General Morgan, one of the most notorious warlords in Somalia, chain-smokes, as his young militia men, sporting sun-glasses and guns, lounge nearby.

BBC: Somalia pushed to brink of disaster

Suites have bright, freestanding bathtubs and the eighth-floor chill-out lounge opens to a panoramic sun deck.

BBC: Mini guide to Hamburg, Germany

Above the underwater space, guests can climb a ladder to the water level, which contains a bathroom and lounge, or ascend to the rooftop to soak up the sun or lay beneath the stars.

BBC: An underwater hotel opens in Africa

Instead many sail or swim or kayak, eat barbequed suppers on the beach, hit the nearby north shore hiking trails, listen to buskers on waterfront terraces, or simply lounge with a beer or two - fully clothed or otherwise - and watch the sun slip quietly into the sea.

BBC: Vancouver: Land of the lotus-eaters