There is no question that the Burj Al Arab Hotel is one of the wonders of Dubai- maybe one of the wonders of the entire UAE even. It is also the most expensive 7-star hotel in the world with the average room costing about $12,00 a night. NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever step foot in the world’s most expensive hotel… I mean seriously… I’m a TEACHER who has no other income! But when you’re a smart panda, you find a way to satisfy your inner bourgeois curious self.
Two weeks ago Dubai hosted Jumeirah Restaurant Week (JRW), where 40 of the country’s top eateries rolled out specially priced menus to bring in new patrons and old friends alike. Jumeirah, for those of you less pretentious readers, is the premier luxury brand of hotels and restaurants in the GCC. Even the Jumeirah Hotel in Kuwait was one of the few impressive places in that drab country. With lots of options and pricing that was rather affordable (by UAE standards), one of the Expat Felines made a definitive decision that we would visit the Scape Restaurant at the Burj Al Arab. This was how we were going to get into this expensive hotel (you only get to go inside if you have a reservation at the hotel, spa or one of its restaurants).
Upon entering you are greeted by this huge fountain,
Notice the red carpets, blue accents and gold pillars… this is the decor of the hotel which isn’t to my taste but I guess it depicts the opulence of the surroundings.
The balconies are rather impressive though…
A quick walk outside will give you this pretty view at sunset:
And lets take a moment to marvel at this infinity pool built over the sea:
As for the Scape restaurant experience… well, I’m not a food blogger so I won’t spend too much time detailing the courses covered by the 200AED set menu. I will however let the pictures speak for themselves:
Starters and main courses were impeccably exquisite but dessert… disappointed us.
The service however was absolutely 7 star and I swear if they had been anymore attentive, they would’ve been spooning the food into my mouth (this is probably something you could request to be honest). I love how they presented the bill in this golden box and also gave Expat Lynx a handbag hook for her bag!
I love the night views from the terrace a lot more than the day views because of the beautiful way everything is lit up and of course, the city skyline in the distance. When you’re standing on the terrace looking out over the city, you feel at peace… I don’t think there are many places in Dubai that are peaceful as this.
Is the Burj Al Arab worth dining at and visiting?
Yes! Purely for the novelty factor of saying that you did visit the world’s only 7 star hotel! It was intriguing to see how a small population of the world functions in such opulence. Would I go back? Nah. I realised that I’m not about that life. I mean I’m still pretty basic (I do love my avocado on toast) but I just don’t think I could justify paying what it costs on a regular basis, to return.
Panda’s Rating:
A respectable 4 out of 5 pandas purely for an excellent meal (although I have had better), 7 star service and of course, the novelty value!
Tips:
– If you want to make your way into this hotel there are a few ways. Check out the official Burj Al Arab website for all the offers. I just saw that pool access for a day costs 1800 AED… whoah!
– Jumeirah Resturant Week happens every year and there are tons of restaurants to pick from that will suit your budget and palate. Don’t miss it!
Is there somewhere that you’ve gone to eat at purely for the novelty of the experience? Let me know in the comments below!
![🌀New Blog Post: How I survive moments of doubt as an expat🌀
5 international moves later and I still struggle with self doubt 🫠
The way I see it, life is a collection of experiments where we constantly learn about ourselves. Maybe we succeed at what we set out to do and/or we learn something. If we’ve learned, we haven’t failed, so never look at anything you do abroad as a failure 🥇
In my blog post today I outline some of the coping strategies and thoughts that help me navigate a new place once I have moved. Give it a read if this is something you’re struggling with or share it with your friends who may have just moved somewhere new! You can find the post from the latest post tab in my bio link 🔗
The worst is when people say, “But you live in Europe, how bad can it be?” in response to any problem I am facing, as if living in a European country is a magical cure-all for all of life’s ills. I WISH.
Have you experienced self doubt when moving abroad?
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23 Comments
That shot looking up at all the balconies… it didn’t look so much like a photograph of a hotel as it did some kind of background scenery for one of the more outrageously extravagant science fiction movies… the 5th Element or something of that ilk.
And I think you rocked the blogger poses. If you’re going to really go for an ultra-luxurious experience, a little posing seems only natural 🙂
I totally agree with you about the balconies! I was in awe and felt like the entire scenery was surreal 🙂 Haha thanks for the compliment about my poses 😀
I loved the restaurant week . Was really good offers on some places I wanted to try out and lots of people out for the same reason. Great unitive! Still waiting for my mum to come again so I can have a (very expensive but you get the entrance) afternoon tea in Burj Al Arab.
Oooh I would love to read about your experience having high tea at the Burj Al Arab! Hope your mum swings by soon 😀
I hope so too 😉
Thank you for the pictures, could see the luxury !!
I am so glad it reflected in the photos!
Everything looked so extravagant! I can’t believe that people would spend so much money just to enjoy a day at a pool. However, I’m sure you had a great time there and this experience really brought you good memories and stories to tell😊
Yessss I can’t believe what people will spend just to stay there and/or use the pool but hey each to their own! Glad you enjoyed the post 😀
😂 My little sister and I have our bougie moments back home and complain about the bill later on. It’s nice occasionally. Your pictures were so beautiful, and you looked the part. I never understand how people spend so much money for things like a day at the pool. 🤷🏽♀️
Ah thank you for the compliments… Yes once a while its good to spoil myself and living in the UAE gives me plenty of opportunity to do so 😀 I would much rather spend that money on a trip than a day at the pool but hey thats just me 🙂
Agreed! Lol
It’s nice that you can visit without staying there 😀
Agreed! Due to the extravagant prices of hotels here, a lot of them offer day passes to use their private beach and pool facilities.
Looks like you had an amazing experience! All foncy, the novelty, and being able to claim you got to experience 7-star service! 😃 But yeah, I don’t know about the costs… I know I’d be so conflicted with something so expensive. Maybe as a one-time experience but not more than that. But it’s Dubai, so it’s all about YOLO + ~ living lavishly ~.
Yeah Dubai is all about the glitz and glam which is why I can only swing by there occasionally otherwise I would be BROKE. I do a lot of things just for the novelty of it all haha 😀
this is an amazing post and I love the photos! amazing shots! Looking forward to read more of your post!
Please do check out our latest post http://wp.me/p92159-h0 🌸
Wow I felt like I was there from just looking at your pictures. That balcony shot is everyyything. Super fancy. I always find that I don’t enjoy higher class food as much as I enjoy regular food lol
I understand you… I enjoy it to a point and well once in a while is a good treat! I am so glad you felt like you were there too 😀
One word comment: Wow.
Its impressive thats for sure!
Wow! Thanks for bringing this place closer as I’ll never get the chance to stay there! So breathtaking!
Hey never say never! I did not know that I would ever get the opportunity to see such a place!