Burj al Arab
One of the great man-made wonders of the world, the Burj al Arab stands at the pinnacle of hotel luxury. Styled as the only "seven star" hotel in the world, it has become Dubai's skyline signature. The hotel is visible for miles in all directions and, at an impressive 321 meters in height, is the 15th tallest building in the world. Hotel access is usually restricted to guests (those who can afford to drop several thousand dollars per night), but occasionally it is possible to get on the property as a patron of one of the hotel's many fine restaurants -- a loophole I was only too happy to exploit. The hotel frowns on interior photography as it takes the privacy of its guests very seriously, so I could only take a fraction of the photographs I had hoped to snap. Below is just a small sampling of the glittering wonders one can see inside.
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Contrasting views of the outside and inside of the hotel's massive atrium.
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A multi-layered fountain rests in the center of the entryway, and giant gold columns lead the eye upward. Individual room doors are visible but somewhat protected from intruder eyeshot by the steep vertical angle of the view.
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Ascending to the second floor up the escalator and across the giant aquariums that line each side of the hotel. This shot was taken of the view back down to the lobby and main entrance.
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The second floor contains an assortment of elaborate restaurants and pricy gift stores.
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Looking straight up from one of the second floor elevator corridors.
On the right a life-size turquoise hawk for sale in one of the boutiques.
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On the left, the elevator that goes up to the al Muntaha Skyview Restaurant on the 27th floor, where this delightful ice swan and sumptuous appetizer buffet station (jumbo prawns and lobster halves, among other delicacies) awaits.
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After several plates of cuisine from around the world, it was time to stop by the dessert station, where rich delights topped off with the hotel logo in real gold flakes were sampled.
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A few shots of my favorite floor of the hotel, the 18th floor, which houses the hotel's many spa facilities. First, a shot of the breathtaking arched corridors that lead off in opposing directions from the spa reception area.
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Looking straight down from the spa walkway to the ground below.
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The mesmerizing pool at the Assawan Spa. There was only a single guest lounging on one of the chairs when I passed through. The high prices definitely keep the crowds away; it's hard to imagine being lucky enough to have such a grandiose chamber all to yourself!
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The "reading" area adjacent to the spa.
