The Burj Al Arab is a hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the world’s third tallest hotel (excluding mixed-use buildings) at 321 meters (1,053 feet); nevertheless, non-occupable area accounts for 39% of its overall height.
Burj Al Arab is located on an artificial island 280 meters (920 feet) from Jumeirah beach, with a private curving bridge connecting it to the mainland.
The Burj Al Arab, dubbed the world’s most ‘Instagrammable’ hotel, is one of the first sites most people think of when they think of Dubai. This hotel, which is built in the style of a sail and is surrounded by the Arabian Gulf, has a reputation for glamour that precedes it – but here are five facts about the landmark that you may not know.
The structure’s shape is meant to resemble a ship’s sail. The Burj Al Arab is one of the world’s most opulent hotels. “The World’s Only 7 Star Hotel,” as it is known. In 1993, WS Atkins architect Tom Wright took on the task of designing this ground-breaking skyscraper. Burj Al Arab was planned and developed from the beginning to become Dubai’s emblem.
Construction began in 1994, including 3000 companies and contractors, 250 designers from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Dubai, and 3500 workers at any given moment. It took two years to reclaim the island in the Arabian Gulf’s coastal waters, and another three years to construct the majestic monument. The Burj Al Arab first opened its doors on December 1, 1999. The skyscraper was built with an astonishing 70,000 cubic meters (2,472,026 cubic feet) of concrete and more than 9,000 tons (9.920 US tons) of steel.
The interiors of the Burj Al Arab were finished with the finest and most rare materials available. Custom-made carpets and rugs from South Africa and India, marble from Brazil and Italy, oak doors from Dubai, and chandeliers from the United Kingdom were among the beautiful goods brought in to create the magical interiors.
The inside was decorated with approximately 1,790 square meters (19,270 square feet) of 24-Karat gold leaf.
Despite its size, the Burj Al Arab only has 28 double-story floors with 202 bedroom suites. The smallest suite is 169 square meters (1,820 square feet) in size, while the largest is 780 square meters (8,400 square feet).
Here you will find some interesting facts about Burj Al Arab:
Bedrooms, Panoramic, Club, Diplomatic, Presidential and Royal Suites
142 One Bedroom Deluxe Suites, 28 Two Bedroom Deluxe Suites, 18 Panoramic Suites, 4 Club Suites, 6 Diplomatic Suites, 2 Presidential Suites, and 2 Royal Suites are available.
Royal Suite in Burj Al Arab
With an exquisite majlis style parlor, library, and cinema room, as well as two master bathrooms, each with full-size jacuzzis and separate five-head rain showers, the enormous 780 square meter (8,400 square foot) Royal Suite is fit for a maharaja.
World’s most Costly Hotels
It is one of the world’s most costly hotels to stay at. Suites start at $1,000 per night and go up to almost $15,000 per night, with the Royal Suite being the most expensive at $24,000 per night.
Atrium of the Burj Al Arab
The atrium of the Burj Al Arab is the world’s highest, standing at 180 meters.
Stunning Central Fountain
Warm natural light floods the atrium, which is bordered by golden columns and features a stunning central fountain with water arches that shoot 42 meters into the air.
Burj Al Arab’s Cascade Waterfall
The Burj Al Arab’s Cascade Waterfall creates a unique kaleidoscope effect by combining finely atomized water with fiber optics. Water arches gracefully in a synchronized rhythm as water and fog flow downward through the glass and stone-filled steps.
Aquarium in Burj Al Arab Contains 50 Species of Fish
The Burj Al Arab hotel has three aquariums, two on each side of the main hotel lobby and a circular tank in Al Mahara restaurant, containing roughly 50 different species of fish.
Milky Way in Burj Al Arab
Junsui Lounge’s ceiling is covered with 29,000 Swarovski crystals in the shape of the Milky Way.
Restaurant Al Muntaha
The restaurant Al Muntaha (“The Ultimate”), which offers a view over Dubai, is placed 200 meters (660 feet) above the Persian Gulf. It is supported by a full cantilever that stretches 27 meters (89 feet) from either side of the mast and may be reached through a panoramic elevator.
Seawater Aquarium In Burj Al Arab
The restaurant Al Mahara (“Oyster”) has a big seawater aquarium that holds about 990,000 liters (260,000 US gal) of water and is accessible by a simulated submarine adventure.
Female Shark in Aquarium of Bur Al Arab
According to marine biologist David Robinson, the female shark, who lives in a restaurant aquarium, has had four years of “virgin births” – a feat never before observed among sharks.
Receptionists Wear Gold
Each floor has one reception desk, for a total of 60.
The ratio of personnel to suites is 8:1. It is one of the world’s highest. Every female front-desk and greeting-desk employee The team is decked out in Burj Al Arab logo-inspired gold earrings and necklace pendants.
Rolls Royce in Burj Al Arab
Guests have access to one of the world’s largest fleets of Rolls Royces.
24K Gold iPad in Burj Al Arab
During their stay, each guest receives a 24-karat gold iPad.
Windows Cleaning Takes 1 Month
Cleaning the windows of the entire building takes a month, 19 employees, and the rope access crew.
Gold Plated Interior of Burj Al Arab
The hotel’s interiors are plated in 24-karat gold. The Burj Al Arab exudes luxury on every level. Its magnificent interiors feature about 1,800 square meters of 24K gold leaf, but that’s not all. The hotel’s Junsui Japanese restaurant has the world’s largest Swarovski crystal ceiling, with 21,000 sparkling crystals. Furthermore, much of the Burj Al Arab’s floors and walls are built of exquisite Italian statuario marble, which was used by Michelangelo to create his masterpieces.
Different Sports on the Helipad of Burj Al Arab
The helipad at the Burj Al Arab is as famous as the hotel itself. Tennis legends Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played a friendly match on the helipad in 2005, a year after Tiger Woods teed off from it, and exactly as Rory McIlroy did later. Long Ma and ShiWen Liu, two of the best table tennis players in the world, competed against London Olympic gold medalists Jike Zhang and Xiao Xia Li. In 2017, professional kitesurfer Nick Jacobsen performed a world-first trick by leaping off the helipad with his kiteboard.
Hospital for Turtles
The Burj Al Arab is a haven for endangered sea turtles among all the opulence and celebrities. The Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project (DTRP), a joint venture with Madinat Jumeirah and Dubai’s Wildlife Protection Office, Dubai Falcon Clinic, and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, is based at the hotel. Since 2004, the initiative, which is dedicated to saving wounded and ailing sea turtles, has released over 1,600 turtles back into the ocean.
Constructed on Man-Made Island
Dubai had already pioneered the construction of manufactured islands before the Palm Jumeirah transformed the world map. The Burj Al Arab is not on the mainland, but rather on a manmade island off the coast of Dubai, connected to the rest of the city by a bridge road. The project began in 1994 and took five years to finish, involving 3,000 companies and contractors, 250 designers, and 3,500 workers.
17 Different Varieties of Pillows
Beyond the gold-gilded décor, the hotel is meticulously designed to provide a luxurious experience. Exclusive eiderdown duvets are plucked from abandoned eider duck nests in Iceland and used in the rooms. Only 2,000 kilograms of soft feathers can be harvested per year, making them extremely valuable and scarce. Guests can also select from a pillow menu of 17 options, ranging from anti-aging options to soothing aromatherapy infusions.
Owner of Burj Al Arab
Building a structure like the Burj Al Arab is stating the obvious. So you won’t be surprised to learn that it cost around $1 billion to build.
Construction began in 1994 and was completed in 1999, including the creation of the artificial island on which the Burj Al Arab stands.
The “Jumeriah Hotels and Resorts” group of luxury hotels in the United Arab Emirates owns the Burj Al Arab.
In 1997, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts was formed, and in 2004 it became part of Dubai Holding.18. The aquarium holds about 990,000 liters (260,000 US gal) of water and the glass to withstand the pressure from all of this water is about 18 centimeters (7.1 in) thick.
The hotel has been referred to as “The World’s Only 7-Star Hotel” on occasion. The management has told them that they have never used this as advertising and that the 5-star rating they now have is the best they can attain.
Isn’t it true that there are many structures built on artificial islands? At the moment, the Burj Al Arab is the only skyscraper built on reclaimed land.
So, why was it constructed on a man-made island some 280 meters from the beach? The reason for this is simple: it will not obstruct the sun from those attempting to tan on the famed Jumeirah beach!
What was the purpose of the Burj Al Arab’s construction? Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, can answer that question. He intended to develop a structure that would put Dubai on the map, one that would be instantly recognizable the moment you saw it. The purpose for Burj Al Arab in this regard, according to Jumeirah Group CEO José Silva, has been completed.
On December 1, 1999, the Burj Al Arab opened its doors. This implies that Burj Al Arab celebrated its 22nd anniversary on December 1, 2021!