The Burj Al Arab is arguably some of the iconic resorts on the earth. Also known as a “7-star lodge” (which isn’t a factor), the lodge is among the most over-the-top issues in Dubai, a metropolis identified for extra. The lodge is so “unique” that it’s on a artifical island with a gate, and you’ll solely enter if you happen to’re a visitor, or in any other case have a reservation on the lodge (both for a tour, or for one of many very costly eating retailers).
After visiting Dubai dozens of occasions over the previous 15 years, I figured it’s lastly time to spend an evening on the Burj Al Arab. Now, to be truthful, I’ve splurged on afternoon tea on the lodge a number of occasions, and it’s an expertise. Nonetheless, nothing — and I actually imply nothing — may put together me for the expertise of staying at this lodge.
Let me be completely trustworthy — previous to my keep, I used to be anticipating that the expertise could be completely type over substance, and that I’d be entertained by the ridiculousness of the lodge, however would conclude that folks ought to keep away from this lodge.
I used to be anticipating that this is able to be a luxurious manufacturing unit, and that there wouldn’t really be any redeeming qualities to the expertise for many who recognize nice service. Whereas the lodge is in some regards a complete luxurious manufacturing unit, I’ve to say that I oddly liked my keep, and it would simply be my most memorable lodge keep ever. Whereas I’ll have a full evaluation quickly, beneath are my brutally trustworthy preliminary takeaways from my 24 hours on the Burj Al Arab. Let’s begin with the dangerous, and transfer towards the nice.
Rooms on the Burj Al Arab are huge and hideous
Whereas rooms on the Burj Al Arab are very costly, we’ve to provide the lodge credit score for the beneficiant room sizes. Entry stage rooms on the lodge are 170 sq. meters (over 1,800 sq. toes), and are duplex suites. The bottom rooms right here could be thought of presidential suites at different resorts.
Whereas the suites are huge, OMG they’re hideous. I imply, the inside of Trump’s Boeing 757 seems understated in comparison with these rooms. How bizarre to go from the lodge’s superb swimming pools and seaside membership to this inside, the place you are feeling such as you’re in some form of a royal jail, or one thing. The purple, the polka dots, it’s only a lot to absorb… I’ll let the images communicate for themselves.
The odd high-low method that the lodge takes with room design is so bizarre as properly. Like, the bathroom paper holder is fabricated from gold, however you’ve a telephone and protected straight from 2003…
Friends on the Burj Al Arab are essentially the most entertaining factor ever
Okay, this seems like a detrimental, however it’s form of a optimistic, relying on the way you have a look at it. The Burj Al Arab might be Dubai’s most well-known attraction. Dubai is a metropolis full of individuals trying to exhibit, and there’s nowhere that occurs greater than on the Burj Al Arab.
The lodge is mainly filled with zombies simply taking photos and movies all day. Nobody really appears to be something straight, however quite they’re solely issues by their telephone digital camera.
As we had been being escorted to our room, one of many suggestions from the pleasant affiliate was “you’ll be able to have a gold cappuccino within the foyer lounge, it’s very fashionable for Instagram” (and sure, we ended up having one, as a result of for twenty-four hours I simply pretended that the conversion price to the Dirham was completely different, which you actually must do if staying right here… nonetheless, I received’t be posting it to Instagram).
However actually, nothing I say can do justice to how the visitors at this lodge had been appearing. I’d say about half of the visitors gave the impression to be there solely with a purpose to create social media content material. Usually this is able to be horrifying within the context of a luxurious lodge, however I don’t suppose I’ve ever laughed so onerous in my life.
I spent 90 minutes at breakfast having fun with the view and dealing on my laptop computer, and the folks on the tables on each side of us had been doing photoshoots nonstop. All the things about it was past hilarious. They then went to the pool, and began to do a catwalk-style stroll. It was simply superb. And it wasn’t simply these girls, it was mainly everybody.
Let me as soon as once more emphasize that that is the furthest factor out of your typical luxurious expertise, however for twenty-four hours I actually felt like I used to be transported to a unique planet that’s a lot funnier than the one I normally name house.
It’s additionally attention-grabbing to notice how completely different the visitor profile was from all the opposite properties I’ve stayed at previously few years. We didn’t overhear anybody else with an American accent, and I’d say 90%+ of the visitors had been both Chinese language or Russian.
The Burj Al Arab is form of beautiful, in a gaudy approach
Whereas I feel the rooms on the lodge couldn’t be uglier, there’s no denying that the lodge is an icon, and with the ability to really keep right here, and entry all elements of the lodge is a enjoyable expertise.
The foyer is legitimately beautiful and mesmerizing…
As is the indoor pool…
After which there are different elements of the lodge that you may’t assist however recognize for simply how gaudy they’re. Would I would like my house to appear to be this? No. Would I need to keep in a lodge like this for every week? No. Is it form of superior to see for one evening? Completely!
The Burj Al Arab has distinctive service
Whereas one of many predominant causes to remain on the Burj Al Arab is for the extravagance and leisure, what positively delighted me was the extent of service. Although this lodge is a luxurious manufacturing unit by way of the variety of visitors and habits, service couldn’t have been higher throughout the board. This lodge has an nearly uncomfortably excessive staffing stage, but each single worker we interacted with was pleasant.
Regardless of this sense like a “manufacturing unit,” each worker managed to make us really feel like we had been the one visitors there. That is true not solely by way of how polished they had been, but in addition by way of the curiosity they confirmed in visitors, and the persona they’d.
For instance, at breakfast they’d preserve asking if we needed extra espresso, if we needed some dessert, and so forth. On the pool, they’d always refill our waters, provide to wash our sun shades, and go round complimentary treats. They usually’d all the time introduce themselves by title, ask how our keep was going, ask if we had any plans for the day, and so forth.
We had dinner on the Burj Al Arab’s iconic fish tank restaurant (Ristorante L’ Olivo at Al Mahara), and repair was actually on par with some Michelin-starred eating places we’ve been to. Once more, I used to be anticipating service wouldn’t be nice as a result of the lodge doesn’t must strive, however that’s not the case.
So there’s not simply type on the lodge, but in addition substance to the expertise.
The Burj Al Arab has some superb leisure services
Inside of the rooms apart, the lodge has some actually phenomenal services for a beach-style vacation. For one, the Burj Al Arab has an unimaginable pool deck with two big swimming pools. That is one of the best pool setup I’ve ever seen in Dubai, so if you happen to’re in search of some solar and to lounge by the pool, the Burj Al Arab is difficult to beat.
Moreover, visitors get entry to a seaside membership that felt surprisingly stylish, and the place you can simply get pleasure from your day on the seaside, swimming within the pool, and having scrumptious meals and drinks.
The Burj Al Arab has some beneficiant facilities
One other factor that impressed me concerning the lodge is what number of unadvertised “freebies” are included with the keep. After all the lodge isn’t low-cost, however they stunned me in a number of methods I wasn’t anticipating. For instance, along with providing giant Hermes toiletries, the lodge additionally affords quite a lot of different Hermes merchandise which can be meant to be taken house.
Moreover, within the evenings the lodge brings visitors canapés (with caviar, naturally), and in addition has a complimentary blissful hour the place you’ll be able to have alcoholic drinks delivered to your room (together with wine and liquor).
Admittedly you’re paying a fairly penny to remain right here, however a minimum of the lodge isn’t low-cost with visitors, as you’ll discover at many different properties.
Backside line
The Burj Al Arab is totally ridiculous. The rooms are hideous. It’s the furthest factor from bespoke luxurious.
But beneath the superficial exterior, I really form of liked our keep on the lodge. From the huge suites, to the actually polished and real service, to the flexibility to remain on this (cheesy) icon of a lodge, it was some of the attention-grabbing lodge stays of my life.
Don’t keep right here if you would like your typical luxurious lodge expertise. Do keep right here if you wish to expertise a lodge that’s so quintessentially what folks stereotype Dubai as being. This lodge is so over-the-top, however fortuitously there’s some substance to it as properly. The service on the lodge is superb, there are all types of “freebies,” the pool and seaside membership are literally prime notch, and attending to spend an evening on the Burj is such a deal with.
I wouldn’t need to spend every week right here, however if you happen to’re into luxurious resorts and may swing it, I’d completely suggest spending up to a couple nights right here. There might be no scarcity of leisure, that’s for positive.
What’s your tackle the Burj Al Arab?
