If you’ve got R160 000 per night to spare and you’ve always felt like your hotel room needed more live fish, then the underwater suite at Atlantis, The Palm hotel in Dubai, is the place for you.

It’s one of the most luxurious hotels in the United Arab Emirates since it opened in 2008, and a popular spot for celebrities to kick back when they’re visiting that part of the world.

The hotel is so popular, in fact, that they’ve decided to open another one, and rumour has it that this one will be even more spectacular than its predecessor.

CNN with the deets:

The $1.4bn megaproject, also developed by the Kerzner group, will sit alongside The Palm sharing 63 hectares of prime seafront.

A distinctive design, comprised of two towers connected by a “spa-bridge,” has already won awards. The promise to guests, from private infinity pools to celebrity chefs, is a “new generation of distinctive luxury.”

Those Kerzners are doing alright, hey?

The complex has been in the works since 2014 and is almost complete.

“The external structure is complete,” Timothy Kelly, managing director of both Atlantis hotels, told CNN. “We are now progressing with the interior and finishings.”

Lead architects KPF describe the striking look as “a series of discrete human-scaled blocks arranged for optimal views, stacked to span over dramatic voids.”

The meticulous nature of the design ensures that no two sections of the building are the same, says Kelly.

The Royal Atlantis is divided into two towers, with one devoted to a resort and the other to residences. They are connected by a bridge filled with pools, lounges, and cabanas.

Half of the building contains 795 rooms and suites spread across 43 floors, as well as private clubs, restaurants, and bars. Then there’s the residence side, where you can snap up one of its 231 apartments from around $2 million a pop.

The complex will also accommodate a spa containing a “traditional hammam,” (public bath) fitness resources, and treatment rooms.

A choice of 17 restaurants on site will include offerings from Michelin-starred chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Jose Andres.

Kelly is also proud of the distinctive water features at the Royal Atlantis that play on its oceanic theme.

“In the lobby you are greeted by a 10-meter-tall sculptured feature that floats on water and is designed to emulate the first rains of Dubai each season,” says Kelly. “The lobby will (also) be home to three stunning aquariums, one of which will be the largest jellyfish tank in the world.”

I was wondering what was missing from the lobby of my apartment building. Now I know it’s a 10-metre-tall sculptured feature that floats on water. Obviously.

Why am I even paying rent?

[source:cnn]