ABU DHABI // For lease: four-bedroom, luxury hotel suite with view from 200 metres up … and nothing underneath it.
Part of the St Regis Hotel that is due to open on the Corniche in three months, the Abu Dhabi Suite contains a majlis that was built on the ground, then hauled up to its lofty position.
The world's highest presidential suite comes with a private entrance, a butler and its own cinema.
The suite between the hotel's two towers is the first of its kind, said Oliver Key, manager of the St Regis Hotel.
The bedrooms are on either side of the suspended majlis, along with a spa, dining room, kitchen and reception area.
Mr Key said it was too early to give rates for the presidential suite, one of five set to open in the St Regis.
The main building work at the hotel is finished and workers are putting in the finishing touches, including marble and mahogany, and gold and silver leaf on columns in the foyer.
It will have 282 rooms and 40 suites over 16 floors, and two restaurants.
"It will be pretty impressive when it's done," Mr Key said. "What you see from the outside does not give you a lot of indication of what you would get once you see the inside.
"It is very much more of a classical look than the main contemporary towers you see in many hotels in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The idea is you get more of a St Regis New York or St Regis London experience.
"The only things left to do is hang the two chandeliers, put the carpets down, hang the drapes and give it a thorough cleaning."
Part of the St Regis tradition is its tapestries. The bar will have three sporting tapestries, featuring horse racing, camel racing and falconry.
The British chef Gary Rhodes will open a restaurant on the property.
"He has been there six times and has been involved in the process," Mr Key said.
The 250-strong staff will be ready for the soft launch by April 15, and by September everything is expected to be open, including the presidential suites, beach club and restaurants.
eharnan@thenational.ae
THREE
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
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Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
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Age: 23
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- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
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Saturday results
Qatar beat Kuwait by 26 runs
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Monday fixtures
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Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
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