VISIT BURJ AL ARAB: 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

 I have been living in Dubai for 3 years and how many times did I drive by the Burj Al Arab?? How many times did I look at it, admire it and talk about it??? But I never got the opportunity to see what it was like inside. My grand-ma came to visit me and it was a great occasion to finally visit the World's most sumptuous hotel in the world. So here are the little things you need to know if you are planning to visit the fabulous hotel.

1. WHAT IS A 7 STARS HOTEL ?
Probably all of you wonder what is a seven stars hotel. I did. It seems unreal. What are actually the criterias to be a seven stars?
The BAA is now one the main symbols of Dubai . It is said to be the 'Only Seven Stars hotel' in the world but apparently the hotel never called it a 'Seven Stars' but a British journalist did in an article a few years ago.
The true certified 'seven stars' is in Milan, Town House Galleria. On my Wish List too :)
I watched a great documentary on BAA and I think it deserves to be called a seven-stars as it is so unique, designed into the sail of a ship, it was built on an artificial island 200 m offshore, it is the world's third tallest hotel, 210 m high and it is unbelievable the challenges they had to face to make it resistant to water, earthquake and strong winds. It also offers dual-level suites, exquisite gold-leaf interiors, a helipad and butlers allocated for each floor. Not quite like every 5 stars hotel!
2. HOW TO VISIT BAA ?
To be able to visit the BAA, you need to stay there (one night is probably equivalent to my monthly rent) or book in one of the restaurants of the hotel.
Click HERE to see the list of the BAA restaurants.

The Afternoon and evening drinks are quite popular and probably the most affordable options:

TOP FLOOR - SKY VIEW BAR 27th FLOOR
Sky tea :at 13:00 or 16:00 . 7 courses & a glass of champagne . 620AED/pers.
Evening Drinks & canapes:at 19:00 350AED/pers

BOTTOM FLOOR- SAHN EDDAR
Ultimatum Afternoon Tea from 13:00 to 18:00 560AED/pers with champagne
500AED/per pers with unlimited non-alcoholic drinks

High tea from 19:00 to 20:00 400AED/pers

Click HERE to see more details and book one of those.

3. WHAT TO BOOK?
I booked the evening drinks at the SKY VIEW BAR. I absolutely loved it, it was a unique experience from the moment we came out the taxi, to the lobby, to the fountains passing the aquarium, inside the lift and finally arriving at the Sky Bar and the Bar in itself.
If you go to BAA, I would recommend to book the Afternoon Tea or Evening Drinks on the TOP FLOOR at the Skyview Bar! Don't miss the view! It was just astonishing to see all the lights at Night.
However I would still love to experience it during the day.
The restaurant Al Mahara next to the Aquarium looks amazing too, another unique experience I would like to try.
4. WHEN TO GO?
If I had to book it again, I would book a table at the Sky View Bar during the day to enjoy a clear view, the beach, the sea, Jumeira and the skyline of Downtown.
5. COME EARLY
It is a first come first seated (best seated) basis and NOT ALL TABLES HAVE NICE VIEWS so come early. We arrived around 7:30 pm instead of 7:00 pm so we didn't get a table with a view but they managed to move us to a good table so we could enjoy the stunning view while eating our yummy dessert!

6. WHAT WILL YOU GET FOR 350AED/PERS?
We had two glasses of wine each, by the way I loved the red wine from Chile made exclusively for BAA. We ordered an Arabic Mezze and shared a dessert. It was like a small diner (enough for us, probably not enough for men). We didn't quite spend the total amount of 700 AED for two and they even gave us the money back!

7. ASK FOR SCOTT
​As I went with my grand-ma who does not speak English, it was great to have Scott, a fluent French speaker from Congo. The service was impeccable and all the staff was friendly.

8. TIRAMISU IS AMAZING
If you don't know what to get for dessert, Get the tiramisu, it was delicious.
9. IS IT WORTH IT?
​ABSOLUTELY!
Some would say BAA is too "Bling Bling" or "Kitch", Over the top, Not a real 7 stars hotel, but I can assure you, you will be amazed by the whole experience.
10. WILL I GO AGAIN?
YES! They sent me a satisfaction survey just after our visit. Someone actually replied immediately saying they were really sorry about the table location which means they really care about what they have to offer and aim at improving the experience for their clients.
​Definitely a MUST DO in Dubai!