Abu Dhabi’s opulent Emirates Palace: The world’s 2nd most expensive hotel ever built

When we think of the United Arab Emirates, we envision extravagant and luxurious royal palaces gilded in gold due to the ridiculous amount of money in the country from the oil industry. Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is an embodiment of that vision and is open to the public as a 5-star luxury hotel. Their website claims they are “the definition of an unrivaled Arabian fantasy.” The hotel was created with the aim of showcasing Arabian culture and luxurious Arabian hospitality, and boy does it deliver. When it was built by the Abu Dhabi government, it was the world’s most expensive hotel ever built with a price tag of a whopping 3 billion dollars. It lost its title to the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore, but we still think it is pretty amazing as the world’s second most expensive hotel ever built. It has been described as going beyond 5 stars, even a 7-star facility. It boasts 1002 custom-made Swarovski crystal chandeliers, gold and marble just about everywhere you look, and a 6 to 1 staff to guest ratio when fully booked. Rooms include a 24 hour butler who will prepare one of seven baths off the bath menu for guests, or for a few thousand dollars, you can soak in a champagne bath. Now that’s extravagance! The penthouse floor has 6 suites reserved for royalty and dignitaries, and we can only imagine how over the top those are in terms of luxury. The Arc de Triomphe-style entrance is reserved for royal motorcades, but the regular entrance is not too shabby either. If the hotel looks familiar, you may remember it from the movies Fast and Furious 7 and The Kingdom, since both were filmed at Emirates Palace. So when in Abu Dhabi, a visit to walk around and explore or to sit down for a luxurious afternoon tea should be on your agenda. If you are ambitious like us, you can even visit Emirates Palace, Heritage Village, Etihad Towers, and the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in one day. Make sure you are wearing pants or a long skirt/dress because we were turned away originally because Bertaut was wearing shorts (long shorts at that). He bought some traditional Islamic clothing, a gandoora and headscarf, nearby to be allowed entrance. His chocolate complexion made him stand out as a foreigner, and he got some honks and thumbs up from people driving by when we were on our way to the palace. Honestly, his Arab Sheikh attire made the experience even more fun and looks great in photos! We try not to take ourselves too seriously, life is too short. Now allow Sheikh Bertaut take you on a tour of his royal palace. 😉

As we explored the magnificent hotel, we discovered a shopping area with beautiful home decor items, heavenly perfumes, jewelry and more. As much as we appreciate luxury, we do not like paying luxury hotel prices (we usually stay at luxury hotels on points so don’t have to shell out any money or pay just a fraction of the normal cost) so did not buy any souvenirs at Emirates Palace. We prefer the thrill of bargaining at markets where you can find unique items at a fraction of the cost of what high end stores charge. Nonetheless, we enjoyed window shopping and the Jealous perfume smelled so divine I almost splurged on a bottle for my souvenir.

We couldn’t leave Emirates Palace without checking out the bathrooms. Maybe I’m weird, but I (Alexis) really appreciate beautiful bathrooms when visiting luxury hotels. The ladies room did not disappoint at Emirates Palace with gorgeous marble and mosaics, elegant sconces gracing the walls, deluxe hand soap, and rolled cloth towels sitting on a pedestal to dry your hands.

We hope you’ve enjoyed your tour of Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, although we have to say that photos really don’t do it justice. It is best experienced in person when all of your senses can be entertained. Arabian aromas from incense waft through the corridors, piano music plays in the lounge, golden mosaics sparkle in the sunlight, plush couches comfort your derrières, and your tastebuds will delight in decadent food should you choose to stay for afternoon tea or dine in one of their fine restaurants. We heard Hakkasan, a world-renowned restaurant featuring a unique take on modern Chinese cuisine, is amazing! Unfortunately they weren’t open during the hours we visited. For a unique Arabic twist on the American Classic, try the Emirates Palace’s signature dish: the 24 karat gold Camel Burger, which is served on a gold-dusted bun. Have we inspired you to visit yet? Maybe even to splurge for a room if you are really a high roller? Rooms and suites range from about $700 to $13,000, but remember they include a 24 hour butler! At turndown service lavender sachets are placed on the bed to help you drift off to sleep. If you’ve ever dreamed of being treated Iike royalty, this may be your best bet and your only chance to stay in a palace. There is so much more of the palace that we didn’t even explore due to not being guests, including the beach club, 6 km cycling and jogging path, tennis courts, outdoor pools, soccer facilities, and of course the guest rooms and suites. Based on the photos of rooms on their website, they deliver the same caliber of luxury and extravagance throughout the hotel, with some unbelievable bathrooms and gorgeous Arabian decor. I’m dreaming of living an Arabian fantasy at Emirates Palace for just one night, perhaps next time. On this visit to Abu Dhabi, Hyatt Capital Gate was perfect for us. What luxury hotel or resort do you dream of staying in? Please share in the comment section. Now if you will excuse me, I need to go pour myself a champagne bath. 😉 If you liked this post and want to get tips to travel like a millionaire, please sign up for our email newsletter and RSS feed.