The Inside Scoop on the Burj Dubai

The world’s tallest skyscraper opened in Dubai a couple of days ago. Already flocks of tour buses are carrying loads of lookey-loos to the 2,717-foot tall building – renamed Burj Khalifa in honor of the president of neighboring Abu Dhabi.

However, authentic luxury travelers will avoid those crowds and view the remarkable landmark from a much more comfortable vantage point.

At the base of The Burj, Downtown Burj Dubai includes an artificial lake where the world’s tallest fountains dance to recorded music à la Bellagio in Las Vegas. This neighborhood is also home to The Palace and The Address hotels and the Dubai Mall, which includes a skating rink, an Aquarium, and a theme park. http://www.thedubaimall.com/

The Address

The 63-story Address targets business travelers and boasts the world’s highest cocktail lounge. Neos offers a great view of The Burj, as well as The World development (famously stalled) just offshore in the Arabian Sea.

Personally, the design of The Address is way too modern for my taste, but I have to admit that I was blown away by the view of The Burj from the level six pool area. Here, a series of connected pools with lights on the bottom are surrounded by extensive plantings and trees. The Risala coffee shop in this area is a great place for a drink or a light meal in a gorgeous setting. http://www.theaddress.com/

The Palace – The Old Town

In my opinion, the best place to stay in this area is The Palace, a six story Arabesque hotel where poolside cabanas on the edge of the lake look like Bedouin tents complete with Oriental carpets and shisha pipes. The pool area is right under The Burj.

Even if you don’t sleep here, consider having a meal at Asado, an Argentinian restaurant, where 80% of the staff are actually from Argentina. They offer live music nightly and tango parties on Sundays. When we were there, a whole baby goat was turning on a spit and patrons were enjoying the largest collection of Argentinian wine in the Middle East.

The Palace also has a good Thai restaurant and an “Oriental” restaurant that combines Arabic and Mediterranean cuisine. All restaurants offer lake views and some Palace guest rooms overlook the lake and The Burj. http://www.thepalace-dubai.com/

In any case, it beats the pucky out of the view from the tour bus.