Dubai: After a few delays, designer Giorgio Armani yesterday formally opened the world's first Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa and said his company would, in partnership with Dubai-based Emaar Properties, open at least 10 more such hotels over the next 10 years.
"I am thrilled to open the doors," Armani said as he unveiled 160 rooms and 144 private residences, which are now ready for occupancy.
The hotel and residences occupy space in the the world's tallest tower from the concourse to the 16th floor, as well as floors 38 and 39, and have been designed by Armani himself "in every aspect".
"It was marvellous to see how the project in Dubai came to life after five years of hard work," the designer said at the Burj Khalifa launch.
Room rates at the Armani Hotel start at Dh4,000 per night, hotel staff explained to Gulf News during a hotel tour yesterday. The priciest suite, the Armani Signature room, could cost more than Dh18,000 per night, but room rates depend on booking conditions, length of stay and the season, a hotel spokesperson explained.
The opening of the Armani Dubai hotel was originally scheduled for September 2009, which was then postponed to the end of last year. That date too was not met and April 21 was set as the new date.
The volcanic eruption in Iceland and the resultant flight disruptions forced another delay to April 27.
The hotel is a joint venture between Emaar Properties, the developer of Burj Khalifa, and Giorgio Armani and employs more than 700 staff. It will also have a nightclub called the Armani Privé, a spa, an Armani Dolci confectionery store and an Armani Galleria.
Each guest will be assigned a "personal lifestyle manager [who] understands interests and desires of our guests", the hotel management said. These "carefully selected personnel" will ensure that all "needs are attended to in a discreet manner".
Armani said his Armani Hotels & Resorts Group will target Milan as the next venue for an Armani Hotel, followed by Marrakech, Egypt, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai and London.
The group was established in 2005 under an agreement between Giorgio Armani and Emaar Properties.
Cheaper than it seems
Despite Gulf News being quoted a price range between Dh4,000 and Dh18,000 for a night's stay in the Armani Hotel, a quick check using the hotel's online booking engine revealed that an Armani Studio can be booked for mid-May for a rate as low as Dh2,000 (plus applicable taxes and fees at 20 per cent). The top suite comes at a net rate of Dh8,000 over the summer season as listed by the booking engine. By way of comparison, a one-bedroom suite in Dubai's most iconic hotel, the Burj Al Arab, can currently be booked for Dh4,690 (plus 20 per cent tax and fees) per night for mid-May.
