The Royal Suite inside Burj Al Arab is gilded and sprawling beyond your imagination
Simply walking into the Burj Al Arab is a sign of prestige. In its 21-year history, it has been famously inaccessible to anyone who is not a hotel or restaurant guest. Not only has that policy increased its exclusivity, it has elevated global curiosity regarding what’s within the “world’s first seven-star” hotel.
All that changed when Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts launched Inside Burj Al Arab, a 90-minute tour at the hotel, in October. Not only can you now step inside the hotel without being a hotel or restaurant guest, you can also explore its most exclusive spaces. This includes the Royal Suite, which I am guided to after a buggy ride and a trip up to the 25th floor.
Many hotel suites are large, lavish spaces, but nothing really prepares you for a visit to Burj Al Arab’s. The suite that’s part of the tour is gilded and sprawling. It’s spread across two floors, with so many gold elements that it’s hard to take it all in at once.
The lower sections feature a living room to one side, and a dining room and library to the other. What connects the two is an intricate staircase, with 24-karat gold plating, under a 24K gold-plated ceiling.
One of the best aspects of the tour is the fact you are guided by butlers who share lesser-known facts about the room. That’s how I find out I’m walking into the same living room that has hosted the likes of Nelson Mandela, Justin Bieber, Lewis Hamilton and some of the Kardashians.
The space is a burst of colours, plush textures and patterns. The hotel’s interiors have been inspired by the four elements – fire, water, wind and air – I am told, and a lot of the decor reflects that, from fiery reds to soothing blues.
Upstairs there’s separate bedrooms for him and her.
The master bedroom features hand-stitched gold from one of the best fabric houses in Europe on the walls, a gold-plated TV on the ceiling and a revolving bed. It’s useful when you don’t want to get up, so instead spin around to check out the Dubai skyline views from the windows, the butler tells me.
Attached to this room is the most gold-laden bathroom I have ever seen, thanks in part to rare golden marble on the walls – the “last of its kind”, I am told.
Across the hall, the other bedroom is another sprawling space, done up in pink. A majlis seating area that can easily seat 20 is followed by another bedroom with a mirrored ceiling. The adjoining bathroom is designed in white and black as opposed to glittering gold, but you really can’t miss the shower, which features 24K gold-plated tiles and taps.
The second part of the tour explores the Experience Suite. This tour delves into the
The newly launched hotel tour gives a peek into the grand duplex suite with several gold elements
hotel’s history, architecture and technology. This encompasses stories about the architect Tom Wright’s inspiration for the shape of the hotel and a showcase of the uniforms, to name only two elements.
Inside Burj Al Arab ends with a visit to the shop for those who want a souvenir. By this point, I’ve gotten very accustomed to this level of grandeur. The world outside simply isn’t gold-plated enough.
Inside Burj Al Arab takes place daily; 9.30am-8.30pm; Dh249 per person, groups of up to 12