Since its opening in 1999, the Burj Al Arab has been a dominant figure of the Dubai skyline. This architectural marvel is structured in the shape of a billowing Arabian dhow sail, in homage to the country’s seafaring history. It has played host to an awe-inspiring guest list of VIPs and celebrities from all over the world. Built on its own man-made island, the sail-shaped building rises 321m, providing guests an incredible view of the Arabian Gulf.
The Burj Al Arab is undoubtedly one of the most famous landmarks in the world let alone in the United Arab Emirates. It remains a huge attraction to visitors of Dubai and is renowned as the world’s first 7-star hotel. The hotel literally oozes luxury as it dominates the dazzling Dubai coastline. In this article, I am going to share with you my experience of staying in this incredible all-suite hotel.
Warm Arabian Welcome
As we drove up to the gated driveway, to our left was a minibus of tourists taking selfies through the gate to try and get the best shot of them with the iconic ‘sail’. Little did I know at the time, unless you had a reservation at the Burj Al Arab there was absolutely no access for tourists. It made that short drive to the atrium that much more special. We then stepped out of our transfer into a welcome warmer than the Dubai heat.
The moment I stepped into the atrium will be something I will never forget. We were greeted with gold and sapphire colours as far as the eye could see and fountains that danced in tranquility. In fact, it really does seem that all that glitters is gold. The interior of the hotel is covered in 22,000 square feet of 24-carat gold leaf. Once check-in was complete, we were then introduced to our butler. Yes, you read that correctly, our very own BUTLER.
The 7-Star Touches
Each floor is assigned a concierge and access to the Jumeirah Butler Whatsapp number. This is basically a modern-day Aladdin’s lamp. The only difference is that you aren’t limited to just 3 wishes from this genie!
During our stay, we were checked on throughout to see if there was anything they could do more of. The suite was cleaned no fewer than 4 times in a 24 hour period. Each time we returned to the room we were met with little treats such as caviar-covered canapes, and even afternoon tea! To top this we had a jacuzzi bath run for us and were asked the temperature we wanted it at!
The Deluxe Marina Suite
The Burj Al Arab boasts 202 rooms and is a suite-only hotel. This means that all rooms are spread over two floors with a minimum of 170m² (1829 feet² ). My stay saw me overlooking the Arabian Gulf on a Deluxe Marina Suite. Believe it or not, this is the base entry for a suite at the Burj Al Arab. You can see for yourself in the video further down this blog post just how astonishing this place really is.
The downstairs suite area consisted of an enormous living area, dining table and mini bar, workstation and not to mention the downstairs ‘guest bathroom’. The image below is not two photographs. This is as much of the living area I could get on a panoramic photograph!
The pièce de résistance has to be the huge double mirror directly above our super kingsize bed covered in 100% Egyptian cotton. Not luxurious enough? Why not ask for the brochure with a choice of no fewer than 17 types of pillows?
The immensely spacious bathroom decorated with mosaics on the first floor of the suite boasts a full-size jacuzzi and walk-in rain shower. All with ‘his and hers’ luxury Hermes toiletries lining the marble double-wash basins.
The Sky Bar On 27
The Sky Bar on 27 is where it’s at. With world-class views and mixologists to match, this really is a must when staying here. Situated on the ’27th’ floor, you can take the glass elevator for views of the pool area ( Sal By The Burj) as well as distant twinkles from the neighbouring Palm.
Reservations are an essential requirement for those not staying at the hotel but residents are able to drop in for drinks and canapes and just enjoy the views from what feels like the top of the world. Our server even took us on a tour of the neighbouring bar (Gold on 27) and also the magnificent ballroom. These areas were closed to everyone on the dates we were there, but after he found out I was a travel agent and blogger, he was insistent on showing me the current off-limit areas.
Sal By The Burj
This is the iconic pool area situated at the rear of the hotel. Boasting incredible infinity views of the Arabian Gulf and of course poolside and restaurant fine dining options. This also allows views of the Burj Al Arab that very few ever see. The service is second to none as you would expect with cabanas available to rent on a daily basis. If you are not staying at the Burj, you can pay for access to the pool area. However, this will set you back approximately AED800 (£160) for entry with some food and drink vouchers included. So as you can see, exclusivity is key when staying at the world’s most luxurious hotel. Lunch here was absolutely incredible, as you would expect.
It was such a strange feeling to be sat watching numerous jet skiers and tour boats alike, stopping just adrift from us to photograph this monumental and world-famous icon. All hoping to catch a glimpse of that A-lister celeb, which we never actually saw while staying here. Can you believe it?
It was this point where I think it actually hit me just how privileged we were to be staying here.
Is Dubai On Your ‘To-Do List’?
The U.A.E has had a fantastic approach to the Covid-19 pandemic and has been one of the forefront countries in the vaccination program. This has led Dubai to become a go-to destination for just about everyone. With my second Dubai trip booked for just days after the release of this article, it has drawn me straight back after only visiting just 4 months prior. As many of you will know from following my blog, this is unusual for me.
Is Dubai on your mind? Why not check out an article from one of my brilliant guest contributors on ‘Top 10 Things To Do In Dubai’. Need help getting there? Look no further than your ‘independent travel agent‘ and let me get you to this dream destination.
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