Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 - (Page 17)

BURJ AL ARAB could easily earn six stars for its opulence, exemplified in this One-Bedroom Deluxe Suite. bedroom, with a rotating fourposter canopy bed, is adjoined to a marble bathroom with a spa bath, a walk-in shower, fine porcelain fittings and Hermès fragrances and body products. The bathroom, probably the size of a studio apartment in Manhattan, also features a tub that could easily handle multiple adults. The views of the Arabian Gulf put it over the top. While there is only one Royal Suite, usually reserved for foreign dignitaries, royalty or mega superstars, the most premium accommodations requested are the Panoramic Suites, so named because of the floor-to-ceiling windows that give unobstructed views of the water below and the horizon. While the rooms at the Burj Al Arab are most impressive, dining may be even more sublime. There are eight food and beverage outlets at the hotel—Al Mahara is the most notable and our favorite. The restaurant is accessed via an elevator fashioned like a submarine that takes guests down one floor to the hotel’s ground level. It is even operated by a “captain” (really, a hotel employee). Clients will love the kitsch—we did. Tables are seated around a giant aquarium full of sea creatures—some of which might make it onto your plate. We most enjoyed slurping down the briny, but delicate, oysters. A sixcourse tasting menu is available for about $266 per person. Note: The dress code is semi-formal and men are required to wear jackets. Marie-Laure Akdag (marie laure.akdag@jumeirah.com) is the Burj Al Arab’s luxury travel advisor liaison and can arrange any special requests. We advise traveling to Dubai between January and March or November and December when temperatures are in the 80s. Temperatures in the summer months are well over 100 most days, so that required jacket at Al Mahara will quickly be doffed upon leaving the hotel. Transportation between the three Jumeirah hotels is provided by buggies (we call them golf carts), which run to and fro between the properties. Back landside sits the Jumeirah Beach Hotel (www.jumeirah beachhotel.com), designed in the shape of a breaking wave. We think the property is perfect for families, particularly because of its expansive pool area and kids’ center. Our Ocean Club Executive room (#617), on the 24th floor, was spacious and had a great bathroom with a walk-in shower and soaking tub. The floor-to-ceiling window gave us a panoramic view of the pool area below, the ocean beyond and, in the distance, the Burj Al Arab, which is a sight to see from afar. The 99 Ocean Club Executive rooms are the same as Ocean Deluxe rooms, but with access to the executive lounge, which offers private check-in/out, daily happy hour and complimentary breakfast. Club Executive guests also have access to the executive pool. While we loved our room, apprise your clients of the Beit Al Bahar Arabian Villas, an exclusive retreat set outside the hotel in the property’s gardens. We loved their discreetness and the Bedouin-style bedroom with separate living room under high wood-beamed roofs. Beit Al Bahar guests also receive Club Executive privileges. Heather Galbraith (heather. galbraith@jumeirah.com) is the property’s associate director of sales and the luxury travel advisor liaison. She can also give you the lowdown on Wild Wadi Water Park (www.wildwadi.com), a 12-acre water park that boasts 30 rides and attractions, and gives special access to guests staying at Jumeirah properties. The park is situated directly between Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Madinat Jumeirah (www. madinatjumeirah.com), which is actually composed of three www.luxuryta.com August 2008 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 17 http://www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com http://www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com http://www.wildwadi.com http://www.madinatjumeirah.com http://www.madinatjumeirah.com http://www.luxuryta.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Maui Dubai Cape Town The Capella Resort and Spa, at Pedregal Cabo San Lucas Ritz-Carlton Cancun Presidential Suites The Palazzo, Las Vegas The Water Club Arrabelle at Vail Square Ferntree The Spa at Half Moon Fall Foliage Cruises New England Strong Travel On the Horizon: Luxury Travel Expo The Pulse Traveling Shopper Leaders Speak Sightings Source List

Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2008

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