Imagine going on a vacation that made you feel like a little mermaid, and no, we aren't talking about Disneyland. Meet Hydropolis, the world's first underwater vacation retreat soon to be located in Dubai. This $500 million hotel is scheduled to open in 2008, offering visitors an experience unlike anything they've ever known. While Hydropolis features a unique, cutting edge design, the hotel is also founded on the simpler things in life.

The main idea behind the hotel is water, the "elixir of life" that consumes our bodies as well as our world. Hydropolis offers man an opportunity to go back to the beginning of time and explore the "last uninhabited frontiers of earth." If the last frontiers of earth don't hold your attention, you can also check out the spa that features one of a kind hydrotherapy treatments, eat at one of three sophisticatedly themed restaurants, or catch a late night underwater light show from your own suite. In addition to the fun, vacation-esque elements of Hydropolis, there are also "down to business" attributes that include conference facilities and a marine biology research lab.

Hydropolis is being proposed as the "first and only location in Dubai where staying out in the open, even at the summer temperature levels, will be a delight. This will be brought about by artificial clouds of fog, by setting air in motion over the surface of the water in connection with the mild shade of bloating sails and artificial clouds of pneumatic constructions." Wow is right, it appears that Hydropolis is working hard to be more than just a hotel; it wants to be it's own little world. And that's really where the experiential aspect of vacationing here comes into play. Hydropolis plans on transporting their guests to a different universe, almost like taking a trip to the moon. At the same time, they don't want you to feel uncomfortable or alienated from the rest of Dubai. By implementing spas, ballrooms, restaurants, and theatres, guests are still able to enjoy more traditional vacation activities. And for those of you who aren't entirely comfortable with life under the sea, Hydropolis "features suites adjoining the hall with windows opening onto the familiar world of a 'street', with daylight and the generous proportions of a multi-storied complex."