Taking the waters in the main hall, under a galleried glass roof, has been likened to swimming in a cathedral.

BBC: Nine unusual places to stay

Reign over your romantic retreat from your bed chamber's fittingly king-sized bed-or the two-person Jacuzzi tub-while taking in the sparkling waters of Seneca Lake.

BBC: Daily deal: Free reign in New York's Finger Lakes

That said, for five years now I have kicked off the New Year by taking a plunge in the icy waters of New York's Coney Island, a tradition I was introduced to while living in Dublin, where I joined hundreds of locals who make an annual Christmas leap from a rock at Sandycove and baptize themselves in the freezing Irish Sea.

BBC: This is Snow & Skiing week

This means doing some serious number crunching prior to taking the plunge into unfamiliar waters.

FORBES: Accidental Landlords: The Next Real Estate Nightmare or Effective Housing Solutions?

The new observatory will "support longer-term, science-based understanding of the dramatic changes taking place in Arctic waters, " said Kim Juniper, with NEPTUNE Canada, in a statement from the University of Victoria.

MSN: Seafloor observatory to keep close eye on Arctic Ocean

These days the most dramatic form of transport is Meyran's water taxi service, taking commuters and tourists out onto the sparkling waters of Manhasset Bay and Long Island Sound.

BBC: How real is The Great Gatsby's playboy island?

Discussions are already taking place in the UK to test the waters of such a bundle package, but we don't realistically expect the business model here to change overnight -- but considering the duties the RIAA wants to toss on anything digital, we wonder just how attractive a new plan will be.

ENGADGET: iTunes sales "collapsing," blanket licensing to succeed?

If you do venture outside of this den of blissful comfort, Costa Smeralda offers a variety of activities: snorkelling in the clearest of waters, renting a yacht, playing golf, kayaking, water skiing and taking a walking tour of the colourful buildings in the resort town of Porto Cervo, arm-in-arm with your newlywed.

BBC: The five best getaways for a royal honeymoon