The most expensive hotel ever built?

I RECENTLY got a tip-off about a new hotel opening at the end of this year. "It is the most expensive hotel ever constructed," said my man. It is always important never to believe such tips.

But then the tipster said it was being built in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and the wealthiest of the five emirates that include Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Dubai.

Having followed the phenomenal development of Dubai closely and been gobsmacked at the marble used and gold leaf splattered, any new hotel projects in the region are worth noting.

Dubai is one of the biggest tourism stories of the past few years, with six million visitors expected in 2005. It is now taking a chunk of business from destinations such as Spain. Everyone knows about "that hotel shaped like a yacht sail with the helicopter pad on top" not to mention the jaw-dropping manmade island resorts such as The Palm and The World. The latter will have island resorts built in the shape of continents. It will cost billions.

If Dubai can do that then, what can Abu Dhabi do? His Excellency Sheikh Zayed, the popular and conservative head of the emirate now in his nineties, has far more in his coffers than Dubai. Estimates put the country's wealth at some Pounds 100 billion thanks to oil, although no one really knows. And, unlike Conrad Black, it's his to spend.

The result of the spree is The Emirates Palace and the scale - whether you deem it vulgar or delicious - is extraordinary. It is set on a 100-hectare plot and has an Arc de Triomphe-style entrance bigger than the one in Paris.

There's an amphitheatre and central dome coated - like much of the place - in gold leaf. The dome is the largest in the world and is one of 114.

Inside, the style is that of Old Arabia with spiral staircases, pillars and mosaics. The bedrooms have handcarved wooden bed-heads, marble bathrooms with Prada bath products and the gardens are said to rival those of the world's greatest palaces.

There are 16 restaurants covering every taste from Japan to Cuba and Indian to French, as well as two spas.

The property has used 35,000 square metres of marble and there are 320 rooms, six royal suites and 48 slightly less royal ones. Oh, and a marina and a mile-long sandy beach. Kempinski will manage the hotel and the 7,000 square metre conference space will host the GCC conference next year.

The palace is perhaps the crowning achievement of Sheikh Zayed, a former fisherman, who has helmed the transformation of Abu Dhabi from a sparse, sandy outpost into a lush city of parks and boulevards. More than 120 million trees have been planted over the years. Beyond the hotel, Abu Dhabi is keenly promoting its three championship golf courses, gold market, camel-racing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, sand-skiing, horseracing and desert safaris.

It has also launched a national airline called Etihad Airways, offering daily flights from Heathrow and Gatwick.

"Most people have never thought of us as a tourism destination," says David Benning, the palace's director of business development. "We are not in competition with Dubai and what's good for Dubai might not be good for us."

Some believe Dubai has expanded too rapidly and is becoming tacky. We will have to wait and see what happens in Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, I ask Mr Benning, is this the most expensive hotel ever? "It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that it's the most ambitious financial investment ever made in the hospitality industry."

So that's a yes, then. I look forward to seeing it.

Feel the force at the Jedi academy

THERE was a time when holiday courses were limited to painting watercolours in Cyprus or learning to cook paella. But no longer.

There are now courses for any number of activities from standup comedy in Corfu to life management skills in France.

There is even a company that specialises in holidays for fledgling swingers.

Now, a Star Wars Academy has opened in Romania aimed at teaching guests about the religion of the Jedi, the use of light sabres and speaking Wookie.

"The academy is open to everybody," says Adrian Pavel who founded Romania's Star Wars Club and has opened the academy. (There are 1,000 members of the club in Romania including professors, politicians, academics and doctors.) It is hoped that the club will help encourage tourists to Romania but only if they can show their commitment to the Star Wars cult. "There is a quiz with 100 questions that will cover even the darkest aspects of Star Wars," says Mr Pavel. "Anyone who passes the quiz will have a place at the Jedi Academy."

However, purists who feel that holiday courses should be about cooking will not be disappointed. The academy is also offering cooking courses to learn some of the dishes seen in the Star Wars films such as Wookie Cookies, Princess Leia Danish doughnuts, Sand Trooper sandwiches and Twin Sun toasts.

PSSST!

Access all areas ON Sunday 19 September the public will be granted access to large swathes of the United Kingdom that had previously been closed off. The areas opened up have been defined by the Countryside Agency after a long period of consultation with landowners and those who use the countryside for recreation.

Of course, one of the chief problems will be navigating the new areas.

Happily, the Ordnance Survey is frantically drawing up a range of maps. In the south of England these cover Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex and nine London boroughs. The maps should also be ready by the 19th. They will cost Pounds 6.99, and will be available from all good bookshops.

Following the sun

IT must be tough for the folk who design swanky hotels. No sooner do they conjure up some new luxurious gizmo or service than it gets copied and becomes commonplace. In recent years hoteliers have tried all sorts of "unique" services for their guests on the beach.

Beach butlers became a big thing, ferrying ones drinks, polishing ones sunglasses and keeping a ready supply of "cooled" towels on standby. But they are now pretty standard.

So what's next? The Palms, a preposterously luxurious hotel in Turks and Caicos, opening this winter, is pioneering a high-tech sun- lounger. It sits on electric pods that rotate automatically via remote control to follow the sun. I ask you.

www.thepalms.co.tc

(c)2004. Associated Newspapers Ltd.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.