50 Cent has given us all insight into what it's like to holiday like a celebrity during his recent stay at Dubai's Palazzo Versace hotel.
While the hotel itself exudes luxury, the Imperial Suite, where the rapper has just spent six nights, is next level.
The two-level 22,000-square-foot duplex comes with a fully serviced kitchen, a dining room, a living room, a billiards room, a multipurpose area and a library. That’s not forgetting the two bedrooms, sauna, gym and outdoor pool with a terrace overlooking the Dubai skyline. The entire suite is, of course, furnished in Versace.
The room takes over the top two floors of the hotel and has its own private lift, for optimum discretion. So it's no wonder, then, that 50 Cent is not the first high-profile guest the suite has welcomed. Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan, Jennifer Lopez, Akon and Jason Derulo can all be counted among previous guests.
The National took a tour of the Imperial Suite to show you exactly the kind of luxury the rapper enjoyed during his stay. See the video at the top of this page.
During his stay at the Versace, 50 Cent also tried out its newly launched Secret Palazzo Versace brunch, although, naturally, he did so with a VIP edge.
Dubai events company Secret Parties instead threw the star a private version of its popular Friday brunch, complete with performances from an opera singer and violinist, as well as a four-course Italian feast with dishes such as seafood arancini, roasted beef tenderloin and pan-seared sea bass.
He was also snapped in the desert, visiting the Burj Khalifa, and at Cove Beach, located at Caesar's Palace Bluewaters Dubai.
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Read more:
Inside 50 Cent's $40,000-a-night Dubai hotel suite
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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