ATLANTIS THE ROYAL, DUBAI, is a thing of beauty. As you drive down the crescent of Palm Jumeirah, the world's "most ultraluxury experiential resort" comes into view—a glass, steel and concrete structure gleaming in the Dubai sun. Forty three storeys high and spread over 406,000 square metres, the resort designed by New York City's Kohn Pederson Fox Associates is enormous, even by Dubai standards. Its unique stepped design, with blocks of rooms placed precariously over each other, makes it quite the tourist attraction. People routinely slow down for a quick photo or two of the edifice before driving by. And it's not just the fancy design that drives its cachet; last year's humdinger of a launch party, where Beyoncé performed and A-listers like Kendall Jenner and Ashley Park attended, has made it a mecca of celebrity spotting. In fact, as I write this, Instagram informs me that Ronaldo has just checked in with his family.
FIRE AND WATER
When I visited the resort last autumn, just at the start of Dubai's pleasant weather season, I did not spot any A-listers, but there were plenty of young, good-looking, and wealthy people to keep up the glamour quotient. There were families of all nationalities, many of them Dubai-based expats and locals who had checked in to experience this temple of luxury and all the delights it offers.
Denne historien er fra February - March 2024-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
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Denne historien er fra February - March 2024-utgaven av Outlook Traveller.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Chutneys For Every Season
GROWING UP IN JHARKHAND, I've always been enchanted by the state's culinary landscape. Here, the local cuisine never fails to surprise with its depth and variety.
BADGE OF HONOUR
IN THE DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE of tourism, where greenwashing often taints sustainability, certifications can help distinguish between genuine efforts and marketing gimmicks. Green certification systems encourage businesses to enhance their environmental credentials.
WHEELS OF TIME
IN 1947, TRAINS CARRYING REFUGEES ACROSS THE BORDER WERE SYMBOLIC OF THE TUMULT OF THE PARTITION.
RAILS OF THE Raj
FROM ITS CONCEPTION TO ITS ROLE IN THE NATION'S HISTORY, THE BRITISH INDIAN RAILWAYS IS A PHENOMENON MARKED AS MUCH BY MARVEL AS AVARICE
THE RHYTHM OF BOLLYWOOD
FROM THE RAILROAD THRILLER MISS FRONTIER MAIL 1936) TO SHAH RUKH KHAN DANCING ON A TRAIN IN DIL SE' 1998), TRAINS HAVE GIVEN UNFORGETTABLE SONG SEQUENCES TO MANY HINDI FILMS
MEMORY'S OASIS
REMEMBRANCES OF GROWING UP IN SEALDAH RAILWAY OFFICERS COLONY IN KOLKATA
A FAREWELL × TO FLAVOURS
FROM CUTLETS AND RAILWAY MUTTON CURRY IN DINING CARS TO THE UNREMARKABLE FARE AVAILABLE TODAY, THE JOURNEY OF FOOD ON THE INDIAN RAILWAY IS FASCINATING
HERITAGE ON THE TRACKS
THE ICONIC DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY, FONDLY CALLED THE TOY TRAIN,' HAS HELD ITS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE STATUS SINCE 1999
HIDDEN LIVES
SPANNING 65,000 KILOMETRES THROUGH DENSELY POPULATED INDIA, THE RAILWAYS ARE A BACKDROP TO COUNTLESS STORIES. 'THE UNRESERVED' BY FILMMAKER SAMARTH MAHAJAN CAPTURES A FEW
JOURNEYS WITHIN AND WITHOUT
FOR IMTIAZ ALI, TRAIN JOURNEYS ARE TRANSFORMATIVE, OFFERING GLIMPSES OF INDIA'S DIVERSE SOCIETY AND ITS MANY CULTURES AND RELIGIONS
