Defining luxury is hard enough, but when it comes to choosing the best of the best luxury hotels, the criteria aren’t what you’d expect. Baroque Travel takes a look at the hotel that has just won this accolade
So, which hotel in the world has been voted the most luxurious for 2016? And what makes it so special? According to Anton Perold, MD of the World Luxury Hotel Awards, one doesn’t define luxury by the amount of gold leaf in the décor, or the fancy amenities that are likely to impress a guest, such as a personalized private jet, 24-hour butler or a gourmet chef on duty if you get hungry at 3am. Instead, when deciding what is the most luxurious hotel in the world, they looked at superlative service, a team of staff that works together to ensure that every one of their guests’ wishes are granted. It’s as simple as that.
The focus for the World Luxury Hotel Awards takes a different focus every year, in keeping with trends. And, the World Luxury Hotel Awards, which has decided the best of the best for the past decade, chose uniqueness, elegance and style as well as superlative service for this year’s award. And the winner is… the magnificent, extravagant Armani Hotel Dubai.
This isn’t a new hotel. It’s been open since 2010, pampering guests with its inimitable sense of charm and style. The hotel boasts 10 floors – the first eight floors and levels 38 and 39 of the 163-floor Burj Khalifa. It offers 160 guest rooms and suites, all decorated by fashion designer Giorgio Armani. In fact, this was the first of two hotels under the Armani label – the other one is in Milan.
The Dubai establishment set the standard for Armani Hotel Milan, offering all the signature Armani details such as stone floors, zebrawood panels and bespoke furniture. The result is a tasteful mix of simplicity and elegance. But it’s not only the interior of the hotel that makes it so very special. It also boasts an idyllic location. Located at the famous Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower on earth, in downtown Dubai, it is the ideal base from which to explore the city’s best shops, sights and restaurants. And let’s not forget the breathtaking views.
Of course, Armani Hotel Dubai has everything a pampered guest would expect of such a luxurious hotel. There are stunning restaurants, a deluxe spa and a sense of Armani chic wherever you look. But what made The World Travel Awards choose this hotel as the winner for 2016 is its warm, hospitable Italian style of service.
Let’s give you an example. On arrival at this plush establishment, every guest is assigned his or her own personal Lifestyle Manager, whose task it is to manage every single aspect of their stay, from babysitting services, to restaurant bookings, and anything else they may desire. It’s that personal touch, that home-from-home feel while still offering a superlative offering that is what makes Armani Hotel Dubai a winner.
There’s no pomp and splendor involved in this personalized service offering; it’s completely understated, genuine and relaxed. Something that is not easy to achieve, but that the hotel and its staff has managed to do with aplomb.
And, as it does every year, the World Luxury Hotel Awards not only pinpoints the current trends, but also offers an idea of what everybody else should be aspiring to in the hospitality industry.