It gives new meaning to the word expensive. The cheapest rooms can cost anywhere between U.S. $1,000 and $2,000 per night depending on the season. Guests who want to stay in the Royal Suite will pay up to U.S. $18,000 per night. There's no shortage of takers. Most of the people who stay here are celebrities and oil billionaires from the surrounding Arab states with money to burn. It's shaped like a billowing sail and sits on a man made island. Here are some other interesting facts about this unique hotel.
How Do Guests Arrive at the Burj Al Arab?
There are a couple of transportation options. Guests who have a confirmed reservation can get there in a Rolls Royce or by private helicopter. This is no place to check-in nor are there any cashiers in the main lobby. Each of the twenty seven floors has its own reception booth which doubles as a concierge desk.
Upon arrival guests are taken directly to their suites and checked in immediately by a team of private butlers. They enter each suite by a private entrance to discreetly unpack luggage and run baths. Any service will be provided no matter what time it is.
What Does the Burj Al Arab Look Like Inside?
Robust and vibrant colours dominate the hotel's interior furnishings and they are intertwined with gold, marble and crystal. The main atrium is 180 metres high (nearly 600 feet) and it's flanked by golden columns. The centre of the floor is occupied by a fountain which shoots water more than 40 metres into the air.
Each suite has two stories and floor to ceiling windows with views of Jumeirah Beach and the Persian Gulf. They range in size from 170 square metres (1,830 square feet) to 780 square metres (8,396 square feet). Every one of them has a dining/living area and a 42-inch plasma screen television with 93 channels to choose from.
Business travellers can do everything they need in their rooms. Each suite has a fax machine, wireless internet access and printer. The Presidential and Royal Suites are equipped with private cinemas and their own elevators.
Amenities and Services at the Burj Al Arab
- There are two fully equipped fitness studios
- The Assawan Health Club and Spa is on the 18th floor with an impressive Arab influenced decor
- There are saunas, steam rooms and hydrotherapy baths
- Guests can use a squash court and an aerobics room
- Room service is offered around the clock
- There's a barber shop/beauty salon
- Business travellers can make use of one of the several meeting/conference rooms
- The Al Falak ballroom is the most opulent in the hotel and it can be used for weddings, galas, business presentations and large scale conferences. It's decorated with Swarovski crystal and 18 carat gold leaf
Does the Burj Al Arab Welcome Children?
It certainly does and there are many activities to keep the younger guests occupied. On the 18th floor there is a club equipped with computer games, toys and a large television tuned to the Disney channel. Kids who are staying in the Burj Al Arab can get complimentary access to the kid's club at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel next door which offers plenty of outdoor activities.
Can Anyone Go Inside to Take a Look?
No, because the hotel sits on an island 280 metres from the beach. The one road linking it to the mainland is a private causeway which is only accessible after passing through a security gate. Nobody is allowed to just walk in off the street. Non-residents can come for tea or a meal but reservations are a must before showing up.
Admiring it from afar is an option if you can't afford to stay there because it's much bigger than it looks in photographs. The Burj Al Arab is 1,053 feet tall (321 metres) which makes it slightly shorter than the Empire State Building in New York City.
Contact Details
P.O. Box 74147, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 3017777
Fax: +971 4 3017000
Suite Reservations: BAAreservations@jumeirah.com
