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Five-star luxury on the ocean floor: undersea hotel planned in the Bahamas
AFP ^ | 2/24/05 | AFP

Posted on 02/24/2005 11:52:20 AM PST by Sax

Five-star luxury on the ocean floor: undersea hotel planned in the Bahamas

2 hours, 23 minutes ago Offbeat - AFP

MIAMI (AFP) - Anyone willing to dish out 1,500 dollars a night might soon get a chance to come face to face with sharks from the comfort of an undersea hotel room a Florida entrepreneur plans to build in the Bahamas.

AFP/DDP/File Photo

"People who are interested in experiencing something they can't find anywhere else in the world will find it a real bargain," says Bruce Jones who heads the 40-million-dollar project.

To date, there is only one such underwater hotel, a small refitted marine lab located in somewhat murky waters just off the coast of Key Largo, Florida.

But Jones says his Poseidon resort will be one of a kind, as guests will not need to don scuba gear to reach their luxury suites.

The hotel, located off the Bahamian island of Eleuthera at a depth of 15 meters (50 feet), will be connected to the mainland through two tunnels and an escalator, and pressure will be the same as at the surface.

The hotel will have its own restaurant, a bar and 20 large suites with transparent acrylic walls facing coral gardens that can be lit up at night.

Guests can expect to see a large variety of tropical fish, tuna and turtles, and with a bit of luck, sharks, from the comfort of their rooms, or even from their private jacuzzis, says Jones. "They will enjoy five-star luxury accommodation, all with stunning views of the underwater world."

The Florida-based entrepreneur says he is currently signing on the last of the investors, most of them institutional, who will put up the 40 million dollars the Bahamas project should cost.

Jones, who has spent 17 years designing, refitting and selling submarines, is confident the planned resort will become reality, probably sometime in 2006, even though a number of similar projects have foundered in the past.

If both projects come off, he would be competing with the Hydropolis resort, a 220-suite underwater hotel planned off Dubai.

Hydropolis planners say their rooms would go for 500 dollars a night, but Jones thinks that is unrealistic.

Guests at the Poseidon would be expected to dish out three times that. "It's an economic reality. We couldn't do it and make a profit for less," says Jones, who is president of US Submarines Inc.

He is convinced the market is there. "Everybody who comes off a tourist submarine loves the experience. Last year in America over 100 million people went to aquariums, so there's tremendous amount of interest in the subsea world, it's growing all the time."

And by opening up the underwater world to those who can afford it, he believes he would be helping protect it.

"By doing this we can entertain people, but also educate people and promote environmental stewardship," says Jones. "Only in really experiencing what it's like underwater can you really motivate somebody to protect the natural resources of the sea."


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Outdoors; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: bahamas; hotel; luxury; undersea; underwater
Man, I can just see a "B" grade disaster film starring this hotel!!
1 posted on 02/24/2005 11:52:24 AM PST by Sax
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To: Sax

Aquaman also announced protection for the underwater hotel..Aquaman was equally pleased for life under the sea..there just isn't much crime underwater..developing

2 posted on 02/24/2005 11:55:43 AM PST by BerniesFriend
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To: Sax
"Last year in America over 100 million people went to aquariums, so there's tremendous amount of interest in the subsea world, it's growing all the time." "

aquariums don't cost 1500 dollars a visit. It'd be a cool thing and I'd like to go, but i couldn't even begin to think about paying more then 100 bucks a night.
3 posted on 02/24/2005 11:55:52 AM PST by tfecw (Vote Democrat, It's easier then working)
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To: tfecw; All

Just found the Key Largo "scuba" hotel info .. apparently it is $395/night, and thats with 4 to a suite. $1,195 for the suite for yourself. Not quite your $100/night but interesting digs anyway!

http://www.jul.com/overnight.html


4 posted on 02/24/2005 12:10:35 PM PST by AgThorn (Bush is my president, but he needs to quit with the "Amnesty" and protect our borders.)
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To: All

I have a swimming pool, a rubbermaid container, and some plastic tubing........for 50 bucks I'll sink you in my pool. LOL, anyone interested?


5 posted on 02/24/2005 12:38:23 PM PST by moviegirl
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To: All

I have a swimming pool, a rubbermaid container, and some plastic tubing........for 50 bucks I'll sink you in my pool. LOL, anyone interested?


6 posted on 02/24/2005 12:38:34 PM PST by moviegirl
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To: SeaDragon

Ping just for you. I bet it beats the hell out of the all-ice hotel in Quebec City at this time of year.


7 posted on 02/24/2005 12:41:45 PM PST by Argh
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To: Sax
Standby, let me check with an expert on this....

Waddya think, Skippy?


8 posted on 02/24/2005 1:18:03 PM PST by 506trooper (No such thing as too much guns, ammo or fuel on board...unless you're on fire)
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To: moviegirl
I have a swimming pool, a rubbermaid container, and some plastic tubing........for 50 bucks I'll sink you in my pool. LOL, anyone interested?
===============================================

It depends. Is skinnydipping with you involved?

9 posted on 02/24/2005 1:22:33 PM PST by doug from upland (Ray Charles --- a great musician and safer driver than Ted Kennedy)
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To: Sax

First we have tsunamis tearing up tourist vacation spots...And now this... Perhaps we should build inverted twin towers deep into the earth...


10 posted on 02/24/2005 6:51:27 PM PST by FDNYRHEROES (Make welfare as hard to get as a building permit)
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To: Sax

1500/night? Not a chance in he!!


11 posted on 02/26/2005 8:25:54 PM PST by Indie (Ignorance of the truth is no excuse for stupidity.)
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