emirates

Autumn Culinary Retreat Package at Australia's Luxe Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, an Emirates property and Australia's first luxury conservation-based resort, is celebrating autumn in Australia with the "Autumn Retreat" package for gourmet aficionados.

A member of The Leading Small Hotels of the World, the luxe resort is located within its own 4,000 acre conservation reserve nestled between two national parks. This secluded refuge features 40 individual suites surrounded by private decks, each with its own indoor/outdoor swimming pool. The resort's architecture is designed to be reminiscent of traditional rural Australian homesteads.

The Autumn Retreat package includes an on-site cooking demonstration by a Wolgan Valley chef featuring fresh autumnal produce from the resort's kitchen garden and local suppliers, showcasing uniquely Australian cuisine enhanced by a seasonal, regional and organic food philosophy.

Tags: Australia, cooking, Emirates, food, luxury resorts, suites, Wolgan Valley Resort Spa

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Rolls-Royce Flagship Showroom Debuts in Abu Dhabi

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Rolls-Royce has 82 dealerships around the world. But the largest of them isn't at its factory in Goodwood. It's not in London, either, nor is it in Manhattan or Beverly Hills. It's in Abu Dhabi.

The latest of eight dealerships in the Middle East, the new Abu Dhabi showroom encompasses some 10,000 square feet of floorspace, including uncluttered display for five cars (Rolls currently only makes four model variants) plus a coffee bar, customer configuration lounge and adjacent service center.

Tags: abu dhabi, emirates, luxury car, rolls-royce, uae, united arab emirates

James Bond's New Bentley

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Books

It may be a while before everyone's favorite spy is back on the silver screen, but fortunately for Bond fans, there's a new series of books to keep our interests piqued. But while 007 drives an Aston Martin in the latest movies, in the books (old and new) Bentley is his ride of choice.

The latest book Carte Blanche is set to launch in the UK on May 26, but its author Jeffery Deaver recently stopped by its setting in Dubai to check out the new Bentley Continental GT in white over red which Bond drives in the book. Not a subtle choice, to be sure, but neither is Dubai. See for yourself in the image gallery below.

Gallery: Jeffrery Deaver & the Bentley Continental GT

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Tags: 007, bentley, bentley continental gt, bond, carte blanche, dubai, emirates, james bond, jeffery deaver, uae

Emirates Hotel has Second Thoughts on $11 Million Christmas Tree

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

In keeping with the holiday spirit or making a mockery of it? Those are the questions being asked by observers of the $11 million Christmas Tree at the Emirates Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

As you may recall, the 42-foot tall artificial tree – worth about ten grand on its own – was decorated with all manner of gold, silver and precious jewels (some 180 pieces of jewelry in all) to bring its value up to $11 million, making it the most lavishly adorned tree on record. But with many people asking if the Emirates didn't go overboard this time, the hotel is reportedly distancing itself from the display. Which is pretty hard to do considering it's sitting inescapably in the hotel's main lobby.

Is this an early sign that the Gulf Emirates are beginning to tone down their famous opulence? Possibly, but in a hotel that features a gold bar vending machine and a million-dollar vacation package, we wouldn't take too much stock in the reports just yet.

[Source: The Huffington Post]

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Tags: abu dhabi, christmas three, emirates, emirates hotel, tree, uae, united arab emirates

Dubai Could Scale Back Plane Orders

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Dubai-based Emirates Airlines may be buying jets like crazy but the state-controlled Dubai Aerospace Enterprise's (DAE) order for 200 aircraft may be at risk. The Wall Street Journal reports that the $29 billion order, split evenly between Airbus and Boeing could become a casualty of Dubai's struggle to contain its massive debt. The orders could end up going to Emirates Airlines or flyDubai although the WSJ quotes a flyDubai spokeswoman for flyDubai as saying that the airline has no plans to increase its order.

In 2007 before the global recession began, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise's leasing division, DAE Capital ordered the 200 planes planning to rent them out to airlines. So far 10 of the planes have been delivered. But Dubai's picture has changed dramatically in the last few years due to the economy and the change in Dubai's real estate wealth and now DAE is having trouble making the installment payments. These payments can total tens of millions of dollars per plane, and neither Airbus nor Boeing will start assembling an ordered plane if a customer is unable to pay. Shown at right are Airbus Chief Operating Officer John Leahy, Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Capital CEO Bob Genise and DAE acting CEO George Mushahwar posing with an Airbus model plane at Farnborough Airshow in 2008 after DAE Capital signed an order for 100 Airbus aircraft.

Earlier this year Emirates Airlines announced that it has ordered 32 A380s from Airbus for $11.5 billion in addition to the previously ordered 58 A380s creating the world's largest fleet of the doubledecker aircraft. In the past two years Emirates has put 10 A380s into operation to serve eight destinations.The company had a record profit increase of 248 percent in the last fiscal year and has said it could hit $1 billion in profits this year.

Tags: dubai, emirates, Emirates Airlines

Emirates Orders 32 More Airbus A380s

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Airlines in the U.S. seem to having their troubles but Emirates, the largest Arab carrier, is growing at an astounding rate. At the Berlin Air Show the company announced that it has ordered 32 A380s from Airbus for $11.5 billion. That's in addition to the previously ordered 58 A380s to make a massive fleet of the doubledecker aircraft. In the past two years Emirates has put 10 A380s into operation to serve eight destinations.The company had a record profit increase of 248 percent in the last fiscal year and has said it could hit $1 billion in profits this year.

Tags: a380, A380 superjumbo, Airbus, AirbusA380, emirates

Ferrari World Prepares for Grand Opening in Abu Dhabi Next Year

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Real Estate Developments

If you had the occasion to watch the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which capped the end of the 2009 Formula One World Championship this past weekend, you may have gotten a glimpse of a giant red structure with a huge Ferrari emblem on the roof. What you're looking at is Ferrari World, the first Ferrari theme park, being built on the man-made Yas Island resort in Abu Dhabi.

The complex stands as the largest indoor park in the world, encompassing some 2 million square feet under a giant 150-foot-high red steel roof sporting the largest Ferrari logo in the world. Out of the top protrudes a 200-foot g-force drop tower, accompanying the world's fastest roller coaster, a flume ride simulating a Ferrari engine and kart tracks among its 20+ attractions. Of course there'll be plenty of restaurants and shopping opportunities that go along with any theme park as well. This one is set to open its doors some time next year as part of an ongoing initiative to turn the United Arab Emirates into a leading tourist destination.

Gallery: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

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Tags: abu dhabi, AbuDhabi, emirates, ferrari, ferrari world, FerrariWorld, theme park, ThemePark, uae, united arab emirates, UnitedArabEmirates, yas, yas island, YasIsland

Emirates Plans Cross-Polar Green Flight

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Green

Luxury airline, Emirates may be slow to jump on the green bandwagon but now the airline is trying to do eco-friendly in a rather dramatic way. On December 15 Emirates Airline will undertake what they call the Environment flight, which they are saying is the world's first cross-polar green flight heading from Dubai to San Francisco. Emirates is working with government agencies in Dubai, Russia, Canada and the United States to plot the most environmentally-sophisticated trip possible to save fuel and carbon emissions on the 16-hour non-stop service.

The airline will fly the Boeing 777-200LR to service the San Francisco-Dubai route. To ensure a more fuel-efficient route, the flight will utilize new corridors of Russian airspace. The EK225 Emvironment flight will depart Dubai at 8:55 a.m.on 15th December and land in San Francisco at 1 p.m. local time the same day. The fuel and emissions savings features including washing the plane before the flight to minimize drag, using electrical power on the ground in Dubai rather than running its auxiliary power unit, getting priority clearance from Dubai Air Traffic control and real time updates of current weather and wind conditions to allow the flight crew to modify their flight path on route. The flight will track close to the North Pole and flexible routings will be pursued over Canadian airspace. Sounds more like clever than green to me but it sounds like those passengers are going to great some great views of the icy north.

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Tags: airlines, emirates

England's Prime Minister Enjoys Pricey Suite

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Celebrity Shopping

Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown is having a grand tour of the Middle East. The Telegraph reports that the Prime Minister stayed at the lavish seven-star Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi on the third night of his tour of the Gulf. The hotel, which offers a $1 million vacation package, is one of the world's most lavish hotels. Luckily Brown didn't have to pay, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown prince of Abu Dhabi footed the bill. Brown's suite included three bedrooms and a domed living room. Brown wrapped up his tour Tuesday in Dubai.

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Tags: abu dhabi, AbuDhabi, emirates, gordon brown, GordonBrown

The Peony, A Rolls With Its Own Scent

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Not many cars come with their own fragrance. The Peony is a bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantom designed for United Arab Emirates customers. It has a two-tone exterior of Pearl Blue with a contrasting Moonstone Pearl Blue and Seashell interior. The Peony is named after the peony flower and the peony leaf motif, in Oriental blue and yellow, is used throughout the car and used as an exterior logo and on the interior wood trim inlay and door capping. The tread plates use the logo and the words "Peony motif, exclusive Bespoke Phantom". The Peony fragrance has been created to match the car by Emirati perfumery HIND's Mohamed Hilal. A silver bottle comes with the car. Autoblog has shot of the peony motif interior.

The $400,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom is a big hit in the Gulf. Arabian Business reports that demand is so high that Rolls-Royce is already booked into next year and the cars haven't even officially arrived their yet.

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Tags: emirates, phantom, rolls, rolls-royce

First Emirates A380 Lands In Dubai

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Of the various things that the first of Emirates' 58 Airbus A380s might be known for, the shower is perhaps the most dramatic. The doubledecker jet landed at Dubai international airport this week in grand style. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, was on board with a delegation of senior Emirates executives that flew in from Hamburg on the aircraft. Gulf News has a first hand account from a journalist on board.

Emirates' first A380 has 489 seats: 14 in first class suites, 76 in business and 399 in economy. The first class passengers on Emirates A380 will be the only ones with access to the shower. Emirates' first A380 commercial service is scheduled for 1 August and will operate between Dubai and New York.

[Thanks, Ben]

Gallery: Emirates A380

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Tags: a380, dubai, emirates

Emirates Airlines Stocks Up On Planes

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

I've often written about the luxurious Emirates Airlines which operates out of Dubai, now they are expanding at a rapid rate with the announcement of the largest aircraft commitment made by any airline at one time. Fueled by high oil prices and a rapidly booming tourism industries, Emirates has been booming which shows in a $34.9 billion deal that includes orders from both Airbus and Boeing. The deal was announced at the Dubai Airshow and will include 120 Airbus A350s, 11 A380s, and 12 Boeing 777-300Ers. Emirates also comfirmed that they still want the eight A380s they ordered earlier this year and ordered three more bringing their total order of A380s to 58. Their total orders now number 246 aircraft worth a total of over $60 billion dollars.

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Tags: a380, airbus, airlines, boeing, dubai, emirates, middle east

Montblanc and Emirates Pair Up To Sell A Diamond Necklace

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Wings

Emirates Airlines flies some of the most deep-pocketed people in the world. Not many airlines could hold auctions where customers bid to purchase high-end watches and jewelry. Last year, Montblanc and Emirates teamed up to auction off a watch (an auction that raised $250,000 for the Emirates airline Foundation) this year they have upped the ante with a million-dollar diamond necklace and earrings set. From now until 31st March 2008, customers on board all Emirates flights can register their interest in buying the Ruban d'amour diamond necklace and matching earrings. The jewelry includes the star-shaped Montblanc diamond and can be crafted with a choice of precious stones: the Ruban d'amour Neige is diamonds set in white gold; the Ruban d'amour Blanc et noir features black nephrite jade; pink sapphires complement the Ruban d'amour Rose; while Tahitian and Australian pearls adorn the Ruban d'amour Crème.

The winner will be chosen in April. The winner and a a companion, will be flown First Class on Emirates to Montblanc's jewelry workshop in Paris to watch the craftsmen finish the set. $150,000 of the sale proceeds will be donated to UNICEF in support of its educational projects for children in the Middle East.

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Tags: diamonds, emirates, montblanc, necklace

Flying High: The Best First Class

by Matthew Collins (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings

Those of us unfortunate enough to travel on commercial airlines know the unrestrained joy that occurs when we get an upgrade. For the most part, this means leaving the cattle barn for leather clad chairs and free booze. But there are several airlines that take the experience to the next level. From gadget filled seats that coddle you in comfort to bars and massages, the world of premium class has gotten very competitive and one-upmanship is the name of the game.

Our list is after the jump.

Tags: british airways, BritishAirways, emirates, first class, FirstClass, virgin atlantic, VirginAtlantic

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New Massage Seats For Emirates Flights

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

We've mentioned before that the Emirates airlines had some deluxe plans for their Boeing 777 planes. Their first class suites are like tiny hotel suites. Now we learn that the airline's Business Class service between New York and Dubai will feature flat bed massage seats. Business class on Emirates also includes fine dining, wine and your own 19" entertainment screen. The massage seats are available on flights starting October 1.

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Tags: boeing 777, business class, emirates, massage seats