A long-awaited undersea hotel in Dubai looks finally set to be built, after an agreement to develop it was unveiled this week. The Water Discus Hotel won’t be totally submerged but will be a disc-like structure with part of the building above water and the rest below the surface.

The 21 rooms will be submerged up to ten meters below the surface of the water, with huge windows offering a view out from the bed and an external ‘explorer’ robot which can be controlled from the room to allow guests to interact with marine life.

According to Deep Ocean Technology, a restaurant, spa and reception area would be hosted above the waterline, with guests descending below the surface in glass-walled tunnels to get to their rooms.

As might be expected, the hotel would offer plenty of services for divers, with a training pool and other water sports offerings set to be available.

The hotel will also include other amenities such as a spa, helipad, and an above ground terrace should guests feel a bit claustrophobic stuck inside The Discus!

With no specific planned opening date, observers will be watching closely whether this plan comes any further than previous attempts to build underwater hotels in Dubai, which have stalled or quietly disappeared as the country faced economic ruin.