msafi ri 83 BURJ AL ARAB WHERE Umm Suqeim WHY Often cited as the world's ultimate hotel, the Burj Al Arab has become as much an icon of modern Dubai as the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. Its enormous but strangely elegant outline, inspired by the shape of a dhow's sail, looms over the southern city: an elegant cotton- white by day; magically illuminated like a huge glowing lantern by night. Inside is pure extravagance: a huge atrium, big enough to swallow up the Statue of Liberty, with masses of gold- plated columns and a fi sh tank so deep that the cleaners have to don scuba- diving gear to scrub it out. The in- house facilities are just what you'd expect from the world's fi rst 7- Star hotel ( it actually awarded itself the extra two stars, though no one seems to mind) including the underwater Al Mahara seafood restaurant at the foot of the hotel, reached via a miniature submarine, to the sky- high Al Muntaha restaurant and cocktail bar at its summit, plus the sumptuous Assawan spa. CONTACT www. burj- al- arab. com 2

msafi ri JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS WHERE Sheikh Zayed Road WHY Regularly voted the best business hotel in the Middle East, the Jumeirah Emirates Tower occupies the smaller of the two landmark Emirates Towers, whose dazzling glassy facades soar above the north end of Sheikh Zayed Road at the heart of the city's business and fi nancial quarter. Rooms are stylishly but soothingly decorated in sober muted greys, and come with all the modcons and business amenities you could think of, while there are plenty of top- notch places to eat, drink and shop either in- house or in the very upmarket Emirates Boulevard next door. CONTACT www. jumeirahemiratestowers. com 84 ACCOMMODATION PARK HYATT WHERE Garhoud WHY The most appealing hotel in central Dubai, and a blessed retreat from the concrete chaos outside. The Park Hyatt is set in a gorgeous location next to the balmy waters of the Dubai Creek and the very expensive boats tethered up at the adjacent Dubai Yacht Club, as well as being backed by the rolling fairways and greens of the Dubai Creek Golf Club. The hotel has bags of style, set in a rambling sequence of white- walled and blue- tiled Moroccan-style buildings, with beautifully decorated rooms and an attractive range of in- house facilities including spa, restaurants and an idyllic waterside cocktail bar. CONTACT www. dubai. park. hyatt. com 3 4