Burj Al Arab

• Burj Al Arab is a hotel in Dubai.
• Construction began in 1994 and was completed by 1999.
• The project was developed by Jumeirah International.
• The project was designed by WS Atkins & Partners.
• From Burj Al Arab it takes roughly 17 minutes to drive to Dubai Mall, 12 minutes to Palm Jumeirah and 18 minutes to The Walk JBR.
• Dubai International Airport (DXB) is roughly 25 minutes' drive and the new Al Maktoum International Airport is roughly 40 minutes' drive. All durations are calculated by Google Maps and assume the fastest route in typical traffic conditions.

• Part of the architectural brief was to design a building so unique that it could be drawn by hand in 5 seconds and be easily recognised.

• The design can be seen almost replicated in Donald Trump's Ocean Club in Panama. In 2008 the contractor sought a court protective order to prevent the owners of the Burj Al Arab from threatening a lawsuit over the design.

• The 182-metre high atrium takes up one third of the interior space. It is one of the tallest in the world.

• The hotel is home to the Al Mahara underwater restaurant where diners are surrounded by a floor to ceiling aquarium.

• This is the tallest operating hotel building in the world (not counting mixed-use buildings like Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai or the unfinished Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea).

• All the hotel's 202 rooms are two-storey suites, ranging in size from 170sq m (1,830sq ft) to 780sq m (8,396sq ft).

• The Al Muntaha restaurant is located 200 metres above the Persian Gulf, offering great views of Dubai. It is accessed by a panoramic elevator.

• The hotel has a total of eight restaurants and bars.

• The building's design is influenced by the profile of an Arabian sailing ship.

• The building's external lighting schemes, from white light to a multicoloured one, change from one to another every 30 minutes expressing the evening's progress.

• Burj Al Arab is the world's tallest structure with a membrane facade.

• A 24-metre (79-foot) wide helipad projects from the building 210 metres above the ground.

• The 'Assawan Spa' is situated on the 18th floor.

• 'Burj' is Arabic for 'Tower'.

Nearby Attractions

Wild Wadi

Waterpark, 0.4km

Madinat Jumeirah

Retail & leisure district, 0.8km

Sunset Beach

Public beach, 1.1km

Umm Suqeim Park

Park, 1.2km

Yalla Bowling, Mall of the Emirates

Leisure destination, 2.9km

Ski Dubai

Ski slope, 3.0km

Black Palace Beach

Public beach, 3.3km

Kite Beach

Public beach, 3.4km

Nearest Cinemas

Vox Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates

2.9km

Cinema Akil

4.0km , visit website

Design Stage