Simply walking into the Burj Al Arab is a sign of prestige.
In its 21-year-long history, it has been famously inaccessible to anyone who is not a hotel or restaurant guest. This meant that unless you were willing to shell out some serious cash, your access to the hotel was restricted to tourist-friendly snaps from nearby Kite Beach.
Not only has that policy increased its exclusivity, it has elevated global curiosity regarding what’s within the world-class hotel, dubbed the "world's first seven-star" property and often considered one of the most luxurious in the world.
All that changed earlier this year when Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts launched Inside Burj Al Arab, an immersive, 90-minute tour at the hotel, in October. Not only can you now step foot inside the hotel without being a hotel or restaurant guest, you can also explore its most exclusive spaces.
This includes the Royal Suite, which I am guided to after a buggy ride and a trip up to the 25th floor via gilded lifts.
Most hotel suites are lavish, sprawling spaces, but nothing really prepares you for a visit to the Burj Al Arab’s. The suite that’s part of the tour doesn’t even resemble a hotel residence, but the interior of a mansion, gilded and sprawling. It’s spread across two floors, with so many gold elements that it’s hard to take it all in at once.
The lower sections feature a living room to one side, and a dining room and library to the other. What connects the two is an intricate staircase, with 24-karat gold plating, under a 24K gold-plated ceiling.
Don't feel like taking the stairs? Fret not, there’s a private lift – naturally.
One of the best aspects of the tour is the fact you are guided by butlers who go out of their way to make you feel like you’re in the lap of luxury. From offering to assist in any way, to sharing lesser-known facts about the room, it’s VIP treatment all the way.
That’s how I find out I’m walking into the same living room that has hosted the likes of Nelson Mandela, Justin Bieber, Gigi Hadid, Lewis Hamilton, Selena Gomez and some of the Kardashians.
The space is a burst of colours, plush textures and geometric patterns. The hotel’s interiors have been inspired by the four elements – fire, water, wind and air – I am told, and a lot of the decor reflects that, from fiery reds to soothing blues.
Be sure to stop and revel at the gold-plated television.
Upstairs there’s a separate bedroom for him and her. The master bedroom features hand-stitched gold from one of the best fabric houses in Europe on the walls, a TV on the ceiling and a revolving bed. It's useful when you don't want to get up, so instead spin around to check out the Dubai skyline views from the windows, the butler tells me.
Attached to this room is the most gold-laden bathroom I have ever seen, thanks in part to unique golden marble on the walls – the "last of its kind", I am told. Other highlights are the marble bathtub and the toilet that comes with its own remote control.
Across the hall, the other bedroom is another sprawling space, done up in pink. A majlis seating area that can easily seat 20 is followed by another bedroom with a mirrored ceiling. The adjoining bathroom is designed in white and black as opposed to glittering gold, but you really can’t miss the shower, which features 24K gold-plated tiles, or the gold-plated taps.
Downstairs, the dining room reveals a spectacular circular table, while an adjoining library presents more ostentatious photo opportunities around every corner.
The second part of the tour explores the Experience Suite.
While the Royal Suite has been designed to give visitors an inside glimpse into the lives (and luxuries) of the wealthy, the Experience Suite delves into the hotel’s history, architecture and technology. This encompasses stories about the architect Tom Wright’s early inspiration for the shape of the hotel and a showcase of the uniforms, to name only two elements.
Inside Burj Al Arab ends with a visit to the store for those looking to pick up a souvenir. By this point, I’ve gotten very accustomed to this level of grandeur. The world outside simply isn’t gold-plated enough.
Inside Burj Al Arab takes place daily; 9.30am-8.30pm; Dh249 per person, groups of up to 12; insideburjalarab.com
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
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
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THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The five pillars of Islam
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
