Personal Recollections of the Burj Al Arab Hotel

[ So a good friend actually visited the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. I asked him for his recollections of his stay. Sounds fabulous. ]

We had the pleasure of staying in the infamous Burj al Arab in Dubai for 3 days during the first part of our honeymoon for unadulterated pampering and relaxation after a chaotic week of organising and enjoying our wedding

We flew overnight from Heathrow arriving in Dubai at 6am, as you might imagine, by this time we were absolutely exhausted having had little sleep or time together over the prior three days (staying up ridiculously late on our wedding day chatting (and line dancing!) etc. with friends and family). We arrived in Dubai wearing our backpacks in our hiking gear carrying everything we needed for our budget backpacking around China that was the majority of our holiday and turned up at the absurdly over the top and gold plated hotel lobby. The hotel's four white Rolls Royce convertibles making way as we arrived.

To their enormous credit the 5 hotel employees that greeted us did not bat an eyelid at our shambolic and unkempt state and simply whisked away our packs and passports and treated us to all manner of stuffed dates and chilled fruit juices while we were checked in by our very own butler who would be at our beck and call for the duration of our stay! The hotel boasts the tallest atrium in the world and quite likely the largest number of water features - aquaria and jumping multicoloured water jets abound everywhere.

We were taken up to the 22nd floor (which is actually the 44th floor of the hotel as all rooms are actually suites over two floors) and shown to the most wonderful room...a sweeping staircase leading up to the master bedroom and bathrooms (including whirlpool bath, shower room and multiple sinks)...and an enormous living area with several sofas and chaise longues. The place was just vast and very Las Vegas - plasma screens in virtually every room, every appliance, handle and piece of cutlery was either solid gold or gold plated.

The view simply took our breath away, one side of the sitting room and the bedroom was just open glass with electric curtains swishing across at your bidding - the view overlooking the coastline simply fantastic. The master remote controlling every conceivable piece of kit - including the butler who appeared from nowhere as soon as you pushed the butler call button (bit like godzilla really).

We had enough free food and booze in the room to keep us going for a week and more free Hermes bath, perfume and aftershave products than you could carry. The desire to eat interesting food took us to one of the hotel restaurants beneath the hotel that you reach by way of simulated submarine ride. You have to wait for the submarine to dock and then climb in through a safe like submarine door to meet your captain (who looks like an extra from Octopussy) and are taken on a 5 minute trip to the restaurant. Looking out of the "portholes" you could see the imaginary underwater world passing by - completely ridiculous but good fun!

All in all an amazing place to stay and a real hotel experience...take your sunglasses though - you will need them both inside and outside of the hotel!

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