Luxury stay at its best brings to mind an up-scale room somewhere high above in the city skyline. However the projects currently under development are set to redefine the way we perceive comfort! From the ocean depths to outer space, these hotels are poised to be engineering marvels that'll break away stereotypical notions associated with travel.
Undersea Resort
Image Courtesy of Poseidon Undersea Resort
If you think hotel hospitality is restricted to being just above sea level, then you're in for a surprise; the Poseidon Undersea Resort combines Fijian hospitality with the exotic ambience of the fabulous tropical island. If all goes as planned, the hotels will be located on a private 5,000 acre coral lagoon, submerged 40 feet (12 meters) below sea level, and accessible by elevator.
Image Courtesy of Poseidon Undersea Resort
Image Courtesy of Poseidon Undersea Resort
Slated to open on 15th January 2010, the hotel will boast of 24 up-scales under water suites, each with its own king-size bed, flat screen TV and satellite radio with surround sound, refrigerator stacked with gourmet snacks, wines, and champagnes. The hotel will also feature a reading room which comprises of a library, Wi-Fi connectivity and high-speed internet, and multi-line telephones. Marble bathrooms, Jacuzzis and hydro-spa showers all available 40 feet below sea level! The resort will also host 48 island bungalows with five star amenities.
Image Courtesy of Poseidon Undersea Resort
Image Courtesy of Poseidon Undersea Resort
All this hospitality won't come too cheap; a seven day stay would make you lighter by $15,000 or $30,000 if you're planning to take the spouse. Though this includes the transportation costs to the island, four nights in a sea-side villa, two nights in an underwater suite, scuba and submarine diving, wine tasting classes and nature tours by marine scientists. Reservations will be made available after 15th September, 2009.Space Retreat
A small step for man could be a giant leap for luxury hotels! The final frontier is being spearheaded by Bigelow Aerospace, a private company owned by hotelier Robert Bigelow.
The hotel will be made up of flexible modules, which inflate to double their size and make for the infrastructure of the hotel. When attached together, these modules could provide the luxuries of a hotel, with an added zero G twist. The initial development was undertaken by NASA under the Tranhab project, but eventually abandoned and bought by Bigelow.
Contrary to many expectations, the company anticipates that its inflatable modules will be more durable than rigid modules as flexible walls should be able to sustain micrometeorite impacts better than rigid walls.
Air Hotel
Having conquered land and sea, humans took to the air, is it any surprise that one of the next frontiers in luxury's going to be thousands of feet above the city skyline? Introducing Aeroscraft, when staying grounded just isn't good enough! 
Image Courtesy of Worldwide Aeros Corp
Aerosraft is a mammoth heavier-than-air vehicle currently under development at Worldwide Aeros Corp, and a prototype should be ready by 2010. It will haul in a new age of luxury air stay, featuring silent electric engines and turbulence free air travel.
Image Courtesy of Worldwide Aeros Corp
The Aeroscraft will be a 400 ton blimp filled with 14 million cubic feet of helium. It would be capable of taking off and landing vertically, making dependence on airports redundant. The aerodynamic design qualifies the Aeroscraft to be classified as a hybrid, as its shape will provide lift just like an aircraft.
Image Courtesy of Worldwide Aeros Corp
The propellers will be powered using hydrogen fuel cells, which will make the Aeroscraft not only silent but also environmentally efficient. Available in three configurations namely Commercial, Executive and Personal, the craft would be able to haul hundreds of passengers at a maximum speed of 138 mph and at a maximum operating altitude of 12,000 ft.
Image Courtesy of Worldwide Aeros Corp
The Aerospace's flexibility allow if to be everything from a personal sky yacht, to a fully functional conference room or hotel! You can get more information of this amazing vehicle, and even download a brochure at Aeroscraft.com.
Hotelicopter
The titanic Hotelicopter is a modified Soviet made Mil V-12, the largest helicopter ever made. The Hotelicopter Company acquired one of the only two prototypes ever made, and has since worked tirelessly to convert it to a state of the art flying hotel! The modifications have enabled the chopper to be able to carry a payload of 232,870 pounds and service at a maximum speed of 154 mph. The copter has a maximum operating altitude of 11,500 ft.
Image Courtesy of Hotelicopter
Now for the amenities, a deep breath, the Hotelicopter boasts of 16 cabins for two passengers, and 12 suites capable of holding three passengers. Cabins feature queen-size beds, coffee machines, internet access, cell-phone reception, DVD players, Nintendo Wii, and flat screen TVs with, to quote their website,
Image Courtesy of Hotelicopter
Combining subtle wit and hospitality, the craft also features a business center, concierge, fitness center, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, spa/salon offering massages and tanning, common space area with live music at select destinations, blackjack table, art gallery, yoga studio and hydro-garden, tea garden, Japanese garden with koi pond.
Phew, if that wasn't enough, the helicopter also has a kid's section which features a Babysitting & Kids’ Kamp, playground, arcade, and a ping pong table!
Image Courtesy of Hotelicopter
The updates for the inaugural packages and reservation dates are being provided via Twitter and Facebook. The Hotelicopter will start its maiden 14 day inaugural tour on Friday, June 26th, 2009, followed by a 14 day California tour starting Friday, July 17th, 2009 and a 16 day European Tour from Friday, July 31st, 2009 to Sunday.
Image Courtesy of Hotelicopter
Now if you bought Hotelicopter, you have what we at Cerebrus Constipatus call the buy-everything-on-the-internet-as-being-real syndrome, the Hotelicopter was an April Fool's prank that took off a lil' too well. The prank was a viral marketing campaign, brainchild of Yotel, a popular hotel chain.
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