Two of a kind put Abu Dhabi at the top

St Regis Saadiyat Island might have the most expensive hotel suite in the capital but its sister property has an equally impressive boast.

The St Regis Abu Dhabi claims to have the world's highest suspended hotel suite, which straddles two towers 200 metres above ground.

The 1,085 square metre suite is decked out in contemporary design with an Arabic influence, featuring cascading strands of crystals, 24-carat gold leaf, leather wall tiles, velvet upholstered walls and glass mosaic patterns.

There are three bedrooms, as well as a grand majlis with a high ceiling and, like the St Regis Saadiyat Island suite, private lift access, a spa, movie theatre, kitchen, dining room and a fully-equipped gym.

In addition, the 283-room hotel with a total of 55 elegant suites will feature the first Gary Rhodes restaurant in the emirate and the first Hommage Gentleman's Grooming Atelier in the UAE.

Designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates together with local designers, the hotel's interiors were inspired by the region's heritage and St Regis brand, mixing colours of the local sands, traditional cuisine and souqs.

gduncan@thenational.ae

Farage on Muslim Brotherhood

Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.

Tips for SMEs to cope

Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
Make sure you have an online presence
Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.