Dubai helicopter ride luxury sky tour

Dubai helicopter ride luxury sky tour

Dubai helicopter ride iconic skyline views

From the moment the rotors begin to hum and the city's heat lifts off your shoulders like a curtain, a Dubai helicopter ride luxury sky tour feels less like transportation and more like theater. The stage is an improbable metropolis drawn between desert and sea; the script is written in glass, steel, and sand. You ease upward, and the geometry that Dubai guards at street level gives itself away-lines, arcs, and improbable curves you can only read from the sky.

Below, Burj Khalifa punctures the horizon with a confidence no photograph can quite convey. From the ground, it is a marvel; from the air, it becomes a compass, a glittering needle that threads together Downtown's ordered lakes, looping highways, and the serpentine Dubai Water Canal. The helicopter's wraparound windows turn the skyline into a living map-one where scale finally makes sense. You watch as Sheikh Zayed Road unspools like a ribbon, each interchange a polished knot.

Then the coastline appears, and with it the moment that makes first-time fliers gasp: Palm Jumeirah, a palm tree so precisely drawn in sand and stone that it feels like a private wink from the city's audacity. On the ground, you navigate it in fragments; in the air, you see the fronds, the crescent breakwater embracing the lagoon, the Atlantis arch anchoring the outer ring. A luxury sky tour earns its name right here, turning a postcard into a private viewing. Off to one side, The World Islands scatter like a geography quiz poured into the Gulf-miniatures of continents adrift in turquoise water. They look surreal, even playful, from above, a reminder that Dubai's imagination doesn't stop at the shoreline.

The helicopter banks gently and the Burj Al Arab comes into clean relief, a sail forever catching the wind. It is difficult not to smile at the precision of the view: hotel beaches combed to perfection, the sinuous curve of Jumeirah Beach Road, surfers punctuating the shallows with pinpricks of white. Dubai helicopter Business Bay tour Farther north, Dubai Marina reveals itself as a canyon of glass, the yachts no bigger than thumbtacks from this height. You can sense the city's rhythm-workday urgency in the grid of roads, weekend leisure in the water's soft wakes-without hearing a sound beyond the steady thrum in your headset.

The appeal of a Dubai helicopter ride is not only what you see but how you see it. There is the smooth choreography of the experience: the discreet lounge where you check in, the brief but reassuring safety talk, the weightless step into the cabin. You fasten a harness, don a headset, and a pilot with an easy, practiced tone points out landmarks you'd otherwise miss. People often worry about turbulence; most are surprised by how calm it feels, how stable the craft is once it finds its airy lane above the city.

And yet, there is a human scale to it all. You notice things you never would from a skyscraper's observation deck: the crisp line where the city surrenders to desert; the way neighborhoods nest, old within new, like Russian dolls. Dubai helicopter ride sky sightseeing . Dubai helicopter luxury adventure On a clear day, winter light rinses the city clean, and early mornings can be astonishing-shadows long and surgical, the sea a sheet of hammered silver. Sunset is a different kind of luxury: a gradient of apricot and violet slipping over the water, tower lights pricking on one by one like stars deciding to show up early.

Practicality threads through the magic. Tours range from quick circuits-enough to skim the headline sights-to longer loops that trace the coast and arc back over the older heart around Dubai Creek. The shorter flights deliver a concentrated thrill; the longer ones give you the city's full sentence, not just its exclamation points. Many people book for celebrations-engagements, anniversaries, milestone birthdays-because the experience is naturally ceremonial. Photography is almost irresistible, and a few small tricks help: wear darker clothing to cut window reflections; keep the lens close to the glass; let the pilot know if you're hunting a particular shot.

Luxury here isn't just about price; it's about perspective, poise, and the way time feels expensive and beautifully used. In a city that prides itself on reinvention, a helicopter tour is a kind of elegant shortcut-a way to understand Dubai's thesis without spending days on foot and in cars. You come away with a map imprinted in your head: Marina to JBR to Bluewaters and its great wheel; Jumeirah's calm arc; the downtown cluster crowned by Burj Khalifa; the Museum of the Future's elliptical void, a poetry of absence that's somehow clearer from the air. Even the Dubai Frame makes new sense-one skyline captured within another when you glance through its golden rectangle.

There are also small considerations that keep the romance intact. Weather matters. Summer haze can soften edges at midday; winter brings occasional morning fog that lifts into crystalline afternoons. Light clothing and sunglasses are sensible; anything loose, from hats to scarves, should stay behind. ID is required, security is brisk, and weight distribution in the cabin is calculated not to fuss but to ensure everyone gets a fair slice of the view. If the city is especially windy, flights may delay or reroute. You wait, and then you rise, and the city returns your patience with an extra degree of clarity.

For all its gloss, Dubai is not just spectacle; it is narrative. A helicopter shows you the chapters in order: the trading roots along the Creek, the mid-century ambitions along Sheikh Zayed Road, the leap-of-faith engineering in the Gulf, and the tenacious sweep of desert hugging the borders. From the air, the contrasts aren't jarring; they are conversational. Dubai helicopter ride iconic skyline views Old dhows moored near Deira talk easily to superyachts idling off JBR; a falcon logo on a rooftop helipad nods to a bird that once navigated these skies for entirely different reasons.

When the skids kiss the helipad and the engine winds down, you step back into the heat, into time, into errands and lunch reservations and the rest of your day. But something lingers. For an hour or less, the city was a story you could read at once, in full, without flipping pages. That is the promise of a Dubai helicopter ride luxury sky tour: not just seeing the best of the city, but understanding how its pieces fit together-land and water, ambition and memory-under a single, generous horizon.

 

Burj Al Arab
برج العرب
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab in 2007
Map
Interactive map of the Burj Al Arab
برج العرب area
General information
Status Completed
Type Luxury hotel
Architectural style Structural expressionism
Location Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Construction started 10 July 1994; 31 years ago (1994-07-10)
Completed 1999; 27 years ago (1999)
Opening 1 December 1999; 26 years ago (1999-12-01)[1]
Cost US$1 billion[2]
Management Jumeirah
Height
Architectural 321 m (1,053 ft)
Top floor 197.5 m (648 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 56 (3 below ground)[3]
Lifts/elevators 18[3]
Design and construction
Architect Tom Wright of WKA
Developer Jumeirah Group
Structural engineer Atkins
Main contractor Murray & Roberts / Concor
Other information
Number of rooms 202[3]
Website
www.jumeirah.com/en/stay/dubai/burj-al-arab-jumeirah Edit this at Wikidata
References
[3][4][5][6][7]

The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab (Arabic: برج العرب, lit.'Arab Tower'), commonly known as Burj Al Arab, is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[8] Developed and managed by Jumeirah, it is one of the tallest hotels in the world, although 39% of its total height is made up of non-occupiable space.[9][10][11] Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island that is 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah Beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to resemble the sail of a dhow.[12] It has a helipad near the roof, at a height of 210 m (689 ft) above ground.

Site

[edit]

The beachfront area where Jumeirah Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel are located was previously called Chicago Beach.[13] The hotel is located on an island of reclaimed land, 280 m (920 ft) offshore of the beach of the former Chicago Beach Hotel. The former hotel was demolished during the construction of the Burj Al Arab.[14] The locale's name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tanks, known locally as Kazzans, on the site.[13]

History

[edit]

The Burj Al Arab was designed by the British multidisciplinary consultancy Atkins, led by architect Tom Wright of WKA. He came up with the iconic design and signature translucent fiberglass facade that serves as a shield from the desert sun during the day and as a screen for illumination at night.[15] The design and construction were managed by Canadian engineer Rick Gregory, and construction managed by David Kirby also of WS Atkins. The Burj Al Arab's interior is by British-Chinese designer Khuan Chew. Construction of the island began in 1994 and involved up to 2,000 construction workers during peak construction. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium. The setting of a high rise building on saturated soil and the novelty of the project required groundbreaking dynamic analysis and design to take into consideration soil-structure interaction, effect of water, high winds, and helipad among other loads, to help finalize the design and take the project into construction.[16][failed verification]

The hotel was built by South African construction contractor Murray & Roberts, now renamed Concor and Al Habtoor Engineering. The interior designs were led and created by Khuan Chew and John Carolan of KCA international and delivered by UAE based Depa Group.[17]

The building opened on 1 December 1999.[1] The New Year's Eve fireworks celebration originated in 2000 with the inauguration of the United Arab Emirates.

The hotel's helipad was designed by Irish architect Rebecca Gernon.[18] The helipad is at the building's 28th floor, and the helipad been used as a car race track, a boxing ring, has hosted a tennis match, and the jumping off point for the highest kite surfing jump in history.[19]

In 2017, the hotel hosted the wedding of Daniel Kinahan, head of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group.[20] The wedding was attended by several prominent drug traffickers, such as Ridouan Taghi, Edin Gačanin, 'Ricardo (El Rico) Riquelme Vega, and Raffaele Imperiale.[20]

Features

[edit]
An AgustaWestland A109E Power landing on the Burj Al Arab's helipad

Several features of the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve. The hotel rests on an artificial island constructed 280 m (920 ft) offshore. To secure a foundation, the builders drove 230 40-metre-long (130 ft) concrete piles into the sand by drilling method.[21]

Engineers created a ground surface layer of large rocks, which is circled with a concrete honeycomb pattern, which serves to protect the foundation from erosion. It took three years to reclaim the land from the sea, while it took less than three years to construct the building itself. The building contains over 70,000 m3 (92,000 yd3) of concrete and 9,000 tons of steel.[21]

Inside the building, the atrium is 180 m (590 ft) tall.[22]

Given the height of the building, the Burj Al Arab is the world's fifth tallest hotel after Gevora Hotel, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, Four Seasons Place Kuala Lumpur and Rose and Rayhaan by Rotana. But if buildings with mixed use were stripped off the list, the Burj Al Arab would be the world's third tallest hotel. The structure of the Rose Rayhaan, also in Dubai, is 333 metres (1,093 ft) tall,[23] 12 m (39 ft) taller than the Burj Al Arab, which is 321 metres (1,053 ft) tall.[23]The Burj Al Arab's helipad, located 210 meters above ground, has been the site of several high-profile events, including a tennis match between Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, and stunts by Red Bull athletes.[citation needed]

Rooms and suites

[edit]

The hotel is managed by the Jumeirah Group. The hotel has 199 exclusive suites each allocated eight dedicated staff members and a 24-hour butler service.[24] The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 m2 (1,820 sq ft), the largest covers 780 m2 (8,400 sq ft).[25]

The Royal Suite, billed at US$24,000 per night, is listed at number 12 on World's 15 most expensive hotel suites compiled by CNN Go in 2012.[26]

The Burj Al Arab is very popular with the Chinese market, which made up 25 percent of all bookings at the hotel in 2011 and 2012.[27]

Restaurants

[edit]
Al Muntaha
Al Mahara

There are six restaurants in the hotel, including:

Al Muntaha ("The Ultimate"), is located 200 m (660 ft) above the Persian Gulf, offering a view of Dubai. It is supported by a full cantilever that extends 27 m (89 ft) from either side of the mast, and is accessed by a panoramic elevator.[citation needed]

Al Mahara ("Oyster"), which is accessed via a simulated submarine voyage, features a large seawater aquarium, holding roughly 990,000 L (260,000 US gal) of water. The wall of the tank, made of acrylic glass in order to withstand the water pressure, is about 18 cm (7.1 in) thick.[citation needed]

Rating

[edit]

While the hotel has sometimes been described as "the world's only 'seven-star' hotel", the hotel management claims never to have done so themselves. The term appeared due to a British journalist who had visited the hotel on a tour before it was officially opened. The journalist described Burj al Arab as "more than anything she has ever seen" and therefore referred to it as a seven-star hotel.[28] A Jumeirah Group spokesperson said "There's not a lot we can do to stop it. We're not encouraging the use of the term. We've never used it in our advertising."[29]

Reception

[edit]

Burj Al Arab has attracted criticism as "a contradiction of sorts, considering how well-designed and impressive the construction ultimately proves to be."[25] The contradiction here seems to be related to the hotel's decor. "This extraordinary investment in state-of-the-art construction technology stretches the limits of the ambitious urban imagination in an exercise that is largely due to the power of excessive wealth." Another critic includes negative critiques for the city of Dubai as well: "both the hotel and the city, after all, are monuments to the triumph of money over practicality. Both elevate style over substance."[25] Yet another: "Emulating the quality of palatial interiors, in an expression of wealth for the mainstream, a theater of opulence is created in Burj Al Arab ... The result is a baroque effect".[25]

[edit]

The last chapter of the espionage novel Performance Anomalies[30][31] takes place at the top of the Burj Al Arab,[32] where the spy protagonist Cono 7Q discovers that through deadly betrayal his spy nemesis Katerina has maneuvered herself into the top echelon of the government of Kazakhstan. The hotel can also be seen in Syriana and also some Bollywood movies.[which?]

Richard Hammond included the building in his television series Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections.

The Jumeirah Burj Al Arab serves as the cover image for the 2009 album Ocean Eyes by Owl City.

The Burj Al Arab was the site of the last task of the fifth episode of the first season of the Chinese edition of The Amazing Race, where teams had to clean up a room to the hotel's standards.[33][34]

The building is featured in Matthew Reilly's novel The Six Sacred Stones, where a kamikaze pilot crashes a plane into the hotel, destroying it in an attempt to kill the protagonist, Jack West Jr.

The building was the location of the main challenge of the ninth episode of the Canadian-American animated television series Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race,[35] where contestants were tasked to either return a serve from a tennis robot on the hotel's helipad, or squeegee an entire column of the hotel's windows.

See also

[edit]
  • W Barcelona (Hotel Vela) – skyscraper of similar appearance in Barcelona, Spain (sail)
  • Oman TiT – residential skyscraper of similar appearance in Taipei, Taiwan (sail)
  • Elite Plaza – a similar-shaped skyscraper in Yerevan, Armenia
  • JW Marriott Panama (Panama City) – similar structure
  • Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth – similar structure in Portsmouth, UK
  • Vasco da Gama Tower – a skyscraper of similar appearance in Lisbon, Portugal (sail)
  • Sail Tower – a skyscraper of similar appearance in Haifa, Israel (sail)
  • List of tallest buildings in the United Arab Emirates
  • List of buildings in Dubai
  • List of tallest buildings in Dubai

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Media Fact File of Burj Al Arab" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  2. ^ Swibel, Matthew (15 March 2014). "Forbes.com: Arabian Knight". www.forbes.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Burj Al Arab Hotel – The Skyscraper Center". Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Emporis building ID 107803". Emporis. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Burj Al Arab". SkyscraperPage.
  6. ^ Burj Al Arab at Structurae
  7. ^ "Stay at Burj Al Arab". Jumeirah. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  8. ^ Eytan, Declan. "Milan: Inside the World's Only Certified 7 Star Hotel". Forbes. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  9. ^ "Vanity Height: the Use-less Space in Today's Tallest". CTBUH. Archived from the original on 17 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Study: Skyscrapers Topped by Wasted Space". World Property Channel. 6 September 2013. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  11. ^ Solon, Olivia (6 September 2013). "Report names and shames vanity skyscrapers with unnecessary spires". Wired. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Burj Al Arab". www.atkinsglobal.com. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  13. ^ a b Krane, Jim City of Mud: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism, page 103, St. Martin's Press (15 September 2009)
  14. ^ "Dubai's Chicago Beach Hotel". Dubai As It Used To Be. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Lonely Planet | Travel Guides & Travel Information". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  16. ^ Chalhoub, Michel Soto (1993). "Structural Design and Deep Foundation Soil-Structure Interaction of Burj-Al-Arab - A Comparison of Two Alternatives". Parsons Engineering.
  17. ^ Pantin, Travis (17 February 2009). "Depa announces strong growth". The National. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. ^ "From the inside out". Construction Week Online Middle East. March 2011.
  19. ^ "Global Gateway". CNN. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  20. ^ a b Caesar, Ed (20 October 2025). "The Cocaine Kingpin Living Large in Dubai". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X.
  21. ^ a b "Burj Al Arab". EgyptEng.com engineering directory. 2000. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 24 January 2007.
  22. ^ "VIDEO: Burj Al Arab's 15th anniversary 'dream'". HotelierME. 28 November 2014.
  23. ^ a b "The world's 17 tallest hotels – for the ultimate room with a view". The Telegraph. 11 February 2016. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Burj Al Arab". www.jumeirah.com. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  25. ^ a b c d Damluji, Salma Samar, The Architecture of the U.A.E.. Reading, UK: 2006.
  26. ^ Arnold, Helen "World's 15 most expensive hotel suites" Archived 2 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine CNN Go. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012
  27. ^ "Jumeirah gets ravenous for China". TTGmice. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  28. ^ Parr, Christopher. "Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai: Inside The 7 Star Luxury Hotel". Business Insider. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  29. ^ Bundhun, Rebecca (14 July 2009). "Hotel star ratings standards long overdue". The National. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
  30. ^ "Performance Anomalies". Goodreads. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  31. ^ Lee, Victor Robert (20 December 2012). Performance Anomalies. USA: Perimeter Six. ISBN 978-1-938409-22-6.
  32. ^ Lee, Victor Robert (15 January 2013). Performance Anomalies: A Novel. Perimeter Six Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-938409-20-2.
  33. ^ "Burj Al Arab hotel stars in Chinese reality TV show". Arabian Business. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  34. ^ "卓美亚集团与「极速前进」首次合作" [Jumeirah Group collaborates with The Amazing Race for the first time]. Neeu (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  35. ^ "Press Release". corusent.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Rose, Steve (28 November 2005). "Architecture: Sand and freedom". The Guardian.
[edit]
  • Official website Edit this at Wikidata

 

Jumeirah
جُمَيْرَا
Community
Jumeirah Fishing Harbour
Jumeirah Fishing Harbour
Map
Interactive map of Jumeirah
Coordinates: 25°12′07″N 55°14′38″E / 25.202°N 55.244°E / 25.202; 55.244
Country  United Arab Emirates
Emirate Emirate of Dubai
City Dubai
Boroughs
List
  • Jumeirah 1
  • Jumeirah 2
  • Jumeirah 3
Area
 
 • Total
6.9 km2 (2.7 sq mi)
Population
 (2024)[1]
 • Total
47,319
 • Density 6,900/km2 (18,000/sq mi)

Jumeirah (Arabic: جُمَيْرَا, romanized: Jumayrā Emirati pronunciation: [dʒʊˈmeːrɐ]) is a coastal residential area of Dubai, United Arab Emirates mainly comprising low rise private dwellings and hotel developments. It has both large expensive detached properties and more modest town houses built in a variety of architectural styles. The area is popular with expatriates working in Dubai and is familiar to many visiting tourists.

History

[edit]
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif (مَجْلِس غُرْفَة أُمّ ٱلشَّيْف)

Archaeological excavations at Jumeirah Archaeological Site,[2][3][4] which was discovered in 1969, demonstrate that the area was inhabited as far back as the Abbasid era, approximately in the 10th century CE. Measuring about 80,000 m2 (860,000 sq ft), the site lay along a caravan route linking India and China to Oman and Iraq.[2][3][4]

Historically, Emirati people living in Jumeirah were fishermen, pearl divers and traders. At the turn of the 20th century, it was a village of some 45 areesh (palm leaf) huts, inhabited mainly by settled Bedouin of the Bani Yas and Manasir tribes. At the time, Jumeirah was 'about 3 miles southwest of Dibai town'.[5]

In modern times (1960 onwards), Jumeirah was the principal area for western expatriate residences. The beachfront area was previously called "Chicago Beach",[6] as the site of the former Chicago Beach Hotel.[7] The locale's peculiar name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company which at one time welded giant floating oil storage tankers called "Kazzans" on the site.[6] The old name persisted for a time after the old hotel was demolished in 1997. "Dubai Chicago Beach Hotel" was the Public Project Name for the construction phase of the Burj Al Arab Hotel until Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the new name: Burj Al Arab.[7]

The Theatre of Digital Art (ToDA) opened in 2020 at Souk Madinat in Jumeirah as an exhibition space for digital art.[8]

 

See also

[edit]
  • Jumeirah Beach
  • Jumeirah Beach Hotel
  • Jumeira Baccalaureate School
  • Palm Jumeirah
  • Jumeirah Mosque
  • City Walk

References

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.dsc.gov.ae/en-us/EServices/Pages/geo-stat.aspx. Dubai Statistics Center
  2. ^ a b Al Amir, Khitam; Cherian, Dona (2020-01-09). "Look: Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid visits Jumeirah Archaeological Site". Gulf News. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
  3. ^ a b "Mohammed bin Rashid visits Jumeirah Archaeological Site". Emirates 24/7. 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
  4. ^ a b "'Happy and proud' Ruler of Dubai meets archaeologists at Jumeirah dig site". The National. 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2020-01-12.
  5. ^ Lorimer, John (1915). Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf Vol II. British Government, Bombay. p. 454.
  6. ^ a b Krane, Jim City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism, page 103, St. Martin's Press (September 15, 2009)
  7. ^ a b "Chicago Beach Dubai". www.dubaiasitusedtobe.com. Retrieved 2016-06-11.
  8. ^ "Theatre of Digital Art". visitdubai.com. Visit Dubai. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
[edit]
Archaeological site
  • Jumeirah Archaeological Site, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority
  • Lonelyplanet website
Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al-Sheif
  • Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority

 

Atlantis, The Palm
Map
Interactive map of the Atlantis, The Palm area
Hotel chain Atlantis, The Palm
General information
Location Jumeirah Palm, Dubai
Construction started 2006[1]
Opening September 24, 2008 (2008-09-24)
Management Kerzner International Resorts
Height 93.0 m (305.1 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 22
Design and construction
Developer Kerzner International Resorts
Other information
Number of rooms 1,544[2]
Number of suites Suites (Regal, Terrace, Executive)
Super Suites (Royal Bridge, Grand Atlantis, Underwater, Presidential)
Website
www.atlantis.com/dubai/atlantis-the-palm
[3][4][5]

Atlantis, The Palm is a luxury hotel resort located at the apex of the Palm Jumeirah in the United Arab Emirates. It was the first resort to be built on the island and is themed on the myth of Atlantis[6] but includes distinct Arabian elements. The resort opened on September 24, 2008 as a joint venture between Kerzner International Holdings Limited and Istithmar World.[7]

Hotel

[edit]

The 1,544 room nautically themed resort has two accommodation wings, consisting of the East and the West Tower. It is complemented by the Aquaventure water park and the Lost Chambers Aquarium, home to over 65,000 marine animals. Atlantis, The Palm is also known as the culinary destination in the region where guests can take their pick from a collection of 35 world-renowned restaurants including Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Street Pizza, Hakkasan, Nobu, En Fuego, Seafire Steakhouse & Bar and the award-winning underwater restaurant, Ossiano.[8]

Underwater rooms

[edit]

The Poseidon and Neptune Underwater Suites at Atlantis The Palm are two of only a tiny handful of underwater hotel rooms around the world, and regularly appear in lists of the world's most unique accommodation.

Measuring 165 m2 (1,780 sq ft) in total, the upper, entrance floor is at ground level while the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom are submerged. The almost floor to ceiling windows in both the bedroom and bathroom face out on to the resort's Ambassador Lagoon, home to a multitude of exotic sea creatures.[9] The floor-to-ceiling windows includes 65,000 marine animal aquarium in Dubai and will be amazed as sharks, rays and fish glide right past your bed.[10]

Development

[edit]

Atlantis The Palm, opened on 24 September 2008 as a joint venture between Kerzner International Holdings Limited and Istithmar World. In April 2012, Istithmar World acquired Kerzner's 50-percent stake in the property for US$250 million. The property continues to be managed by Kerzner International Resorts. The conceptual design architects were Northpoint-South Africa. The architect of record was design firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo (WATG) an international firm specializing in Luxury Hotels. The principal contract for the project was awarded to Laing O'Rourke,[11] a multinational construction firm based in United Kingdom. Laing O'Rourke was responsible for the design and construction phases of the 23-story hotel and water park.

Launch

[edit]

The hotel was officially opened on 24 September 2008.[12]

Days before the opening ceremony, the hotel's grand lobby caught fire[13] and became engulfed in flames which caused concern over the hotel's opening. Work was done to repair the damage caused and the hotel opened on time.[14][15]

As part of the opening, a light show of moving images was illuminated onto the hotel. 100,000 fireworks, around seven times the amount that were used for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, were let off, lasting 15 minutes. The display of fireworks across the full 5 km (3.1 mi) stretch of The Palm lit up the entire island and Atlantis, The Palm. Custom-made shells shipped in from across the globe created a light spectacle taking off from the 716 firing locations around the island, including 400 balconies at the resort. Display creator Fireworks by Grucci claims the display set a new world record, but records curator Guinness World Records has yet to announce the status.[16] The launch party costed an estimated £15m in total, with Kylie Minogue earning £2m for a 60-minute performance for the hotel's 2,000 guests.[17][18]

Reception

[edit]

The Telegraph gave the hotel a 8/10, commending the underwater theme and facilities available.[19] A 2024 review by The Sunday Times gave the hotel a score of 9/10, complimenting the architecture and appeal to all age groups.[20]

Controversy

[edit]

In October 2007, the hotel received a shipment of 28 bottlenose dolphins from the Solomon Islands, to be used as part of their aquarium exhibit, called Dolphin Bay. The move was decried by several environmental groups, particularly for the fact that the export of dolphins had earlier been banned by the Solomon Islands government (after a similar controversial shipment to Mexico). Hotel managers have said that though the dolphins are being trained to interact with visitors, they will not appear in any sort of show or circus-like performance. They have also stated that the health of the dolphins is paramount; because the bottlenose is not an endangered species, their shipment did not pose a problem. The deal was done with the approval of the United Arab Emirates and Solomon Island governments, through the company Solomon Islands Marine Mammal Education Centre and Exporters Limited (who had overturned the earlier ban in court). The amount of money paid for the dolphins has not been disclosed.[21][22]

The hotel faced controversy in 2010 following the captivity of a whale shark, nicknamed Sammy, in an aquarium exhibit for 18 months.[23] The female juvenile was caught off a coast in Jebel Ali in August 2008 after appearing in distress.[24][25] At the time, whale sharks were listed in appendix 2 of CITES, stipulating that they can "only be held for scientific purposes provided that it does not harm the survival of the species". The captivity sparked outrage among animal rights groups and activists, including PETA and actress Pamela Anderson.[24] Gulf News launched a campaign with thousands of supporters calling for the release of the shark.[26] Atlantis would release a press release, stating:

"After several months of planning, Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai has returned a female whale shark to the waters of the Persian Gulf from where she was rescued. The Atlantis Fish Husbandry Team utilised their experience and skill to save the animal in compliance with all CITIES regulations."

Ali Bin Saqr Al Suwaidi, president and founder of the Emirates Marine Environment Group, another group involved in the campaign, confirmed the shark was set to be released.[23] Scepticism surrounding the release persisted afterwards due to a lack of images being circulated, with Steve Kaiser, vice president of Marine Science and Engineering at Atlantis, denying the claims of Sammy still being held in captivity.[25]

[edit]

See also

[edit]
  • Dubai World
  • Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
  • List of hotels in Dubai
  • Atlantis Paradise Island – similar looking hotel by Sol Kerzner
  • Atlantis Sanya
  • Atlantis Resorts

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Husain, Shakir (9 October 2006). "Construction of Atlantis resort project set to peak in February". Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Hotel Rooms and Suites Atlantis The Palm Dubai". www.atlantisthepalm.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-15. Retrieved 2013-02-13.
  3. ^ "Emporis building complex ID 112406". Emporis. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
  4. ^ "Atlantis, The Palm". SkyscraperPage.
  5. ^ Atlantis, The Palm at Structurae
  6. ^ http://www.atlantisthepalm.com Archived 2009-05-24 at the Wayback Machine Atlantis
  7. ^ Ahmed Hussein (November 25, 2008). "Landmark project Atlantis, The Palm officially launched amidst grand ceremony". EstatesDubai. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Atlantis, The Palm: The Resort". Atlantis, The Palm: The Resort. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  9. ^ Underwater Hotel Rooms in Dubai
  10. ^ "Underwater Suite in Dubai". Atlantis.
  11. ^ "Atlantis, The Palm. Dubai. United Arab Emirates". Archived from the original on 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  12. ^ CW Staff (10 June 2010). "UK giant Laing O'Rourke denies ME withdrawal". Construction Weekly. Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  13. ^ Cronin, Sean. "Atlantis bosses say fire-hit resort will open on time". Arabian Business.
  14. ^ "Atlantis fire casts doubt on opening". gulfnews.com. 2 September 2008. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  15. ^ Harnan, Eugene (2008-09-02). "Police investigate Atlantis fire". The National. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  16. ^ http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/atlantis-fireworks-display-seeks-place-in-guinness-book-1.17275 Archived 2014-12-27 at the Wayback Machine Atlantis fireworks display seeks place in Guinness Book of World Records
  17. ^ Bhatia, Shekhar (21 November 2008). "500 chefs, 4,000 lobsters and Kylie - recession Dubai style". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Wow! Kylie Minogue to be paid £2million for 60-minute set at Dubai hotel opening party". Evening Standard. 11 September 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Atlantis, The Palm Dubai, United Arab Emirates". The Telegraph. 1 April 2019. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  20. ^ "Atlantis The Palm hotel review: a Dubai palace with entertainment for the whole family". The Sunday Times. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  21. ^ 28 dolphins on way to Palm hotel Archived October 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Gulf News (16 October 2007).
  22. ^ Wild dolphins adapt to indoor life Archived October 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Gulf News (27 October 2007).
  23. ^ a b "Sammy the whale shark freed in Dubai". Gulf News. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Atlantis frees Sammy the whale shark". Hotelier Middle East. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Satellite tag reveals tale of shark Sammy in the wild". Gulf News. 15 June 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  26. ^ "Sammy the Whale Shark Sent to Sea". Khaleej Times. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
[edit]
  • Official website Edit this at Wikidata

 

Reviews for Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai


Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Cristina Farrugia

(5)

We booked this as a surprise for my son's birthday and we nailed it - he loved the thrill of the helicopter ride itself, but also the spectacular views from above. The pilot was very friendly and knowledgeable. We learned so much more about Abu Dhabi than we would have ever done from walking around - and the views from above of the Mosque and of the palaces are unmatched.It is MUST experience in Abu Dhabi.

Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Md Khursheed Ali

(5)

I recently had the pleasure of taking a helicopter ride with your company, and I wanted to take a moment to share my experience. From start to finish, everything was exceptionally well-organized. The views during the ride were absolutely breathtaking, and the pilot's professionalism and knowledge added so much to the overall experience. It was clear that safety was a top priority, which made me feel comfortable and secure throughout the flight. The only suggestion I have for improvement would be [less timing of the ride] However, this did not detract from what was an otherwise fantastic experience. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and I would highly recommend it to others. Thank you for providing such a memorable experience!

Helicopter Ride and Tours Dubai, Al Warsan Building - near Media Rotana, Ground Floor - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai - United Arab Emirates

Simon Pickrell

(5)

Great flight, really friendly staff & sweet helicopter. Views were great & got lots of pictures. 👍

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Frequently Asked Questions

Most Dubai Helicopter Ride flights start from approved heliports such as Dubai Police Academy or Atlantis The Palm.

You can book a Dubai Helicopter Ride online, by phone, or via email with instant or advance confirmation.

Yes, a valid passport or government-issued ID is required for a Dubai Helicopter Ride.