Few interesting facts about Burj Al Arab Hotel, The Icon of Dubai, UAE

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Monday, February 2, 2015

Few interesting facts about Burj Al Arab Hotel, The Icon of Dubai, UAE

Monday, February 2, 2015 by Yasser Abo El Ella

Burj Al Arab is a luxury 5 Star hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It has been called "The world's only 7 star Hotel" and is the third tallest hotel in the world. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge.

Construction of the Island began in 1994. To secure the foundation, the builders drove 230 forty-meter-long (130 ft) concrete piles into the sand. It built to resemble the sail of a dhow, a type of Arabian vessel. Two "wings" spread in a V to form a vast "mast", while the space between them is enclosed in a massive atrium.

The diagonal trusses on the side of the building are as long as a football pitch and weigh as much as 20 double-decker busses.

The icon of Dubai was designed by Tom Wright of WS Atkins PLC. During the designing stage, the world was told that it was built to resemble a sail, but critics are claiming that Wright designed a cross after he had a dream to have a Christian influence in a Muslim country.

The hotel is managed by the Jumeirah Group. Despite its size, Burj Al Arab holds only 28 double-story floors which accommodate 202 bedroom suites. The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 m2 (1,820 sq ft), the largest - 780 m2 (8,400 sq ft). The Royal Suite, billed around US$18 000 per night, is one of the 15 most expensive hotel suites in the world.

In March 2004, professional golfer Tiger Woods made a few strokes and sent balls into the ocean from the helicopter platform on top of the hotel.

In February 2005, the professional tennis players Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played a friendly match at the height of 211 meters to the helicopter platform, especially for the match turned into a tennis court. The platform had no limitations or fence around the edges.