Manta Resort unveils new underwater suite

T HE Manta Resort on Pemba Island, north of Zanzibar, has unveiled its third-generation underwater room. The concept was originally pioneered by Swedish design- builder Genberg Underwater Hotels and arrived on Tanzania’s shores in 2013. It’s a three-level floating suite moored in a marine protected area off the island. Located roughly 250m offshore, it features a submerged bedroom with almost 360-degree glass framing the reef, a sea-level lounge and deck, as well as an open rooftop deck, offering sun by day and stargazing at night. The re-engineered structure draws on twelve years of operational experience, with improvements across design, materials and systems to enhance durability, safety and guest comfort. It’s not only the design that has evolved but the operational refinement that has come with over a decade of real-world use in a marine environment. The process Part of that operational detail is how the structure interacts with its environment. First, the resort retired the original 2013 structure, stripping it of all harmful materials before sinking it in the marine protected area, where it now serves a second life as a coral structure and dive site. The submerging process of the new suite involves towing the structure, typically at high tide so that it can pass over the corals without touching them, then anchoring it to a patch of sand within the reef known as a ‘blue hole’, where it becomes a permanently moored floating structure. Guest journey Demand for the underwater room is high, says Manta. It tends to be the first to be booked out for any given date, with bookers advised to reserve six months to a year in advance. August to October is the high season. The underwater suite is a sought-after choice among honeymooners. A typical stay at the resort is three nights, with one night spent in the Underwater Room. After lunch, guests are transferred to the floating suite by boat, where they have time to snorkel, take in the views and enjoy sundowners before spending the night above the reef. The following morning, guests enjoy breakfast, served on the room’s sea-level deck, before returning to the mainland by boat. Throughout their stay in the Underwater Room, they retain their land- based accommodation, allowing them to leave their belongings behind rather than relocate them, before spending the remainder of their stay on land. Manta says the Pemba resort is not considered an impulse buy but rather something travellers plan for, particularly given the limited availability of its single Underwater Room and its price point. The property is on the northern tip of Pemba Island, and guests fly in on a small aircraft before transferring by road to the resort and then by boat to the room. It is designed for guests who are comfortable around water, enjoy going barefoot and appreciate back-to-nature luxury rather than a polished five-star hotel experience. The remoteness and exclusivity are a big part of the appeal, says the company. “In practice, the product works best when an agent takes time to match it to the right client and build it into a wider itinerary,” says Manta. Safari add-on Manta says more than three- quarters of its business at the Pemba resort comes via travel partners, many of them safari operators. The resort is very often positioned as the final stop on a safari circuit, where guests finish their game viewing on the mainland and come to unwind by the ocean. This combination of safari and coastal relaxation is typically arranged through operators such as &Beyond, Nomad Tanzania or Asilia Africa. Smaller footprint “A very small footprint can still create meaningful impact. By staying in the Underwater Room, guests contribute directly to marine conservation,” says Matt Saus, CEO and Co-Founder of The Manta Resort. The resort was established in 2006 by Matthew and Carina Saus. Hailing from Zimbabwe and Sweden respectively, the couple relocated to Tanzania and built the resort into what it is today. Formerly a backpackers’ lodge for divers, it is now considered one of the country’s flagship beach properties. Saus adds: “Once operating costs are covered,100% of the remaining proceeds are channelled into the management of Pemba Channel Conservation Area through Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas. The funds support community engagement, scientific research, monitoring and effective protection of these waters.”