This weekend, the much-anticipated Atlantis The Royal held its grand reveal to much fanfare.
A-list celebrities — from Kendall Jenner and Rebel Wilson to Amir Khan — gathered at the five-star property for an invite-only preview, alongside VIPs, dignitaries and media, as Beyonce performed live for the first time in four years, making international headlines.
It was vaguely reminiscent of the Atlantis, The Palm launch party in 2008, when Kylie Minogue performed, and stars in attendance included actors Charlize Theron and Robert De Niro, basketball player Michael Jordan, singer Natalie Imbruglia and business mogul Sir Richard Branson.
Is Atlantis The Royal open?
Not yet. The hotel is, however, accepting bookings for stays from February 10.
Although it has yet to officially announce an opening date, in October the hotel opened online reservations for stays beginning March 4. This has since been brought forward.
The only option available to book online on February 10, and on the following weekend, February 17 and 18, is a three-bedroom sky terrace suite, which is priced at Dh17,417 ($4,742) a night, if booked in advance.
What's inside Atlantis The Royal?
The resort, the opening of which has been anticipated for years, spans 63 hectares and houses 795 rooms and suites, with countless hospitality venues and no fewer than 90 swimming pools.
Dramatic water features, vertical gardens and an expansive sky bridge are among the defining design features of the mega resort. Sitting brazenly on the outer crescent of the Palm, its dominating silhouette has already become an integral part of Dubai’s skyline.
“We were asked to dream big on this project. To create something unique and iconic for Dubai — and when I look at it now, I’m amazed by the audacity of the whole undertaking,” says James von Klemperer, president and design principal of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the architecture firm behind the hotel.
“I’m bowled over by what’s been built, with its vertical piling up of outdoor experiences in the pools, outside spaces and remarkable design features at every turn," says von Klemperer. "The gardens in the sky, first imagined in sketches on paper, are now realised hundreds of feet above the ground.”
There will be 17 restaurants at the resort, including the Middle East's first Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, from the famed British chef; Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan; and Ariana's Persian Kitchen by the Iranian-American celebrity TV chef and cookbook author Ariana Bundy.
Who owns Atlantis The Royal?
Kerzner International is the owner and developer of Atlantis The Royal, as well as other luxury developments and residences, plus gaming and entertainment experiences.
It operates four brands: Atlantis Resorts and Residences, One&Only Resorts, Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort and Siro Hotels.
Scroll through the gallery below to see celebrities attend Atlantis The Royal's grand reveal weekend
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Beyonce walked the red carpet before her performance. Photo: Mason Poole/Parkwood Media/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Kendall Jenner. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Rebel Wilson. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Letitia Wright. Photo: Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Liam Payne. Photo: Samir Hussein / Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Ashley Park. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Terrence J. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Amir Khan. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Verona Pooth and Franjo Pooth. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Joseph Bates and Jodie Kidd. Photo: Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Winston Duke, Letitia Wright and Yvette Noel-Schure. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso of Swedish House Mafia. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Marvin Humes and Rochelle Humes. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Halle Bailey. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Chloe Bailey. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Tiger Free and Isaac Carew. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Tamaraah Al Gabbani. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal -
Mona Kattan. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal
A version of this article was originally published on January 10, 2023
