26 Apr 2018
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hotel reveals US$15m underwater residence
BY Kim Megson
The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hotel has announced the submersion of what it claims is the world's first undersea residence, which will be completed in Q4 2018.
Crown Company, which owns the hotel, has invested US$15m in The Miraka (meaning ‘coral’ in Dhivehi, the local language of the Maldives). The company’s director, Ahmed Saleem, is the named architect, and the project is being constructed by New Zealand aquarium technology firm M J Murphy Ltd.
The undersea residence is a two-level structure comprised of space above the sea level and a suite 5m (16.4ft) below the waves, featuring a king size bedroom, living area and bathroom.
Designed as a curved acrylic dome – mirroring the hotel’s 13 year-old underwater restaurant, Ithaa – The Miraka will offer 180-degree panoramic views of life in the Indian Ocean.
A spiral staircase will lead to an upper level living room above the surface of the water. Here, there is also set to be a King-size room, a twin bedroom, a bathroom, powder room, gym, butler's quarters, kitchen, dining room and a viewing deck with an infinity swimming pool. In total, Muraka can accommodate up to nine guests.
"Driven by our inspiration to deliver innovative and transformative experiences to our global travellers, the world's first undersea residence encourages guests to explore the Maldives from an entirely new perspective below the surface of the sea," said Saleem.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island also features purposefully designed villas and suites, 12 restaurants and bars and two spas, and the Crown Company believes the addition of the residence under the sea will diversify its offering further in an increasingly competitive market.
Underwater bars and restaurants have become increasingly popular in recent years as the technology has developed to make them a reality.
Attempts to build residences beneath the sea are rarer. However, Dubai developer Kleindienst Group and its subsidiary, the Seahorse Boats Trading Company, have been developing the Floating Seahorse, a luxury private villa submerged partly beneath the waves, while in 2016 Airbnb and French design agency Ubi Bene designed a temporary underwater bedroom in the shark tank at Paris aquarium, surrounded by 35 live sharks.
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