Dubai is full of contrasts. There's the glittering skyline of skyscrapers so tall they defy imagination. There is the modern collection of stores and eateries, offering every option a traveler could want. And then there are the luxurious hotels, ready to welcome even the most discerning traveler in style and excess.
Then there's the desert with its rolling hills of sand stamped with the footprints of Arabian oryx and gazelles; the souks with their labyrinth of stalls, bins overflowing with a rainbow of spices; and the traditional abra boats ferrying riders across the Dubai Creek. That, for me, is one of the most pivotal points on which tourism rests. The city, one of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates UAE , has sprouted up from its desert port beginnings to become a sprawling metropolis full of vibrant neighborhoods, record-setting buildings, and over-the-top shopping centers all in the last several decades.
Today, Dubai can be fast and slow at the same time — a place to grab an avocado toast and relax on the beach, a place to appreciate a desert conservation reserve, and a place to shop 'til you drop, all in the same day.
It's these contrasts that make Dubai one of the most dynamic and interesting cities in the world. This luxurious hotel is located in one of the most famous buildings in Dubai and the world: the Burj Khalifa.
Armani Hotel Dubai takes up the first eight floors as well as the 38th and 39th floors of the world's tallest tower, offering incredible views of the city and the Arabian Gulf below. Rooms are designed by the hotel's namesake, Giorgio Armani, and feature muted colors that will relax any guest after a long day of shopping at nearby The Dubai Mall. Inside this iconic sail-shaped building floating in the middle of The Gulf is one of the most stunning hotels in the city.
