Fiancée: Holy crap!
kthejoker: what what?
Fiancée: I found an underwater hotel!
The Lodge
Jules' Undersea Lodge ( http:/www.jul.com) was founded as La Chalupa research facility in the late 1970s. Neil Monney, a retired U.S. Navy researcher, and Ian Koblick, a pioneer of modern oceanography education techniques, decided to convert their existing facility - which had some small living quarters - into a small hotel, for the public to come and enjoy life under the sea.
Located in the Emerald Lagoon in Key Largo, Florida, the underwater lodge is truly a unique experience. The hotel itself consists of two private bedrooms and a combined kitchen/dining room/living room area. Each of the bedrooms come equipped with a refrigerator, an intercom directly connected to a land-based Command Center in charge of sending air, water, and electricity to the lodge, and a big screen television. Perhaps the most striking features of the bedrooms, however, are the 42" round viewport windows, giving guests a gorgeous scene of the ocean deep (the lodge is 30 feet below sea level.) Additional amenities included unlimited dives, fresh flowers, a private chef (extra), and of course, a scenic view like you've never seen.
While the lodge is an excellent hotel, it is still one of the top-notch marine research facilities in the world, and experiments and research are going on all the time there. You can visit the marine lab there, as well as a replica of a sunken Spanish galleon. As the lodge rests at the edge of the continental shelf, marine life here is extremely plentiful: angelfish, manta rays, and all varieties of tropical fish can be seen on dives. The lodge will be glad to put you through their three day diver's certification course, or you can remain uncertified and go out with a licensed diver for supervised visits to the beautiful briny.
Contact Info
If you are interested in spending a night or two beneath the ocean, and spending the day exploring the beautiful tropical waters of of Key Largo, you can contact the Jules' Undersea Lodge with the information below.
Mail:
Jules’ Undersea Lodge
at Key Largo Undersea Park
51 Shoreland Drive
Key Largo, Florida 33037
Telephone: (305) 451-2353
Fax: (305) 451-4789
E-Mail: info@jul.com
The rates are fairly pricey, but consider where you're staying and what you get.
- Luxury Aquanaut Package - $395/person per night.
- European Style Package - $295/person per night.
- The Ultimate Romantic Getaway Package - $1,195 per night (the couple gets the hotel exclusively.)
So what're you waiting for? I know I sound like I'm shilling for the place, but I've never even been there. It just looks fantastic, and seriously: sleeping underneath the sea has got to be the most romantic thing ever. Summer vacation, here I come!