DUBAI // Guests of the Burj Al Arab will now be presented with 24-carat gold iPads when they check in at the lavish hotel.
The gleaming tablets, which are engraved with the hotel's logo, come loaded with "interactive customer experience" software that enables visitors to call up information about the hotel and access services such as private dining and housekeeping.
The Burj Al Arab describes the software as a "virtual concierge" and it is the first hotel in the world to offer it.
"Our exclusive Burj Al Arab 24-carat gold iPads further enhance our guests' experience during their stay," said general manager Heinrich Morio. "We have also recently introduced iMacs inside all our suites."
The iPads were produced by Gold & Co London, whose chief executive, Amjad Ali, described them as "the ultimate in luxury accessories".
Burj Al Arab guests may take home the full-size bottles of upmarket Hermes toiletries in their bathrooms at the end of their stay. Sadly, this is not the case with the gold iPads, which have to be returned as they check out.
However, the gold-plated iPad with 64GB of storage and 4G connectivity will soon go on sale at the hotel's shop with a price tag of Dh37,490. It will join items such as a gold iPad mini, a gold iPhone 5 and a gold BlackBerry Q10 on the shelves.
