Why book?
For a bucket-list stay in one of the world’s most recognizable hotels.
Set the scene
As I cross the bridge over the piercing blue waters of the Arabian Gulf towards the foot of the hotel, my modest Renault Duster begins to stick out like a sore thumb. In front of me, a bright green Lamborghini roars towards the valet, joining the line-up of Ferraris, Rolls Royces and G Wagens parked up. Still, I’m greeted with just as warm a welcome by a grinning concierge, dressed in a pristine pressed gold-threaded kandora.
The backstory
Standing alone on its own purpose-built island just off Jumeirah Beach, Burj Al Arab’s sail-inspired design is found in souvenir shops, on postcards and in the camera roll of just about any traveller who visits the city. Together with the Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah, it stands as a symbol of Dubai’s unending ambition.
This is the flagship hotel for Dubai’s Jumeirah Group. When it opened its opulent doors 25 years ago, a whole new category of luxury was created. Its “seven-star” label may be unofficial, but in 1999, when travel writers first graced these gilded halls, five-star just didn’t do it justice.
The neighbourhood/area
The hotel sits on the edge of Jumeirah Beach, at the start of a seven-kilometre stretch of beachfront, where walking, running and cycling tracks go side-by-side. After around 30 minutes of walking, you’ll reach Kite Beach, one of the the city’s most popular and vibrant areas, filled with cafes, food trucks and sports facilities. But if you don’t want to venture out, Burj Al Arab is also part of its own exclusive neighbourhood – all guests are welcome to explore the entire Jumeirah complex, which includes neighbouring Madinat Jumeirah, as well as Jumeirah Al Naseem and Jumeirah Beach Hotel, all of which are accessible by golf buggy.
The rooms
If quiet luxury is the current in-vogue hotel trend, Burj Al Arab is the antithesis of that. Each of the Burj Al Arab’s 202 suites is a duplex, greeting guests with a sweeping staircase upon entry. However grand it may be, it’s the view beyond that truly wows. The perspective on Dubai from my city-facing room is one I’ve never seen before – looking back towards the shore with the length of Jumeirah’s golden sands stretching out below. Canapés await on a marble-topped bar and a spacious lounge features a chaise and six-seater corner sofa, both strategically placed to take in the views. Gold is everywhere – encasing the television, on the skirting boards, threaded through the thick baroque Roman blinds. Upstairs, it frames the enormous marshmallow-soft bed (as well as the mirror that sits on the ceiling above it). Bedside clocks are made by Rolex, while toiletries are Hermés (and include a full-sized eau de parfum for him and her). In the closet hangs a navy and gold baroque kimono, to be paired with tasselled leather slip-on loafers while lounging in the suite, perfect for slipping on after a long dip in the jacuzzi tub. It’s unlike any room I’ve ever seen, and that’s precisely the point.
Food and drink
There are seven on-site restaurants, as well as gold-laden sky bar, Gilt, and a dessert shop. French-Italian restaurant Al Muntaha from chef Sbaragli was awarded a Michelin star in Dubai’s 2023 guide, while Al Iwan serves a fine-dining take on traditional Arabic dishes. I dine at L'Olivo at Al Mahara, though, a rendition of Capri's two Michelin-starred restaurant by Chef Andrea Migliaccio, where a six-course tasting menu features red tuna tartare, blue lobster, sea bass and the chef’s signature lemon tagliolini. It’s a spectacular menu, served in an even more spectacular setting – hidden behind the hotel’s aquariums, surrounding diners with passing sharks and eels. At the end of the meal, I’m handed a bouquet of white and pink roses – perhaps as a congratulations for getting through quite so many courses a mere few hours after polishing off afternoon tea. Either way, it makes my night.
Afternoon tea at the Burj’s Skyview Lounge is on many a Dubai bucket list. While the lounge itself shows its age, with its blue and green leather banquettes and (slightly odd) light-up entryway, the view from the 27th floor, the hotel’s highest point (bar its rooftop helipad), is impressive. The menu is a collaboration between French pastry chef Tom Coll and Italian chef Saverio Sbaragli, separated into sweet and savoury, elevating classic sandwiches and cakes with the addition of zucchini tarelettes – made with produce grown from Sbaragli’s private garden – and a particularly delightful vanilla caramel chouquette, all served on a Burj Al Arab-shaped cake stand.
The spa
The Talise Spa is suitably grand. If you are booked into one of the treatment rooms or hammans, be sure to allow extra time to enjoy the truly stunning indoor pool. Flanked by grand colourful mosaic pillars and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out across the city, it’s one of the hotel’s truly awe-inducing spaces. There are also jacuzzis, saunas and cold plunge pools, as well as regular yoga sessions, a well-equipped gym and a blissful treatment list.
The service
I’m greeted by name as I’m told to take a seat on the red leather sofas to be checked in. No sooner have I put my bag down does a man appear with an offer of Arabic coffee and dates, which I happily accept as I’m offered a brief resort orientation. Should you need anything, each of the hotel’s floors has its own butler, who will be with you with the touch of a button on the in-room (gold) iPad.
Eco-effort
Jumeirah’s commitment to sustainability includes water and energy conservation initiatives, as well as eliminating single-use plastics throughout its properties. It also has several community projects, such as the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project, which helps care for injured turtles found in the UAE before releasing them back into their natural habitat. To date, the initiative has helped to rescue more than 2,000 turtles.
Anything left to mention?
Don’t miss a day at the hotel’s pool club, Sal, which feels more pared back. Set on a platform to the rear of the hotel, its rectangular infinity pool is flanked by chic navy loungers and circular day beds, where both guests and non-hotel guests sip spritzes from behind their designer sunglasses.
Jumeirah Beach Rd., Dubai
United Arab Emirates
https://www.jumeirah.com/en/hotels-resorts/dubai/burj-al-arab/
+971 4-301-7777