Trends: Luxe hotels are going under

Hoteliers who can't find any more land mass to develop beachside are going (literally) one step further: under water.

First to take the plunge is Dubai's £300m, 260-hectare Crescent Hydropolis ( www.crescent-hydropolis.com). Opening next year, its 220 rooms made from clear glass will sit 20m under the Gulf.

In Turkey, the seven-star underwater Hotel Istanbul ( http://tiny.cc/meifc) is to open in 2010, to coincide with the city's year as Cultural Capital of Europe. Built seven stories under the city centre, it will offer views of the Bosporus Strait.

Fiji's five-star Poseidon Resort, meanwhile, will offer each guest a personal submarine to explore the 7.8 square miles of lagoon that the hotel, nestled 40ft under water, will be based in. ( www. poseidonresorts.com/poseidon_main.html).

Thanks to thefuturelaboratory.com