If
there's one thing Dubai excels at it's building magnificent
hotels. The Burj Al Arab exemplifies this talent.
It is ideally situated to take advantage of the natural
beauty of the area by providing spectacular views
in nearly every direction. Nature returns the gesture
by lighting up its glass exterior with awe-inspiring
sunset reflections. Inside, the views are just as
spectacular with gold leaf, extravagant art, and sumptuous
marble at every turn. Some have criticized the hotel's
interior for being too conspicuously glitzy. But when
you're spending US$1,000 a night for a room, it better
not be decorated by Ikea. As if building a spectacularly
beautiful hotel wasn't enough, the Burj Al Arab rests
on its own man-made island. The effect is to surround
its visitors with the sea, and from a distance to
make the building's arched form seem like a sail,
allowing the hotel to break away from the land and
take voyages through the Arabian Gulf on its own.
For those who choose to travel by air, a helipad projects
from the building 200 meters off the ground. The people
of Dubai are proud of their creation. Proud enough
that at one time its image adorned the emirate's license
plates.
