From the hotel itself, to what the staff does to make its customers feel at home and more,
join me as we look at the Burj Al Arab and ask, "How is the Best 7 Star Hotel in the
world INSIDE?"
All over the world, there are many different kinds of hotels and places to stay, and for
certain countries, they desire having the look and feel of elegance in just about everything
that they do, especially when it comes to tourism.
It would not be a small thing to say that the United Arab Emirates have been working
very hard in recent years to try and boost their credibility in terms of business and
wealth.
They're trying to bring in new tourism businesses via massive buildings and wonders.
They've even had sports events in the nation for the first time in recent years.
In short, they're trying to show that this is a nation you should visit, and they're
very much succeeding in all the ways that matter, and in the hotel industry they have
gone above and beyond the call with the Burj Al Arab.
The Burj Al Arab is not only the 4th largest hotel in the world, but one that is shaped
like a sail to give it a unique look.
The hotel has all the amenities you would expect, world-class dining to eat in and rooms
to stay in, and even the worlds tallest Atrium.
“Burj Al Arab takes hotel design to a new level of modern luxury, and has also redefined
the meaning of exceptional hospitality, both in Dubai and around the world."
And there are a LOT of people paying attention to this place, for example, the htoel was
recently named the "best hotel in the world" by the Ultratravel Awards.
The Burj has frequently been called "the world's first seven-star hotel" and "the most luxurious
hotel in the world" by travel writers and critics.
High praise indeed, wouldn't you say?
And it'd be foolish to not note that one of the reasons why this hotel is so beloved and
respected is that the builders of the place did not waste a single dollar in making sure
that this hotel was extravagance personified in more ways than one.
" Adorned with more gold and marble than any reasonable person would choose, the Burj Al
Arab impresses through the sheer force of its vision of luxury."
And for those who think that it might be good on the outside but rotten on the inside?
Not so much: " A guest's every whim is attended to, the
architecture and design astounds with color, patterns, and vertigo, and extravagances like
caviar and truffles find their way into numerous dishes at the hotel's restaurants."
And remember when I said that they didn't waste a single dollar?
They honestly didn't, because in total this place cost $1 BILLION dollars to make inside
and out.
Yeah, that's a lot of money, but to be honest, compared to some of the other things they
got going in the UAE, this is a relatively smaller investment in context.
Going back to the guests aspect of things, the staff in the Burj Al Arab is more than
just window dressing, they're literally there to make sure that you have what you need,
when you need it.
I want to think about your more recent hotel experience.
What would you say the ratio of workers were to the guests?
1:5?
1:6?
Well, at this hotel, the staff to guest ratio is about 6:1.
That's right, there are 6 times more staffers in this place than there are guests to actually
reside in it.
That's a lot of paid staff, but if you want to be a "Seven Star Hotel", then I guess you
need to make sure that you have as many people as possible serving and waiting on as many
people as possible.
I'm sure some of you are already intrigued about the place and want to stay there.
Well, I got good news and bad news.
The good news is that in context the rooms are very affordable (part of the UAE's initiative
to make sure they appeal to as many people as possible), but the bad news is that "affordable"
means that you'll be spending AT LEAST $1500 a night there in the place.
Not to mention, getting to the UAE in order to sleep in the Burj Al Arab is not the cheapest
thing to do, so if you decide to commit, you'll need to make sure you have the money to spend
in the right places.
Oh, and for those who aren't strapped for cash, you can get even more luxurious rooms
that cost you about $20,000 a night, if not more.
So clearly this location has something for everyone.
Speaking of location: "The Burj's vision of luxury starts with its
location.
The hotel was built on a tiny man-made island a few hundred meters off the Dubai coastline.
That means any would-be visitors must enter via guard-monitored bridge."
You might think it's odd that the UAE would make a man-made island just to go and make
an island to put their stuff on it.
But actually?
They do it ALL THE TIME.
In fact, over the last few years they've made SEVERAL man-made islands to put things like
hotels, casinos, amusement parks and even businesses on it.
They want to make a place that has everything so that people will come and know that they
have access to all of it, and thus, they expand the land that they have via the rivers and
waterways that they access to.
It's not unlike how people in other countries make man-made bodies of water to help with
an area or give access to water to the locals.
Going back to the bridge, this is actually a benefit of the place because it allows for
increased security and assurances that no one can just "walk up to you" when you're
at the hotel.
Because if you made it past screenings, you're supposed to be there.
Most people arrive via complimentary chauffeured Rolls-Royce pick up.
Your other option is to arrive in a private helicopter — to a private helipad, of course.
I mean, you're paying good money to get there, it only makes sense that you would ride or
fly there in style, am I right?
Which option would you choose to go to the place?
Personally?
If I had a choice, I'd do the copter entrance and pretend that there was music playing around
me as I walked out of it.
Before we continue to talk about all the wonders of the Burj Al Arab, be sure to like the video
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So let's get to the insides of the Burj Al Arab, ok?
You might think that every single thing is perfect and intricate based on what we outlined
before, but that's not exactly the case.
Compared to the rest of the Burj, the lobby is nothing to write home about, with low ceilings
and a pared-back design.
But that's by design.
The lobby is mostly used to corral tourists coming to marvel at the structure, not guests.
I know that may feel like an oversight, but think about it like this.
You're a luxury hotel, you're trying to impress EVERYONE who's staying there, do you really
focus a lot of time on the lobby?
No!
You make it simple, effective, and ensure that everyone can get in and out of it simply
so that they can go to their rooms and then go to the other places to spend their money
and time.
While you do pay your bill in the lobby, you don't spend money there.
So the design team made sure that the place felt good, but didn't take away from the fact
that there is a LOT more to see.
Yeah, this is a lot of thought to put into a lobby, but again, they're a "Seven Star
Hotel", they can't forget a single detail else their ratings and reviews might just
go down.
Which they ensure that they're good to go in the lobby via certain smart moves.
"Guests are whisked to a side room far from the clamor to be greeted by an attendant with
a "Marhaba Welcome" or rose water, cold towels, dates, and Arabic coffee.
The attendant takes your passport to check your booking and then brings you directly
to your room."
Pop quiz, what does this show the guests?
Answer?
It shows that they're important.
Recall that I said the worker to guest ratio in the hotel is 6:1, that means that they
have PLENTY of these attendants to do this kind of thing for EVERY SINGLE GUEST.
And when ALL of these guests feel like they're royalty, that immediately makes them feel
more at home, more at ease, and just as importantly, more willing to spend money there because
if this was the free stuff the paid stuff.
Not to mention, it boosts the morale of the guests, because they may not like rummaging
through the potential horde of tourists and could get frustrated, but with this kind of
personal service, that goes away and good thoughts and feelings are made.
Now, what would happen if you were an early bird and your room wasn't ready?
Not to worry, the attendant will take you to an atrium that is nearby and they'll treat
you to various things as you wait for the room to be ready.
And as you go to that place you'll be able to see some of the cool visuals that the inside
of the hotel has to offer: "A "cascade waterfall" lies between the lobby
and the upper atrium.
The fountain uses fiber optic lights, water, and mist to create a choreographed effect
of water jumping down the stone steps."
That must be really pretty to look at in real time, and it's one of the many things that
the Burj Al Arab uses to ensure that things looks beautiful inside and out in numerous
ways so that there's always something to be in awe of.
"The atrium is, according to the Burj, the tallest in the world at 590 feet.
The centerpiece of the atrium is a circular fountain with a geometric structure that appears
to mimic Islamic tile art.
It periodically shoots water 130 feet into the air."
Of course it does...
Now, if you're feeling hungry, you're in luck because there are 9 different restaurants
that are littered through the place that you can go to and eat and drink at.
Including a coffee and tea longue that'll treat you right if you're still waiting for
your rooms to be ready.
As you walk throughout the hotel you'll see that every room feels like its own kind of
special thing.
And I don't mean like your room that you stay in, I mean EVERY room in the hotel!
"Each room feels like its own art piece.
That's a tribute to interior designer Khuan Chew, who used a color palette and design
touches that harken to the Arabian Peninsula's history."
Oh, and don't forget, there is gold, marble and saffron all over the place that gives
the Burj Al Arab a color scheme and palette that just screams, "I am elegance!"
And it's hard not to admire it.
Do you recall what I said about the security and the whole "if you're there you're supposed
to be there" thing?
Well that's true, but you might also remember me saying that tourists are also welcome at
the hotel.
How can that be if this is supposed to be for guests only?
Well...
"The only way to see it is with a reservation for afternoon tea at one of the restaurants.
That means tour buses roll in with groups getting tea and a tour."
Why go to such lengths for tourists?
Because those are the next customers!
True, you have guests now (and trust me, the hotel is very busy), but you need to be ready
for the next batch, and lure the next group down the road to come to THIS hotel above
any other.
Plus, they're paying for the tour and the tea, so that's money with less hassle and
public transportation.
Win-win!
Now let's talk about the rooms, you've "waited" long enough, right?
Well, the hotel does not skimp on the decor of the rooms, nor the size:
"The Burj may be 56 stories tall, but each floor is a double-story, meaning that every
room in the hotel is a duplex suite."
That's a lot of room, which is a stark contrast to certain hotels that love to cram as many
rooms into a space for more money.
The Burj Al Arab is more about quality than number of rooms, and even then the 56-stories
of height allows them to have many rooms.
Every single room has butlers that will wait on you hand and foot.
Including getting your things ready, getting you tea, making a reservation for a restaurant,
they're there to make sure you have the easiest and most lax and stress-free experience possible.
In fact, they'll give you a full tour of the room so that you can know EVERYTHING about
it, and there's a lot to enjoy.
Including have remotes for everything you can think of and more.
As for where you sleep, the mattress that you'll be on costs $15,000 dollars (now times
that by EVERY bed in the hotel...yeah) and as for the pillows...they go above and beyond...
"There's a pillow "menu" of nearly a dozen pillows of varying degrees of material, thickness,
and firmness."
So no matter how you like to sleep, there's a pillow for that.
The bathroom is so massive that it has its own Jacuzzi, as well as all the amenities
that a man and a woman could ever need for their bodies.
And this is still only SOME of the things that you can expect from the Burj Al Arab.
There's so much more that needs to be seen to be believed, and some of it can't be believed
unless you view it in person.
So I hope you can see with this light look at the hotel that everything they do is deserving
of their awards and more.
Thanks for watching everyone!
What did you think of this look at the Burj Al Arab?
Can you believe the elegance of this hotel?
What do you think of all the things that help make it special, and would you want to go
there yourself one day?
Let me know in the comments below, be sure to subscribe, and I'll see you next time on
the channel!