Simply Abu Dhabi XIII

2 7 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I The heights of luxury Our eyes barely had time to take all this in, however, as we were quickly welcomed with a warm greeting and shown to our room. As soon as we opened the door to our Grand Deluxe Suite, we were immediately struck by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the north and east sides, and their glorious view of the Corniche. The cool and modern feel of the space somehow hinted at both 19th century old- world glamour and utterly timeless Arabic elegance, and gave a sense of high-end luxury combined with utmost comfort. But the real surprise came when we had a look at the suite’s bathroom: there, on a raised marble platform, we found a freestanding, immaculately white bathtub. Set against the backdrop of an enormous window overlooking the waterfront, it had the look of a luxury cruise liner on an azure blue ocean. Needless to say, we were delighted with the room and wondered what the others were like. In fact, we learned The St. Regis Abu Dhabi features 283 sumptuously appointed guest rooms, including 55 suites, all offering panoramic waterfront views of the Arabian Gulf. The luxurious interiors feature traditional Arabian elements, from the dentils on the crown moulding on the bedposts to the subtle pattern in soft gold carpeting. The classical-style furniture is made with polished dark walnut with sleek curves and ornate detailing. The walls and ceilings are clad in white stone mosaic, with exquisite carved marble mouldings at each doorway, corner and seam. The St. Regis Abu Dhabi also offers more than 4,800 square metres of state-of-the-art meeting and event space, making it a desired destination for both leisure and business travellers. As we’d heard earlier, the extravagant Abu Dhabi Suite is the world’s highest suspended hotel suite – and it’s hard to miss, as it’s loftily positioned 200 metres above the ground in the skybridge connecting the two Nation Towers. Offering magnificent panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf, the Corniche and the city skyline, the two-storey suite spans 1,120 square metres, and includes three bedrooms. The Grand Drawing Room takes centre stage – an intricate glass dome with Art Deco detailing and a dramatic bronze chandelier with cascading strands of crystals. The elaborate interiors feature 24-carat gold-leaf accents, leather wall tiles, jewel-toned velvet upholstered walls and intricate glass mosaic patterns. A graceful, curved staircase