What the Burj Khalifa in Dubai is to the vertical, the Emirates Palace is to the horizontal, with audacious domed gatehouses and flying ramps to the foyer, 114 domes and a 1.3km private beach. Built at a cost of Dh11 billion, this is the big hotel in the Gulf, with 1002 crystal chandeliers and 400 luxury rooms and suites. You don’t have to check in to check out the Emirates Palace, as it doubles as a cultural hub of the city.
Hosting opera and renowned orchestras during the Abu Dhabi Classics concert season, and showing screenings during the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, the Emirates Palace has played its part in the cultural expansion of the capital. Other reasons to visit include the Barakat Gallery, which offers exquisite fine art from ancient China, Egypt, Africa, Greece and Rome; ever-popular afternoon high tea in the foyer (Dh160); and an ATM that dispenses gold bars.
