DK Travel : Dubai & Abu Dhabi : Emirates Palace

Emirates Palace

No one has rated this yet.

Rate it

Review this attraction

Are these details incorrect?

Abu Dhabi’s stupendous Emirates Palace hotel dominates the horizon. While its staggering size is impressive, the lavish interior is breathtaking, with gold, marble and crystal throughout. Owned by Abu Dhabi government and operated by Kempinski hotels, Emirates Palace was built over three years by the architects responsible for Claridge’s in London. While the Burj Al Arab is touted as a “7-star” hotel, a rating that doesn’t exist, Emirates Palace classifies itself as just that, a “Palace”, with the opulent furnishings of a royal palace, regal service and a palatial experience like no other.
If offered a buggy ride while wandering the grounds, it would be advisable to take it, as Emirates Palace is situated on a million sq m (over 10 million sq ft) of land. For a coffee or afternoon tea, call into Al Majlis coffee lounge or the Viennese style café. For a full meal, try Mezzaluna or Sayad . Emirates Palace has a collection of some 1,002 chandeliers made with Swarovski’s premier Strauss crystals.

Top 10 Features

1. The Triumphant Arch

Before entering Emirates Palace you’ll be impressed by a majestic pink Triumphant Arch gate with a dome on top and a long and very grand driveway. The gate is usually closed. It is only opened for royalty and dignitaries on some special occasions.
2. Palace Gardens & Fountains

2. Palace Gardens & Fountains

The exterior of the palace, incorporating traditional Arabian elements, is painted to reflect the variations in colour of the Arabian sands. It is beautifully enhanced by its landscaped gardens and spectacular fountains.
3. Gold-plated Lobby

3. Gold-plated Lobby

The opulence of the lobby’s gold interior is dazzling. Until Emirates Palace was built, Abu Dhabi was a modest city. This is the first time her wealth has been on display in such an ostentatious way.
4. Domes

4. Domes

There are 114 domes here. The most stunning is the Grand Atrium dome, decorated with silver and gold glass mosaic tiles and a gold finial at its apex.
5. Palace Suites

Emirates Palace has 302 plush rooms and 92 sumptuously decorated Khaleej and Palace Suites. On the fifth floor are the high-security Presidential suites and on the eighth are suites designed especially for the Gulf Rulers. The Saudi suite even has its own barbershop.
6. Swarovski Crystal Chandeliers

6. Swarovski Crystal Chandeliers

You’ll notice the extravagant use of chandeliers throughout the hotel – at Emirates Palace, they’re used like light bulbs and appear to be sparkling everywhere.
7. Petrified Palm Trees

7. Petrified Palm Trees

There are 800 trees within the hotel. The date palm, a national icon, is everywhere. Some of the palm trees, petrified to preserve their natural beauty, look real and are very impressive.
8. Algerian Sand Beach

8. Algerian Sand Beach

The white sand of the 1.3 km- (1 mile) long beach was imported from Algeria. A popular beach for swimming and cricket before Emirates Palace was built, it was felt the sand wasn’t soft enough for royal feet!
9. Emirates Palace Theatre

Emirates Palace has given Abu Dhabi its first theatre, the largest in the UAE, with programs such as the Russian Ballet, Arabic orchestras and musical shows like “The Spirit of the Dance”.
10. Majlis with Arabian Horse Mural

The most impressive of the many plush public spaces here is the majlis (meeting area). It has a blue ceiling with frescoes and a magnificent mural of Arab stallions.

Practical Information

If offered a buggy ride while wandering the grounds, it would be advisable to take it, as Emirates Palace is situated on a million sq m (over 10 million sq ft) of land. For a coffee or afternoon tea, call into Al Majlis coffee lounge or the Viennese style café. For a full meal, try Mezzaluna or Sayad . The Corniche, Abu Dhabi 690 9000 Taxi; if driving, there’s valet parking Open 24 hours reservations. emiratespalaces.kempinski.com www.emiratespalace.com