Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi
The magnificent Emirates Palace is a national landmark and one of the most impressive hotels and conference venues ever built. Perfect for corporate and leisure travelers, Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi offers a variety of luxury services to suit every need, whether you come on vacation with your family or for a business meeting or international conference. The Palace is the second most expensive hotel ever built; only surpassed by Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Set in over 100 hectares of landscaped gardens, Emirates Palace offers 1.3km of exclusive beach, two swimming pools, one designed for adventure and one for relaxation, tennis courts, cricket, a rugby pitch and soccer facilities, fitness suites and a spa, besides water sports.
Design
The building was designed by renowned architect, John Elliott RIBA, who was Senior Vice President at Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo, an international firm specialising in Luxury Hotels. The Palace opened in November 2005 and it is owned by the Abu Dhabi government, and is currently managed by the Kempinski Group.
Construction
The costs to build the hotel were 1.9 billion GBP or 11.02 billion AED. The Emirates Palace occupies 850,000m² of floor space. Underground parking allows housing for 2,500 vehicles. There are two swimming pools and spas. The hotel has its own marina and helipad. The exterior of the hotel has 114 domes that are 80 metres high. Many of the suites offered are furnished in gold and marble. The main central area houses an expansive marble floor, balconies and a large patterned dome above, picked out in gold. The topmost floor has six Rulers' Suites which are reserved solely for Emirati royalty and dignitaries. The hotel also contains a large conference centre. In December 2010, it boasted the world's most expensive Christmas tree, valued at over 11 million dollars. The hotel has 302 rooms and 92 suites. But, the hotel has 16 Palace Suites on the sixth and seventh floors. 22 three-bedroom suites are reserved for hosting Heads of State or Government.
Location of Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi:
Emirates Palace, located on 1.3 km of private white sandy beach and surrounded by 85 hectares of beautifully landscaped gardens, is only 30 minutes drive from Abu Dhabi airport and 1.5 hours drive from Dubai airport.
