The World’s New Tallest Hotel Includes a Gold Lattice Spire
Other than its vast oil reserves (and likely due to it), Dubai’s main claim to fame is its preponderance of mile-high architecture. So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that it’s now home to the world’s two tallest hotels, after the opening of one stole the record from the other. Upon its grand opening several days ago, the Gevora Hotel was officially decreed as the world’s tallest hotel by Guinness World Records. Rising some 1,169 feet above the Persian Gulf in the heart of Dubai’s financial district, the Al Attar Group–developed structure eclipsed the previous record holder, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai towers, located a few miles up Sheikh Zayed Road, by a paltry five feet. Consisting of an Art Deco interior wrapped inside gold-tinted glass, the hotel has 528 rooms across 75 stories.
There’s more to Gevora than just its sheer height, however. It also boasts the highest rooftop swimming pool in the world, stealing the title from Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. The hotel has four health clubs and a 71st-floor observation deck, which provides views of the Burj Khalifa (as well as other high-profile structures in Dubai).
And while one would think that staying at a hotel topped by a gold lattice spire would break the bank, accommodations are relatively affordable. According to Inverse, rooms start for as little as $163 a night. Of course, the catch is that the Gevora has no alcohol license, choosing not to apply for a permit in order to comply with some of Dubai’s strict drinking laws.
To hear general manager Jairaj Gorsia explain it, that’s something the Gevora Hotel hopes to play to its advantage. “Our guests are looking for a good bed, a good cup of coffee, and convenience,” he told The National. “The feeling of being at home when the person is actually away from home is what we are trying to deliver.” By that token, you can almost think of the Gevora as a bed and breakfast—that just so happens to have an elevator that can get you from the ground floor to the 75th story in 38 seconds. Be sure to leave your acrophobia at home when traveling to this new hotel.
