Raffles Dubai
Encyclopedia
Raffles Dubai is a 19-storey hotel that is built in the shape of a pyramid
. The design was an inspiration taken from traditional Egyptian architecture. It is located at the Wafi food and entertainment complex, 15 minutes away from the Dubai International Airport
.
-based diversified business conglomerate that invested more than 140 million US dollars on its first hotel project. The Wafi group entered into an agreement where the hotel would be managed and operated by the Singapore
based hospitality chain Raffles Hotels and Resorts
. The agreement also marked Raffles’ entry into the Middle East
and expanded its presence to 41 hotels in 35 destinations.
The hotel’s signature pyramid shape was conceived by architect Bryn Lummus and developed locally by lead architects Arif & Bin Toak. The interior of the hotel was designed by the Dubai-based LW Design group. Construction began in April 2005 and the hotel began its operations in 2007.
The Raffles Dubai is noteworthy as it is the first Raffles hotel to be newly built, as most hotels operated by the company are mostly buildings with historical importance which were bought over by Raffles Hotels and Resorts.
Another striking feature of the hotel is its Botanical Garden that is one hectare in area and can be found on the third floor of the hotel. The garden was designed with four areas representing the essential elements of life - Water
, Air, Fire
and Earth
. These converge on a large glass dome, the Eye of Horus
, god of the sky, which according to Egyptian legend, acts as the garden's centerpiece.
Each of the four areas is themed and color coded to match its separate identity. A display of crimson flora is used in the Fire section of the garden, while different species of long-grass feature in the Wind area. The main feature of the Water garden is a stream carrying various species of water plants, which flows and gathers at a large oval shaped pond. Each area also contains its own feature or sculpture, with a fan used in the Wind area, for instance, and a shiny metal sculpture included in the Earth section.
Over 129,000 different plants were used to create the garden, including some of which were used for the first time in the region, according to the landscape firm. The garden has some 260 trees, 650 palms including the hotel chain's signature Traveler's Palm, 1,400 bamboo plants, 500 aquatic plants, over 100,000 shrubs and 1,000 climbers.
Among one of the 11 restaurants and bars within Raffles Dubai, elements of fire and ice are brought to the table. Bowls carved out of ice are used to serve salads, with table grills and Japanese hot stones are used to bring out the fire element.
The RafflesAmrita Spa has six treatment rooms and a VIP suite overlooking the city. It is one of the first spas to offer the Egyptian Gold, a 24-karat Gold Facial Treatment and provides a cooling system on the entire wave-shaped pool deck.
Each Presidential Suite at Raffles Dubai has a theme, Earth (natural hues of creams and browns), Fire (fiery splashes of color in the fabrics and dark timber finishes), Air (a blend of creams and whites) and Water (elaborate fountains)
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
. The design was an inspiration taken from traditional Egyptian architecture. It is located at the Wafi food and entertainment complex, 15 minutes away from the Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai...
.
History
Raffles Dubai was built by the Wafi Group, a DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
-based diversified business conglomerate that invested more than 140 million US dollars on its first hotel project. The Wafi group entered into an agreement where the hotel would be managed and operated by the Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
based hospitality chain Raffles Hotels and Resorts
Raffles Hotels and Resorts
Raffles Hotels & Resorts is a collection of luxury properties located in major cities around the globe. Each hotel is known to have its own distinct personality. Raffles Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a Canadian-based hotel company with over 88 hotels in 27...
. The agreement also marked Raffles’ entry into the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and expanded its presence to 41 hotels in 35 destinations.
The hotel’s signature pyramid shape was conceived by architect Bryn Lummus and developed locally by lead architects Arif & Bin Toak. The interior of the hotel was designed by the Dubai-based LW Design group. Construction began in April 2005 and the hotel began its operations in 2007.
The Raffles Dubai is noteworthy as it is the first Raffles hotel to be newly built, as most hotels operated by the company are mostly buildings with historical importance which were bought over by Raffles Hotels and Resorts.
Special features
The Egyptian themed pyramid shape is considered the most striking feature of the hotel. The hotel is topped with a glass capstone that constitutes three stories of its structure. The top of the structure is of gold colour that sparkles during the day and is backlit during the night.Another striking feature of the hotel is its Botanical Garden that is one hectare in area and can be found on the third floor of the hotel. The garden was designed with four areas representing the essential elements of life - Water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, Air, Fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
and Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. These converge on a large glass dome, the Eye of Horus
Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good health. The eye is personified in the goddess Wadjet...
, god of the sky, which according to Egyptian legend, acts as the garden's centerpiece.
Each of the four areas is themed and color coded to match its separate identity. A display of crimson flora is used in the Fire section of the garden, while different species of long-grass feature in the Wind area. The main feature of the Water garden is a stream carrying various species of water plants, which flows and gathers at a large oval shaped pond. Each area also contains its own feature or sculpture, with a fan used in the Wind area, for instance, and a shiny metal sculpture included in the Earth section.
Over 129,000 different plants were used to create the garden, including some of which were used for the first time in the region, according to the landscape firm. The garden has some 260 trees, 650 palms including the hotel chain's signature Traveler's Palm, 1,400 bamboo plants, 500 aquatic plants, over 100,000 shrubs and 1,000 climbers.
Among one of the 11 restaurants and bars within Raffles Dubai, elements of fire and ice are brought to the table. Bowls carved out of ice are used to serve salads, with table grills and Japanese hot stones are used to bring out the fire element.
The RafflesAmrita Spa has six treatment rooms and a VIP suite overlooking the city. It is one of the first spas to offer the Egyptian Gold, a 24-karat Gold Facial Treatment and provides a cooling system on the entire wave-shaped pool deck.
Each Presidential Suite at Raffles Dubai has a theme, Earth (natural hues of creams and browns), Fire (fiery splashes of color in the fabrics and dark timber finishes), Air (a blend of creams and whites) and Water (elaborate fountains)
See also
- Raffles Dubai Official Website
- Raffles Hotels and ResortsRaffles Hotels and ResortsRaffles Hotels & Resorts is a collection of luxury properties located in major cities around the globe. Each hotel is known to have its own distinct personality. Raffles Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a Canadian-based hotel company with over 88 hotels in 27...
- Raffles HotelRaffles HotelRaffles Hotel is a colonial-style hotel in Singapore, and one of the world's most famous hotels. The hotel was established by the famous Armenian Sarkies Brothers. Opened in 1887, it was named after Singapore's founder Sir Stamford Raffles. Managed by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, it is...
- Fairmont Raffles Hotels International