UAE firms vie for first undersea hotel

Drydocks World, the shipbuilding arm of Dubai World, is in talks with number of UAE companies for building of the Water Discus Hotel, Emirates 24|7 can reveal. "We have been already been approached by UAE companies who want us to build the discus hotel for them. Negotiations are on, but nothing has been finalised,” a senior executive of Drydocks World said on conditions of anonymity. The smallest, a two discus hotel, will cost anywhere between US$50 million and US$80 million. The official clarified that Drydocks will only be building the discus hotels for third parties as it has a joint venture with Big Invest Consult, a Swiss company, which represents Deep Ocean Technology, the Polish-owner behind the technology and concept of Water Discus hotel, to develop underwater hotels and floating cities in the Middle East. "We have a joint venture with Big Invest Consult to build these hotels for interested parties in the Middle East. We are not building for Drydocks as of now.” Khamis Juma Buamim, Chairman Drydocks World & Maritime World had also met with Arkadiusz Majerski, President and CEO Deep Ocean Technology and Bogdan Gutkowski president of Big Invest last month to discuss issues related to the hotel project including the designs, engineering aspects and the structures. Asked where is the first hotel likely to be anchored in the UAE, the official said: "We don't know about the location yet. The hotel can be moved from one location to another.” The Polish developer has already received the green light by the National Ministry of Tourism for Maldives to begin construction off the island of Kuredhivaru. Water Discus Underwater Hotel The Water Discus Underwater Hotel comprises a number of discs underwater, at a depth ranging from 10 to 30 meters and the others above the surface allowing guests to admire the depths of the ocean while still being able to make the best of resort living on the surface. Each room is integrated with the underwater world as closely as possible and will offer direct, yet safe contact with the flora and fauna including underwater vehicles that can be operated from inside allowing a closer look at even the most microscopic underwater creatures. Due to its modular and unique construction design, Water Discus Hotels can be expanded and customised to suit the surroundings and client requirements. A single discus is an independent structure of approximately 1000 square metres fully equipped to ensure the very highest levels of safety and comfort. This serves as an individual module and a single component of a bigger complex. A number of such modules may be used to build a hotel complex of a size, which is suitable both to the client and the individual location. Complexes can be situated anywhere in the world and each design will be tailored to suit local conditions such as shape of the coastline and ocean depth around the reef. Moreover, in the event of changes in either environmental or economic conditions the modules can be moved to a different location, offering a unique opportunity to live underwater on a permanent basis with unlimited options to change locations. This mobility allows for easier changes in the interior design of the hotel as any disc can be detached and replaced at any time with a new one. Source: Emirates 24?7