THE BURJ AL’ ARAB

Standing proud off the coast of Dubai,is one of the most incredible buildings of the planet.At 321mtrs,it soars higher than the Eiffel tower.It’s the tallest hotel on earth and the most luxurious.It’s name means the Arabian tower.We are talking about the BURJ AL’ ARAB,a structure designed to amaze.but creating this 21st century icon was an epic struggle that pushed everyone to the limit.
In November 1994,construction began on the world’s tallest and the most luxurious hotel.Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Makhtoum is the visionary behind this amazing building.This was his idea to turn Dubai into a top holiday spot on the map,a playground for the rich.The sheikh needed a centrepiece with a unique 7 star reputation.
The sheikh chose a radically young team from Britain for this project lead by chief architect Tom Wright.The concept of this building had to be simple ,but yet it had to be iconic.The design which was a simple ‘ YACHT WITH IT’S SAIL BLOWING IN THE WIND’ had a strong connection with this small emirate which was a sea faring nation.An island was specifically built for the construction of this hotel and the foundation of this island was built on concrete hollow cubes which had to brave the extreme weather , the sea and the earthquakes ,as Dubai was prone to them.
The hotel has a restaurant (Al Montahaar),projecting from it and looks as if it’s suspended in the sky.It gives a whole new view for the visitors to look into the Arabian gulf and an unparalleled dining experience.This restaurant is 200 mts above the sea level and project 27mts on both sides from the central core of the building.The hotel has 202 palatial suites to boast about and the sheikh has equipped all the suites with the most modern gadgets any human can desire .It even has a helipad for the visitors to fly in directly to the hotel. It was even used by Roger federer and Andre Agassi as a tennis court,which was a public stunt for the opening of the hotel.
The interiors of this masterpiece was designed by the world class designer Khuan Chew.Vast fish tanks and aquariums welcome the guests as they walk-in.Fountains create aqua gymnastics in the lobby.The view up the atrium is a dazzling rainbow palette of vibrant colours.The ground floor restaurant has a 220 mtr tank which allows the guests to have an intimate experience with the most exotic fish in the world.
The doors to this luxurious hotel was opened on December 1999 and the sheikh had given the world a masterpiece and a gift to the new millennium.