It is a new take on the expression “sleeping with the fishes,” which is a lot more enjoyable than the alternative offered in the movie, The Godfather. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has opened The Muraka, the world’s first underwater suite. The Muraka is part of the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

A pioneer in luxury tourism, it was the first internationally branded hotel to open in the Maldives back in 1997, the first to open an underwater restaurant in 2004 (Ithaa), and now, the first to open an underwater villa. The suite has a king-size bed, a living space, and a bathroom, with specially designed glass walls and ceilings to show off the marine life around you. It is completely safe; many brilliant minds were behind the design and construction.

Wake up in the sea life

The Muraka sits five meters (16.4 feet) below sea level and is held in place by concrete piles. There, you’ll get up-close-and-personal with the sea life via floor-to-ceiling windows in the walk-in closet, bathroom and shower, bedroom, and a dedicated viewing theatre at the end of the tunnel. According to Mike Murphy, the engineer behind The Muraka, many factors had to be considered when deciding the unit's depth, including tidal range, water depths, storm wave heights, wind loads, and more.

The Muraka is actually a two-story residence with an overwater section including a deck, a swimming pool, a lounge, and an en suite master bedroom. While the Muraka is making waves as the first underwater residence globally, it is not the resort’s first underwater feature as the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant allows guests to dine among the corals, 16 feet below sea level. Nothing says luxury like all-inclusive stays, and The Muraka does it better than ever. It offers four experience menus: The Wanderers, The Flavors, The Soul, and The Thrill.

A lot of entertainments facilities

In The Wanderers, you have the option of having a film crew follow you around to capture your experience as you explore the resort and its surroundings. Indulge in your own Maldivian culinary and gastronomic journey with The Flavors. The Soul is all about wellness with in-villa spa treatments, and The Thrill is where you will find your water sports opportunities.

The Muraka is made for group travel with two floors; on top, you’ll find an integrated living room with a kitchen, bar, and dining room, master bedroom with a bathroom, powder room, and ocean-facing bathtub, plus a separate bedroom with two twin-size beds. The sunrise-facing deck features an infinity pool and four daybeds, while the deck on the opposite side is perfect for watching the sunset. Once fully completed, The Muraka will also have a gym onsite and butler’s quarters.

Still connecting to the worldwide

Even though it is fully submerged underwater, The Muraka offers all the modern amenities that you’d expect from a luxury hotel suite, including digital temperature control, air conditioning, WiFi, and electricity. There are even remote-controlled black-out curtains in the bedroom (if you’d like some privacy from the fishes) and a fancy lighting system outside and in the surrounding corals that changes color and can be controlled by your bedside.