Skift Take
Is there a real demand among travelers for robotic luggage handlers, 3-D mapping technology, or a massive rainforest? When is too much just too much, or do we need these types of hotels to remind us of what we can achieve when it comes to hospitality? Or when it comes to Dubai, does extravagance equate to authenticity?
Dubai has made a global reputation for itself as the home of a number of impressive, over-the-top luxury hotels, and its newest hotel, currently under construction, fits the bill perfectly.
The $550-million Rosemont Hotel & Residences, slated to open at the end of 2018, will encompass more than 2 million square feet over two 53-story towers, as well as its own rainforest and robotic luggage handlers. Owned by Royal International, which is led by a Saudi prince, the hotel itself will be managed by Hilton as part of its soft-branded Curio Collection.
In essence, the new Rosemont takes the whole "bringing the outdoors in" concept quite literally, and on a grand scale. To escape the brutally hot summers in Dubai but still be able to enjoy the lushness of a tropical rainforest, the designers behind the hotel are bringing all of that into the hotel.
In any other destination, amenities and features like these may sound farfetched or impractical, but not so in Dubai, said DJ Armin, managing partner of ZAS Dubai, the architectural firm behind the grand designs for the Rosemont project.
"You have to understand, there are two types of hotels being built here," Armin said. "It's either luxury or not luxury, more mid-range. There's no low range here. If you don't do l
