A luxury hotel crafted by designer Giorgio Armani opened Tuesday as the first landmark tenant in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Armani Hotel boasts of 160 lavish rooms, eight restaurants, a spa and three retail outlets. The project, a joint venture between Giorgio Armani SpA and Emaar Properties, is the first in a planned collection of hotels, resorts and residences to be unveiled in key cities around the world by the partnership.
The Italian designer was on hand for Tuesday’s opening ceremony, which was delayed a week because of the travel chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano. He said his goal was to build a comfortable and stylish hotel that would leave an impression. Yesterday when I arrived and saw the hotel, I felt really emotional. After five years of working on this project on paper and sketches, I finally saw how it all came to life – Armani said.
Armani has paid attention o every minute detailing of this hotel right from the bed linens and bespoke furniture down to the selection of Armani Privé toiletries in the bathroom. The rooms too echo Armani’s austere style with no paintings or photographs adorning the walls. According to Armani the biggest inspiration was the building itself which has been inspired by the shape of the desert rose. He has followed the curves of the building’s existing architectural shell in the rooms’ interior design. There are no straight walls in the outer suites. Every guest is sure to feel special courtesy the services and amenities at this hotel.
Armani Hotel in Dubai
The opening was celebrated with a party Tuesday night for 600 guests that included a runway show of Armani’s spring Privé collection, followed by cocktails and dinner. The luxury doesn’t come cheap. The cheapest rooms offered at the moment go for more than $750 a night — before tax. High-end suites, which boast a living room, dining room, walk-in closet, study and full service bar, cost about $2,180 a night.
Armani Hotel will soon have more competition. Rival Italian fashion house Gianni Versace SpA plans to open its own luxury hotel in Dubai later this year. Its claim to fame: an artificially cooled beach designed to keep sunbathing guests from getting too uncomfortable in the Gulf’s scorching summer heat.
