One can’t avoid getting just a teeny bit excited about the opening of the Atlantis hotel in Dubai. Admittedly, it is a shameless temple to wealth, and wealth doesn’t always mean good taste, but the sheer scale of this project is just mind-boggling.

In fact, the Mirror summed it up quite nicely: “There are hotels, there are palaces… and then there is the Atlantis”… and it really is a masterpiece.

So here is a glimpse of the mighty £800mn Atlantis!

Situated on the largest man-made island in the world, the Atlantis is spread over 113 acres (four times the size of Hyde Park), has 1530 rooms and suites, 17 restaurants, a huge water park and an aquarium that houses not only twice the number of fish than the London Aquarium, but also dolphins especially flown in from the South Pacific.

I personally really like the exterior architecture of this building, it’s kind of out of this world, a Disneyland type of place and its colours blend in perfectly with the turquoise of the sea…

But  the lobby, lavish and expensive as it may be, leaves nothing to be desired… and it’s not as much bling as it is mismatched, with too many different styles, clashing colours and strange sculptures. Where’s the identity of Dubai in this?

I think they’ve done a great job in the bedrooms though – simple and relaxing, not over the top, yet still exotic. Can you imagine waking up to a view of so many fish? I’d actually be scared that the glass broke during the night…

The water cascading down to the bath from the ceiling is a brilliant idea and must be so so soothing and that huge round bath, made from what looks like stone is absolutely gorgeous…

Yesterday’s opening, which saw the most expensive private party ever, cost £16 million and had seven times the number of fireworks than at the Beijing Olympics! And apparently, they were visible from space…

If you’re feeling curious, you can watch the opening ceremony (sounds like the Olympics!) here and if you have some spare cash lying around, check out their website www.atlantisthepalm.com, although I think you’d probably be more comfortable visiting it than actually staying there…

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It really is all happening in Dubai these days… following the Palm islands, the World and the Burj, the latest revolution in architecture to hit us from Dubai (where else?) is a ‘moving’ skyscraper! It’s very exciting and looks great in my opinion (I wonder if a Jenga puzzle was their inspiration), and although I do usually commend innovation and creativity, the concept of a moving building does seem a bit scary to me… I can’t help wondering whether the architects, in their readiness to outbid each other, may have gone a step too far…? One thing is for sure – this building will not only change the already impressive Dubai skyline, but it will also set a really high benchmark for architects worldwide… I mean how on earth can anyone beat this?

Not only does each floor spin independently of the rest so that you can change the view from your window whenever you want, but it will also have big enough lifts to allow residents to park their cars right in their apartments!!!

Thankfully, the engineers have thought about all the energy required to power such a project and will be installing 48 wind turbines between every floor, enough energy to power not only this building but also neighbouring ones. As you might imagine, 360 degree views don’t come cheap of course with prices starting at $30,000 per sqm…

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