ACCOMMODATION

The Armani Hotel Dubai has been delayed yet again until April 27 and this time, there is a more credible delay factor--the volcanic ash spewing out of Iceland which has shut down much of the European airspace.

“My ambition for Armani Hotel Dubai — the first of a collection of Armani hotels, resorts and residences that will soon circle the world — is to celebrate comfort and style by providing the highest standards of design, hospitality and service,” he had said in anticipation of his arrival.

Armani will also be the first new hotel in the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, which has established itself as a place for celebrity-studded functions and guests. The Armani fashion designer hotel, a relatively new branding exercise, will see Armani launching into the hospitality industry on the success of clothes retailing.

The Armani Hotel Dubai in the Burj Khalifa will occupy the levels between the concourse and the eighth floor and levels 38 and 39 of the tower. Its opening was delayed because the Burj Khalifa’s opening was pushed back and more recently as the property received the finishing touches.

In the same interview, Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman of Emaar Properties, was also quoted as saying: "We are very bullish on the India market for our hospitality business and together with our partner, are in the process of identifying a viable site to launch Armani hotels."

The industry is waiting in eager anticipation for the opening of The Armani Hotel at Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Set to officially launch on April 21, it will welcome its first guests two days later.

Coming on the back of a host of 'designer hotel' openings around the world, including the Armani Hotel in the United Arab Emirates, it has now been revealed that the parent company of Louis Vuitton is set to venture into the hospitality sector.

Hukama at The Address Downtown Dubai won 'Best New Chinese Restaurant' and Amatista at The Address Dubai Mall won 'Best New Lounge' at the Time Out Restaurant's and Nightlife Awards 2010 respectively. Both venues offer a lively ambience, superior service and delectable cuisine.

"Sexy sophistication, daring interiors and mood-evoking colors" are set to define the new hotels we stay in over the next decade, according to a leading industry designer."The Hotel Khalifa in Doha (to-be opened this year), the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Hotel Missoni in Kuwait as winners in the fashion-driven hotel world of the 20-10 decade," continued Ornstein.

On March 18, the world's first Armani Hotel in Dubai's Burj Khalifa tower did not open as planned. Instead, like with every ambitious hotel and construction project that suffers from its own hype, it was delayed for a later spring opening. And now we finally have a date...we hope.