Underwater Paradise Inside Dubai’s Atlantis: The Palm

By Thomas Feliciano

With the boom in luxury suites all over world, there is no shortage of exotic and extravagant hotel accommodations. But when you pay top dollar, you want more than a fluffy pillow to rest your head. You want the sights and sounds that accompany the trip. This requires you to venture outside, away from the comfort of your hotel.  At Dubai’s famous hotel, Atlantis: The Palm, there are Underwater Suites that bring the sights right into your bedroom. These suites, known as the Poseidon and Neptune rooms, allow you to sleep with the fishes, and I don’t mean in that Luca Brasi way.

The ocean is a beautiful and formidable place, rich with life that most of us will only see on a nature documentary. Yes, there are scuba diving expeditions and tours that let you swim with all sorts of wild sea creatures, but what if you could stay dry and still experience an up close and personal visitation with the colorful aquatic life right in your own room? This was the vision imagined by joint developers, Istithmar and Kerzner International before the resort officially opened in 2008.

The hotel is home to many over-the-top luxury items such as soap made with flakes of 24-carat gold, but its real value goes beyond toiletries. In the Poseidon and Neptune Underwater Suites, you’ll also get a private lift that helps you navigate the suite’s three gorgeous floors, tied together with a stunning lounge area. These perks however, are a second thought. If you’re flying to Dubai with the intent of checking out an underwater suite, it’s all about the fish.

The entire suite is covered with floor to ceiling windows, peering out into the hotel’s Ambassador Lagoon. This breathtaking aquarium is built upon a parody recreation of the lost city of Atlantis. Of course, this is the myth the hotel takes its name from. The Lagoon is also home to 65,000 marine inhabitants, including fish of all sorts, sharks both mini and massive, stingrays, and more. The variety of animals in the tank is reminiscent of the deep ocean.

Whether you’re lying in bed, soaking in the bathroom’s hot tub, or relaxing in the lounge area, you’ll have a full-access pass to schools of fish swimming all around you. The room comes loaded with a state of the art entertainment system, but there’s no need for channel surfing here. All the natural intrigue you could ever want is live and direct, just outside the suite’s windows.

If you’re feeling extra brave, you can take a dive into the world on the opposite side of the glass. With the available Ultimate Dive package, you’ll get the opportunity to swim with sharks and feed stingrays. You can even swim past the windows of your suite, so you can contrast what you see with your view from inside.

Other perks featured in the Poseidon and Neptune Underwater Suites include 24-hour around the clock butler service and a bar loaded with Dom Perignon. Being that Dubai is located within a Muslim country (the United Arab Emirates), there is an alternative beverage for those who don’t partake in alcohol: a sparkling drink made from date juice.

The staff and the room itself were built on the premise of pampering your every whim, which is why the price tag is set to exclusive only. One night in the Underwater Suites costs a little under $8,200, per guest. But if you’re looking for an escape from the world and a place to let your thoughts drift into the endless sea, then add the suites at Atlantis: The Palm to your bucket list. Dubai may not be a vacation destination where you go in the hopes of cutting corners, but their luxury hotels are a once in a lifetime opportunity. Where else could you experience the beauty of the world that lives beneath the ocean, all from the comfort of your bed?

If you’re interested in finding out more about the trip or booking a reservation, check out: https://www.atlantisthepalm.com/