The design began as a sketch inspired by a passing sail in 1993. Inside, a 180-metre atrium is among the tallest in the world, finished in gold leaf, Statuario marble and Swarovski crystal. A phased restoration was announced in April 2026, led by the French architect Tristan Auer, who keeps most of the original decor and renews fabrics, finishes and technology.
Every suite is a duplex with floor-to-ceiling windows onto the Arabian Gulf, and each stay includes butler service. The suites run from the Duplex One Bedroom Suite and the Panoramic Suite to the Duplex Two Bedroom Family Suite, the Diplomatic Three Bedroom Suite and the Presidential Two Bedroom Suite. Guests have a private beach, two beach clubs, SAL Beach Club and Summersalt, and two temperature-controlled outdoor pools surrounded by 32 air-conditioned cabanas.
Al Muntaha holds one Michelin star under Chef Saverio Sbaragli, with French and Italian cooking. Ristorante L'Olivo at Al Mahara is run by Chef Andrea Migliaccio, from the two-Michelin-star L'Olivo in Capri. Sahn Eddar, the atrium lounge, serves lunch and afternoon tea, Bab Al Yam has an Arabic menu and a terrace, and SAL serves Mediterranean dishes by the beach. Skyview Bar and Lounge is on the 27th floor.
Talise Spa has 14 treatment rooms, with separate ladies-only and mixed facilities. The hotel also arranges private yacht charters, a fleet of supercars and helicopter transfers, and children have access to the kids' clubs at Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Jumeirah Al Qasr.
Burj Al Arab suits guests who want the landmark itself, with a suite, a butler and a beach on the doorstep.
