"Burj al Arab" in Dubai

In shape of a sail, this building is the highest that is used exclusively as a hotel in the world. A special derogation was granted to this the Burj Al Arab to be qualified as the world's only seven (7) stars hotel. Its atrium is 180 metres high and could therefore contain the Dubai World Trade Center, the highest building in Dubai in the 1970s.

The Burj Al Arab does not contain any double or single room, but its 60-storey houses exclusively suites, every one has two floors, with internal staircase to the suites, ranging from 196 square metres for the smallest suites, 780 square metres for the biggest.

Prices for a night range from USD1.000,00 to USD 28.000,00. Breakfast is not included and will be charged approximately € 45 (approx. USD 60) per person.


A circular cantilever at level 210 metres above sea is used as heliport. The Burj al Arab, which means "Tower of the Arabs", has been built on an artificial island in order to prevent his shadow be projected on Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which is part of the hotel complex and is shaped like a wave sea.


Lift-off of a helicopter from the heliport:

After the construction of the Burj al Arab, people no longer accepted to talk about this hotel because there was a somewhat controversial story:

The hotel, in the shape of a sailing, also has a 120 metres aong horizontal restaurantand located "on the mast" that is the main pillar on seaside. The hotel, when seen in profile appears to be a sail, but, when seen from a boat on the sea, it seems a tall cross.
It seems that the architect who designed the hotel realised when he went back to Australia, that he had built the world's largest cross on Muslim territory.
On these words the Arabs asked to demolish the hotel! This rection is fully understandable if we know that in Saudi Arabia even planes are not allowed to fly to Mecca situated in the capital city, Riyadh, because the plane's shadow projected on the ground is shape of a cross, a Christian symbol.

At that point, the Sheikh of Dubai put an end to all these protests and tensions saying that these are only gossip and that the hotel will not be destroyed.









The official web site of Burj al Arab allows you to book your suite: www.burj-al-arab.com.