted to experience reef life up close, this hosted experience in Australia offers an intimate—and surprisingly accessible—way to do it, with nightly rates starting at less than $1,000 per person. Reefsuites is fully guided from start to finish. It begins with a cruise through the Whitsunday Islands to your underwater accommodations at the Great Barrier Reef, which offer floor-to-ceiling views of the marine world outside. Your experience includes a guided snorkeling trip and all meals, including a dinner under the stars, before retiring to your glass-walled sanctuary.

Best urban underwater hotel experience

Underwater View Suites, InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland | Shanghai, China

If you want an underwater room with a city experience, InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland offers the best of both worlds. Built into the sheer rock wall of a former quarry in southwestern Shanghai, this architectural masterpiece features two underwater floors with several suites boasting aquarium-like views, along with a submerged restaurant and swimming pool that adds to the immersive experience. Even if you can’t land an underwater room, the hotel is still worth a visit: Upper-level rooms have jaw-dropping balcony views of the quarry, complete with dramatic waterfalls.

Best ultra-luxury stay

The Muraka, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island | Maldives

For those seeking the utmost in luxury, The Muraka is a luxurious two-level villa—the only one of its kind at this resort—situated more than 16 feet underwater. No amenity is spared, with accommodations that include an underwater living area and an underwater bedroom with a 180-degree acrylic dome that immerses you completely in the ocean. This splurge also includes an infinity pool, dedicated butler’s quarters, and a mix of king and twin bedrooms, making it spacious enough to accommodate up to eight people. It’s the ultimate bucket list escape, ideal for birthdays, honeymoons, or anniversaries.

Best for scuba divers

Jules’ Undersea Lab | Key Largo, Florida

If you’re more of an adventurous traveler who prefers off-the-beaten-path experiences over luxury resorts, Jules’ Undersea Lab in Key Largo, Florida, is a dream come true. The entire lodge is submerged and can be accessed only by scuba diving, so all guests must be certified divers. Originally a research laboratory, it’s now a fully functional hotel tucked deep in a mangrove lagoon, complete with Wi-Fi, two bedrooms, and even free pizza delivery. Don’t want to stay overnight? You can check in for just a few hours, too.

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These extraordinary underwater hotels prove that the most unforgettable views in the world aren’t always above the horizon; they’re also beneath the sea.