Qatari “Amphibious” hotel resort features “jellyfish” rooms

By Amir Iliaifar October 2, 2011

With the world’s fossil fuel supply steadily depleting, the days of gasoline spray fights ala Zoolander are sadly coming to a close. It would appear our royal friends in Qatar have gotten wind of this too, as the tiny oil-rich country seeks to expand its appeal in the growing Middle-East tourism sector with the ambitious “Amphibious 1000” luxury resort.

The “Amphibious” project, as you may have guessed, is designed to be a semi-submerged hotel resort. Italian company Giancarlo Zema Design Group was hired to design the resort at an estimated cost of $500 million. The complex is set to include residential buildings, offices, and marina with modern bay. The central tower will house a restaurant that will offer exotic dishes and sweeping views. Guests of the hotel can stay in one of 80 semi-submersible suits called “Jellyfish” which have open views of the artificial underwater reefs. Additionally, on the premises of the hotel, only electric vehicles and small aluminum boats with hydrogen powered engines will be used.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Associate Automotive Section Editor for Digital Trends, Amir Iliaifar covers the ever increasing cross-section between tech…

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