If you say you're staying at the Burj Al Arab, probably the world's most luxurious hotel, it says a lot about being a serious player.
From the pickup by one of its 10-strong fleet of white Rolls-Royces to the unambiguously over-the-top interior decor, what was initially the world’s tallest free-standing hotel stands out.
The hotel instantly became an icon for the city as was always the intention, and a symbol of oil wealth and opulence. But does it work as a practical base for a visiting executive, or is it now simply a must-do for the upwardly mobile Chinese tourist?
The lack of a business centre might be of concern. But all of its 202 suites have their own 21-inch Mac computer and laser printer. Internet is 2.9 Mbps. I could not locate a trouser press, although you hardly need one with your own butler, one of the 1,500 staff.
Sat at the desk in a 170 square metre, two-level suite, my main distraction was the blue azure of the Arabian Gulf below, ideal perhaps for considering the bigger picture rather than the next email.
Still, this sort of experience is not cheap. The lowest nightly rate is Dh4,085. A room service 200-gram Wagyu steak is Dh480, a cola Dh40 or a club sandwich Dh150. That said, you get full-sized Hermes toiletries as a gift and a gold coffee machine with a brand unique to the hotel.
To hire the Al Falak ballroom, seating 220 for a conference, costs Dh35,000 during the day and Dh100,000 per night, while the two 20-seater boardrooms with amazing views are Dh10,000 in the day and Dh20,000 at night.
The subterranean Al Mahara seafood restaurant, with huge aquarium, is closed until late September when it reopens under Nathan Outlaw, the British two-Michelin star chef. So I tried Al Muntaha restaurant on the 27th floor with panoramic views of the Arabian Sea – an impressive place to entertain contacts.
Be warned, though, noisy tourists do occupy the lobby and the hotel is often full.
Q&A
What is it about the Burj Al Arab?
I’ve been to many business events in the Burj Al Arab since it opened in 1999 and it never fails to impress. Partly it’s just the excess, vivid colour scheme and high service levels. But it is also a symbol of Dubai’s incredible success story and business likes this association.
Does the hotel want business guests?
“We are trying to make the hotel more accessible to local business executives,” Niamh Keohan, the director of marketing and PR, told me. “It’s been too elitist in the past and we think this has to change with more reasonable pricing, too. We will have menus from Dh450-Dh650 at the Al Mahara this autumn.”
Any new attractions?
The Terrace opened just two days before my stay, a massive deck jutting out over the sea with large salt and seawater pools, two more casual restaurants, private cabanas and plenty of space to relax under a small forest of palm trees. You can join as a member of this exclusive club for an annual fee of Dh100,000. That includes access to one of the best gyms I have seen in any hotel, on the 18th floor, and the Talise Spa with skyline swimming pools and a newly installed sauna with views back to Dubai. The uber-cool Gold on 27 Bar is another new attraction decked out in Dubai’s favourite metal.
Any niggles?
I had to ask for coffee three times to get served at breakfast, a chaotic buffet at a new restaurant on The Terrace. And the lifeguard did not know where to find the on-switch for the Jacuzzi, or which swimming pool was seawater.
Peter Cooper was a guest of the hotel.
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