The United Arab Emirates is a federation of seven emirates – another name for states, effectively – which are located in South west Asia, on the Arabian Peninsula. These predominantly dessert states are known as emirates, and are brought together in a federation known as the United Arab Emirates. The Arabian Peninsula is a hotbed for those who follow the Muslim faith, yet in recent years the Emirates have become known for something else; the spiritual home of devotees of fashion, style and luxury.
Few places across the entire United Arab Emirates are able to demonstrate this move from Islamic conventionality to Westernised glitz and glamour quite like the jewel in the crown of the Emirates, the Emirates Palace. Located in Abu Dhabi, one of the seven Emirates, is has become not just an entertainment and hotel complex, but due to the stunning architecture of its design, something of a local landmark.
There is nothing about the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, that is understated. The very best of everything is used here, right from the architects that designed the oft photographed buildings to the quality of the linen used on the napkins. This is not a place for those who prefer quiet and calm in a hotel complex; this is a place of high end luxury, and it isn’t ashamed to boast of that fact.
This {Abu Dhabi hotel} complex was opened to the public in November 2005, but the entire complex – including some restaurants and spas – did not open until early the next year. The hotel complex was the brainchild of the Abu Dhabi government, with half an eye on providing sumptuous and luxurious accommodation for visiting Heads of State. The resort still is owned by the government of the Emirate, with the general management outsourced to the German based Kempinski Group.
The cost of the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, was extravagantly large – even by Dubai, the most opulent of the United Arab Emirates, standards. The entire complex cost some $3 billion USD, which in the local currency the dirham was £11.02 billion. Quite simply and obviously no expense was spared – only the highest quality would do. In total, that $3 billion USD bought some of the most luxurious hotel space in the world; the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, sits on over 850,000 square meters of floor space and has 114, 60 meter high domes as decoration on the exterior.
The space is used to provide every service and amenity that any visitor, Head of State or not, could require. There are two huge swimming pools, as well as accompanying fully equipped spas which are staffed by some of the best beauticians in the world. There is also a marina, helipad, and underground parking sufficient for 2,500 cars. Nothing on this scale has, in the United Arab Emirates at least, ever been seen before.
As one may well expect, staying in such a place does not come cheaply. The top level of suites is reserved for those anticipated visiting Heads of States; only 54 of the 92 suites are available for public use. There are also 302 rooms, the cheapest of which – the Coral Room – is priced at $400 USD per night. The most expensive can cost up to $11,500 per night, in the Grand Palace Suite.