The World's First All-glass Undersea Restaurant

[johntalin]

The World's First All-glass Undersea Restaurant Opens

The Maldives | 15 April marks the day that the first ever all-glass
undersea restaurant in the world opens its doors for business at the Hilton
Maldives Resort & Spa. Ithaa* will sit five meters below the waves of the
Indian Ocean, surrounded by a vibrant coral reef and encased in clear
acrylic offering diners 270-degrees of panoramic underwater views.

"We have used aquarium technology to put diners face-to-face with the
stunning underwater environment of the Maldives", says Carsten Schieck,
General Manager of Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa. "Our guests always comment on being blown away by the colour, clarity, and beauty of the underwater world in the Maldives, so it seemed the perfect idea to build a restaurant where diners can experience fine cuisine and take time to enjoy the views - without ever getting their feet wet."

Created by MJ Murphy Ltd, a design consultancy based in New Zealand,
Ithaa's distinctive feature is the use of curved transparent acrylic walls
and roof, similar to those used in aquarium attractions. "The fact that the
entire restaurant except for the floor is made of clear acrylic makes this
unique in the world," continues Schieck, "We are currently planting a coral
garden on the reef to add to the spectacular views of the rays, sharks and
many colourful fish that live around the area.

 

[baggss]

NICE!

Wonder what the menu will be like?

 

[johntalin]

More photos...

 

[johntalin]

NICE!

Wonder what the menu will be like?

Sea food diet: I see food and I eat!

 

[KoDorSean]

do you just point up and pick what you want?

awesome post !

 

[johntalin]

do you just point up and pick what you want?

awesome post !

You have to catch them first.

 

[Martin.]

coool, i wanna go there, where is the kitchen ???

 

[Lisa]

that is very cool...

 

[fleurya]

Great idea! Probably more comfortable, but not as "cool" as this. I probably would have went with different furniture to match a little better.

 

[Lisa]

Beautiful...but brrrrrrr!!

 

[giulio]

Imagine eating fish there? Kinda like eating steak in a coral.

 

[surfwax95]

NICE!

Wonder what the menu will be like?

Expensive.

 

[yogi]

Expensive.

Skimpy.

 

[mynameis]

When I read the title of the thread I imagined something more elaborate, like Sealab 2021...

 

[Liam]

Not much different to Al Mahara Resturant in Dubai's Burj Al Arab, and I can assure you that it will be ten times as expensive!

Might as well get the underwater restaurants in the Maldives started early as it'll all get that way very soon!

 

[MacHeadCase]

This is so totally cool! And the furniture and dinnerware is lovely. Thank you Taleen! Great find!

 

[PowerBookG4]

I want to go there! so I shall... eventually.

 

[giulio]

Anyone been to Mandalay Bay in Vegas? One of the exibits is a sunken pirate ship. But of course all of the 'holes' in the ship are of glass. So you walk through it and it's just so cool... This is a tunnel/entrance shot:

http://mandalaybay.com/entertainment/sharkreef.aspx

 

[johntalin]

Anyone been to Mandalay Bay in Vegas? One of the exibits is a sunken pirate ship. But of course all of the 'holes' in the ship are of glass. So you walk through it and it's just so cool... This is a tunnel/entrance shot:

http://mandalaybay.com/entertainment/sharkreef.aspx

Anything in Vegas is grand.
Monterey Bay Aquarium is also a nice place to see underwater.

 

[johntalin]

Great idea! Probably more comfortable, but not as "cool" as this. I probably would have went with different furniture to match a little better.

Igloos in grand scale...
Rooms look very cool (brrrrr!), mystique and monochromatic.

I would not choose it for my wedding night, though (as pictured).
They remind me of the chrystal ornaments you puchase, with a light beam coming from underneath, where you can't be sure if the nick-nack is truly made out of glass or plastic.