Instead of getting away from it all, go underneath it, and escape to some of the world's unique underwater restaurants and hotels.
You'll have to wear scuba gear and a bathing suit or use a boat to get to some of these undersea retreats.
Jules' Undersea LodgeFeel like a superstar at this resort. Celebrities such as Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, Jon Fishman of Phish and former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau have visited this underwater lodge in Key Largo, Florida.
To reach Jules' Undersea Lodge, you must scuba dive 21 feet down. You'll enter through a 5-foot-by-7-foot opening at the bottom of the lodge, where you'll be greeted with amenities you'd find at an above-ground hotel: a cozy bed, a telephone, books and a VCR/DVD for movies.
You'll breathe easy inside this air-conditioned lodge, which is filled with compressed air to prevent water from flooding the rooms.
The living quarters include two private bedrooms, a wet room where divers leave their gear and take a shower, and an 8-foot-by-20-foot multipurpose room for dining and entertaining.
One couple named their baby Jules after discovering that their recently conceived child had accompanied them to the underwater hotel. Another couple's visit inspired them to change careers and open a dive shop, according to the owners.
A night's stay costs $400 to $500 per person, depending on the package.
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant
Watch sea life swim around you as you dine in this underwater getaway.
Set in a picturesque corner of the Maldive Islands, Ithaa Undersea Restaurant claims to be the world's first all-glass underwater dining establishment.
This luxury restaurant, which has welcomed thousands of diners since 2005, sits 16 feet deep in the Indian Ocean and is surrounded by sea life and a coral reef.
The six-course dinner menu often features French dishes from executive chef Nicolas Boutin and is priced at $320 a person. A lighter three-course lunch menu is available for $195 a person. Both meals include one glass of bubbly champagne.
If you're dining at lunch, don't forget to bring your sunglasses. The sun's rays illuminate the water and make the restaurant so bright inside that diners and the wait staff need eye protection.
Utter Inn
If you're looking for a simpler underwater experience, consider the Utter Inn in Västerås, Sweden, which is a single-room hotel containing just two twin beds and a table.
This underwater spot, which looks like a small red house above the water, lies nearly 10 feet below the surface of Lake Mälaren and can be accessed only by boat. Panoramic windows in all directions allow guests to watch fish and other aquatic life swim by.
During your stay, hang out on the above-water deck to sunbathe, read or fish. Guests are also invited to use an inflatable canoe to explore a nearby uninhabited island.
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