Brunch with Battutah
Ceiling, Emirates Palace Hotel - Abu Dhabi
Posted by Michael Skorulski (Cigel, Slovakia) on 12 January 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.
The Emirates Palace Hotel is one of the very few 7-star hotels in the world. The whole interior is covered with enough 22-carat gold leaf to cover a football field. At a construction cost of $3-billion, it is the most expensive hotel ever built. The cheapest room costs $600 a night. A suite goes for nearly $3,000. It's awe-inspiring just to wander through the place to see what unlimited oil funds can buy.
Wee Kiat from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Wow. Yup, oil is a very precious commodity nowadays..
12 Jan 2008 6:34am
@Wee Kiat: You're so right. Wee. And the producers just keep getting richer. Many thanks.
Jeff from United States
Beautiful colors and a crisp image to show them off. Well done.
12 Jan 2008 7:52am
@Jeff: Many thanks, Jeff.
Vida from Tehran, Iran
You know, how I like your commentary that you attached to images!
12 Jan 2008 8:05am
@Vida: That's a nice thing to say. Many thanks.
@Zsolt: Thanks very much, Zsolt.
@rem_la: Merci, Rem_la.
GJC from Kyoto, Japan
You've posted over the last three days a fascinating range of very different images showing a breadth of skill. This is quite amazing and I was interested to read your commentary. Any more from the hotel for us?
12 Jan 2008 9:11am
@GJC: How kind, GJC. Yes, there will be at least one more image coming up. Many thanks.
@Inés: Thank you. Yes, it is a palace. We get some idea of the style the rulers of the country live in.
@Witchpanther: Thanks, Witchpanther.
Ina from Krugersdorp, South Africa
Great capture and good information. Thanks for sharing it with us! It is absolutely amazing.
12 Jan 2008 10:00am
@Ina: Thanks so much, Ina.
@Brites: Many thanks for your remark, Brites.
theys roland from Charleroi-loverval, Belgium
very nice composition ! belle idée .
12 Jan 2008 11:16am
@theys roland: Thanks so much, Theys.
Ondro from Brezno, Slovakia
well the photo is great :) I like your "traveller's hints" :)
12 Jan 2008 11:41am
@Ondro: Glad you enjoyed the hints. Many thanks, Ondro.
@badala: I appreciate your comment, Badala. Thank you.
Pedro from Santander, Spain
A good lighting on this, Michael, golden and blue colors appears so natural
12 Jan 2008 11:46am
@Pedro: Thanks for the observation, Pedro.
Bob Israel from Brookfield, WI, United States
Beautiful architecture and capture. Imagine this with an ultrawide angle! Beautiful image Michael.
12 Jan 2008 1:08pm
@Bob Israel: The ultrawide angle sounds a great idea. Thanks, Bob.
Dean Francis from Midwest, United States
Michael - great shot of opulance to the extreme. Imagine what your investment portfolio would look like now if you had only taken that paint scraper (modified for gold scraping) along with you. - Dean
12 Jan 2008 1:14pm
@Dean Francis: You're right. That accounts for the rather large number of people carrying paint scrapers and large satchels, I noticed. Thanks, Dean.
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
Colours, tones and texture is surreal, wow...good one!
ps I know what you mean about comments and how some excellent photographers barely get a few...To be known though you have to visit and just as nice respond to those who leave comments; having said that I recognize that some people simply have no time, and I respect that. Anyway, all this to say, Yoo HOO you rock lol
12 Jan 2008 1:18pm
@Lorraine: So true. Wonderful comment, Lorraine. Many thanks. Have a great one.
Aayawa from Edinburgh, United Kingdom
It's like looking into a tunnel. Excellent picture.
So much gold leaf. Must be the only place int he world the cleaners are told to rub less hard :)
$600 per night. Not the most expensive I've come across but I must not tell the other half or she'll want me to pay for a week's stay.
12 Jan 2008 1:43pm
@Aayawa: Thanks so much. I'm sure you're right about the gold leaf. Actually for what you get the price is quite reasonable. If you go to the mid-day buffet in their Le Vendome restaurant, two can eat for about $130. A fantastic experience and again reasonable for food and service of that class.
@Steven: Many thanks, Steven, for the generous comment.
DaveB from Exeter, United Kingdom
Feel like I'm spending money just looking at the shot! Lovely picture Michael
12 Jan 2008 2:44pm
@DaveB: Yes, it does have that open-wallet look. Many thanks.
Jen from Alpharetta, United States
Excellent perspective and composition...the details are amazing
12 Jan 2008 2:54pm
@Jen: Thanks, Jen, for your nice comment.
tyan from Singapore, Singapore
wow,600 US?Euro? Thats a lot of money..and i have heard of people pasting gold leaf on buddha statues in Thailand and Myanmar for good karma,but i have not heard of hotel interiors covered with gold leaf.I think i will suffer from insomnia sleeping in a 7-star hotel,haha.Its amazing what rich people can think of doing with their money while i pay through my nose paying for petrol.LOL
you know how long it took for me to scroll down here to write a comment,so i'll have to write a longer one to make it worthwhile.Thank you for visiting my blog though my pictures are not fantastic,i feel honoured to have you return comments here as well.:)
12 Jan 2008 3:38pm
@tyan: Many thanks, Tyan. You're absolutely right. We all pay through the nose for petrol. And I guess it will get more expensive as the oil runs out. Your pictures are wonderful. Michael
Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan
I've recently seen a whole album on Abu Dhabi and this hotel most specially! What can I say? I better NOT say! But.....your shot is beautifully taken, from a daring angle and the result is amazingly clear! All that gold!!!!!!!
Gabriela
12 Jan 2008 3:49pm
@Japanalia: Thanks for your kind comment, Gabriela. I found the hotel beautiful and the statistics about it interesting. But, like you, I'm really not terribly impressed by gold, unless it's the spiritual kind. Michael
Amr Tahtawi from Cairo, Egypt
Astonishing shot my talented friend, really impressive how you captured the grand feeling of the ceiling,
[ The cheapest room costs $600 ] its very inviting loooool, maybe 1 day i'll have the money to be there.
jja why not...Keep it up , Creativity.
12 Jan 2008 4:06pm
@Amr Tahtawi: Your comment is kind. Many thanks, Amr. Many one day I'll be able to afford half a room there.
@Teresa Durães: Thanks, Teresa. It really is an interesting place.
Earnest from Oklahoma, United States
Thanks for the look inside. Very impressive...
12 Jan 2008 6:40pm
@Earnest: Many thanks, Earnest.
Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada
Looks a lot better than my ceiling. Cool shot.
12 Jan 2008 7:26pm
@Michael Rawluk: Thanks, Michael.
Wolfgang Prigge from Canada
This is an awe inspiring ceiling, and you did a great job with it. I found the hotel ceilings in Tunisia also much more elaborate than what we see on this side of the big pond. If you care to have a look, I have two examples here and here
12 Jan 2008 7:48pm
@Wolfgang Prigge: Thanks, Wolfgang. Yes the Arab world has a tradition of elaborate craftsmanship. I suppose also the cost of labor is more affordable than in the west so the work is more widespread. I see what you mean about the ceilings in Tunisia, very ornate. I'm really fond of Islamic art in general.
@Paulski: I appreciate your comment, Paulski. Many thanks.
standley from brou-sur-chantereine, France
Superb composition. The lighting and the colour tones are exquisite
12 Jan 2008 10:00pm
@standley: Very kind comment. Thank you, Standley.
Ras from Plano, United States
I felt as though I was in heaven for a bit with all that gold leaf. Good work. now I have to come back to earth.
13 Jan 2008 12:32am
@Ras: Great comment, Ras. Thank you.
Nicole from Atlanta, United States
Great shot, shows outstanding detail. Puts those hotels in Vegas to shame! :)
13 Jan 2008 4:16am
@Nicole: Many thanks for your comment, Nicole.
Laurent from Lyon, France
very nice ceiling shot. Yhanks to you I understand why the oil price is so high!!!
13 Jan 2008 11:14am
@Laurent: Many thanks, Laurent. Yes, every time they make a ceiling like this, the price shoots up.
@Jasp: Great comment. Many thanks, Jasp.
Sandrine from Cincinnati, United States
I didn't even know they had 7 star hotels! Awesome shot!
13 Jan 2008 10:15pm
@Sandrine: There are only a few. Dubai has one, so does Milan. And I hear even Pakistan may have one. Many thanks for your comment, Sandrine.
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
This is about as close to such a hotel as I will ever get. Thanks for letting us in on it. So rich!
14 Jan 2008 2:35am
@Viewfinder: Thanks for the humorous comment, VF.
Anita from West Nottingham, United States
Very nice photo of this ceiling! What opulence!
14 Jan 2008 8:22pm
@Anita: Yes, completely extravagant. Many thanks, Anita.
Illuci from Hurdegaryp, Netherlands
Looks impressive! A colleague of mine had to sell his house because it became too expensive. He said: what the heck, it's only a heap of stones with a golden roof. (By the golden roof he meant the monthly mortgage payings). Couldn't the money be better spent to aid to poor countries, I think sometimes when I see or hear about these extravagancies. But, again, it is beautiful!
14 Jan 2008 8:40pm
@Illuci: You're absolutely right. The money could be better spent to help those in need. Hard to appreciate beauty with an empty stomach.
