Watch: A Look Inside One of the Most Extravagant Hotels in the World

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When it comes to extravagant hotels, there’s luxury, and then there’s the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental. Case in point: walls embedded with gold and silver for a distinct shine, an indoor ballroom lined with palm trees, and a private beach with pristine white sand imported from Algeria.

And then there’s the rooms.

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I recently had a chance to explore the grounds and rooms that make Emirates Palace such a draw. I make a living putting words together, but it was hard to know what to say other than repeating my questions to make sure that my notes were right. (Yes, there really is 24-karat gold leaf stretching across more than a million square meters, and Emirates Palace is the only hotel with an in-house gold leaf specialist on staff).

Emirates Palace is owned by the government of Abu Dhabi, and world leaders stay here during official state receptions. There are 394 rooms and suites, and the video above is from when I took a look inside one of the most extravagant suites: the 7,320-square-foot, three bedroom palace suite. All this luxury comes with an eye-catching price tag: 43,500 durham, which is about $11,800.

Photo: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

After the tour of the room, I stopped by Le Café for the Palace Cappuccino (70 AED, or about $20), which, naturally, comes topped with 23-karat gold. And while that was the only precious metals I consumed, there’s the option for a gold-flaked camel burger (about $36) or gold-flaked salmon (about $33). It’s a popular stop — Le Café suggests reserving a table 24 hours in advance whether you’re stopping by for afternoon tea service or a quick camel milk ice cream.

Le Café is one of 13 places to dine at Emirates Palace. The much heralded Hakkasan is included on that list too, as well as restaurants that focus on Emirati cuisine like Mezlai.

A short list of some of the other jaw-dropping amenities:

Photo: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

For staying active during your stayTwo 24-hour fitness centersFitness instructorsTennis and padel courtsMore than 6 kilometers of jogging paths in Emirates PalaceComplimentary bicyclesFootball fields

Photo: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

For business travelers7,000 square meters of conference spaceThe largest hotel auditorium in the world with space for 1,100 guestsBallroom with space for 2,400 guestsMore than 40 meeting rooms

Photo: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

For relaxationA 1.3 kilometer private beach with Algerian white sandTwo resort poolsA 1,500-square-meter spa with private treatment roomsA traditional Moroccan hammamTwo spa jacuzzisTwo spa steam roomsAn ice cave in the spa

The hotel opened in 2005, and was the most expensive hotel to build when it opened in 2005.

You don’t have to be a millionaire to see the Emirates Palace for yourself. The restaurants are open to the public. To get the full once-in-a-lifetime experience with a booked room, however, you’ll have to dip pretty deep into your savings.

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