Laying the groundwork for an entirely new breed of hospitality, the December launch of the Soneva in Aqua floating villa – that is, a rarefied 19m yacht-cum-hotel-suite based at the Maldives' Soneva Fushi resort – is the first in a planned fleet of buoyant guest quarters. As revealed by Soneva Group founder Sonu Shivdasani at this year’s ILTM Cannes, guests aboard the ship – which holds up to six guests – access all the mod cons and amenities enjoyed by their land-dwelling counterparts, with the added bonus of being able to sail off at a moment’s notice, enjoying the view from the comfort of their very own living room, or, as it were, from their bathroom: in an ingenious twist, the master suite’s bathtub boasts a glass bottom, allowing for colourful glimpses of the rich sea life below.

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