My night in the billion dollar hotel: From revolving beds to chauffeur-driven Rolls Royces at my beck and call, is Dubai's seven-star Burj Al Arab all it's cracked up to be?
The striking hotel, showing the helipad, and Al Muntaha restaurant at the top,
with the narrow driveway leading to the illuminated lobby at the bottom
Gold plated iPads in every room, a revolving bed in the Royal Suite and 17 types of pillow that can be selected from a menu, there is nothing modest about the 7-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.
Shaped like a sail to represent Dubai’s nautical heritage, the hotel's distinctive silhouette has become a symbol for the nation and an Instagram favourite for the tens of thousands of tourists who flock there.
MailOnline Travel was invited inside the luxurious hotel to see whether the hotel was blissfully refined or ridiculously brash. Below is how a guest shared his experience in pictures;
Seven-star luxury: For the ultimate experience, chaueffeur-driven Rolls Royce's can take you from the airport to the hotel
The palatial 8,395 square foot Royal Suite is fit for a maharaja, with an exquisite majlis style lounge, library and cinema room, along with two master bathrooms, each with full-size jacuzzis and separate five-head rain showers.
A bright welcome: There are 202 suites in the hotel, each spanning two floors and filled with plush carpets and pristine furniture
A lavish surprise: Every time a guest stepped back into the room, there was a fresh supply of edible goodies (most adorned with gold leaf), and a handwritten note
The Royal Suite: What room would be complete without a rotating bed? This lavish suite comes with 'his and her' rooms, this one being the male side
Each room even comes with a computer (mine was an Apple Mac) - but gold iPads are available for the duration of your stay, too
Knights of the round table: A spectacular meeting room in the Royal Suite with a sky decor above the table
All that glitters: The lavish staircase that connects the duplex Royal Suite was covered in a leopard print design
Under the sea: Lunch at the Al Mahara was a magical affair, with tiny tables placed surrounding a gigantic aquarium
The exciting Al Maharba is centred round a mesmerising aquarium filled with colourful fish and plants, mirroring the Arabian Gulf theme of the Burj Al Arab
The colourful Sky View bar in the Al Muntaha boasted incredible views over the Dubai skyline, particularly impressive at night