Elton John must be feeling the pinch of the credit crunch along with the rest of the UK after accepting an offer from Pearl Dubai to play a private concert for a group of more than 150 investors flown to Paris for the unveiling of another new development in Dubai - the Baccarat Hotel and Residences.

Abdul Majeed Al Fahim, Chairman of Pearl Dubai FZ LLC, said: “Our initiative of the trip was to acquaint our investors with the signature Baccarat brand, including a visit to the magnificent Maison Baccarat, bringing them one step closer to being part of their upcoming Dubai Pearl experience. ”
To be developed in association with the US-based Starwood Capital Group, the Baccarat Hotel and Residences at Dubai Pearl will be located in the signature 73 storey, four tower heart of the project, will be more than 800,000 sqft with 340 rooms. The $270 million Baccarat Residences will feature elegantly designed apartments and clients will have the option to design their own interiors if they so desire.

Al Fahim added: “Since 1764, Baccarat has built a reputation of providing elegant luxury products offering unparalleled beauty and flawless brilliance. The Baccarat Hotel and Residences will therefore front a new destination not only in Dubai, but in the Middle East as well.”

A downloadable PDF file of the Baccarat Hotel and Residences is available here.

Rajasthan’s history is all about class, great wealth and deep poverty. Rajasthan, India has never got with the communist agenda: or even the modern welfare state as practiced in Western Europe. No Rajasthan was always a princely state and the Princes in some cases still live in the Palaces or more often part of them and rent out the rest as luxury hotels

Now the next generation of princes have moved in: in the form off top-notch hotel companies and now new destinations are being added to the old ones. You see somewhere like the new Oberoi Rajvilas just outside Jaipur, isn’t a hotel it’s a destination in itself. You are not going to Jaipur, you are going to the Oberoi Rajvilas. Just like Hotel California: you can never leave - well that’s what management hopes for anyway! On arrival guests are greeted with trumpets, elephants and dancers. Then they are escorted by a liveried manservant past the water garden and sculpted elephants at the hotel entrance to the cool reception hall and are garlanded with necklaces of marigold blossom and offered watermelon juice. Just like being a guest of the old-style Marajarah’s! But with of course all the mod-cons of a international standard 5 star hotel.

Now I have nothing against a fantastically comfortable and luxurious hotel, which is what the Oberoi Rajvilas is. But don’t miss the opportunity to actually go to Jaipur, while you are in the neighbourhood. The hotel will arrange a driver for the 15km trip into town. Jaipur is a fantastic living, breathing Indian town. It is therefore not five star: its grubby, its dusty, its full of beggars and crazy drivers. Check out Nahargarh Palace on top of the hill with awesome views of the town. It was the palace of one Jai Singh II who planned and built the town of Jaipur in the 18th century.

Also get out to the monkey temple, as Galta temple is known as. Not because the temple is sacred to the monkey god Hanuman, but because the monkeys run wild. Just make sure you keep tight hold on to all your belongings the thieves are very quick: that’s the monkeys of course: they will steal your glasses off your face if you are not careful! Be warned though you might be the only tourist there and only find local devotees. Make sure you leave a donation too.

After all the heat, and dust and drama which is India and Jaipur though: returning to the Oberoi would be delightful. Especially if you have booked the best room in the house which in their own words is:

The jewel in the Udaipur crown is the Kohinoor Suite, 2,650sq ft of palatial comfort. With its fountained courtyards, massive private pool, sitting room with real fireplaces, and master suite with its own wooden sauna, this suite if fit for Royalty.
It offers breath taking views of the City Palace and the Aravali Hills overlooking Lake Pichola. It features a spacious living room and dining area, a luxurious 20 meter private pool, garden terraces and two bedrooms. The suite also has a small pantry and an additional bedroom.

The Hydropolis, an underwater Luxury hotel in Dubai (or more appropriately, under and off the coast of Dubai) has run into construction issues. Originally the plan was to open the luxurious underwater locale beginning 2008, but that has been moved back now and the current estimate is that the complex will open early 2009.

The Hotel is still under construction and once complete will include three parts: a land station, a connecting tunnel with a train that will run to the hotel complex proper. The plan is to have 220 luxurious suites in the hotel complex.

“Hydropolis is not a project; it’s a passion," enthuses Joachim Hauser, the developer and designer of the hotel. His futuristic vision is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Arabian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai. The £300 million, 220-suite hotel is due to open at the end of 2007 and will incorporate a host of innovations that will take it far beyond the original blueprint for an underwater complex worthy of Jules Verne.

There are only a few locations in the world where such a grandiose dream could be realized. A high proportion of today’s architectural marvels are materializing like fanciful mirages from the desert sands. We have come to expect extravagant enterprises to be mounted in the Middle East, and especially in Dubai. "This venture could only be born here in Dubai," says Hauser. "It has a very open-minded, international community - and that’s what makes it so special."

I take that to mean very open-minded planning restrictions, but you have to admire their ingenuity and ambition. Whether there will be any wildlife left to view once the other luxury developments around the area are complete remains to be seen. Apparently, the recent completion of the World Islands breakwater is having a detrimental effect on the water currents, but every one involved seems to be keeping quiet on this issue.

The developers, Crescent Hydropolis resorts PLC, are planning more underwater luxury hotels in the Isle of Man, London, Monaco, New York and Qingdao.

Satellite image Dubai Hydropolis.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) announces the entry of The Luxury Collection® in Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates.  Under a long-term agreement with Saraya Islands, PJSC., the hotel will be operated under the Luxury Collection brand within the Saraya Islands, a distinguished mixed-use destination in the heart of Ras Al Khaimah between the Hajjar Mountains and the Arabian Gulf.  The Luxury Collection Resort is expected to open in 2011.

"We define The Luxury Collection by our guests and the experiences and services they demand and expect.  Nothing less than an exceptional level of service, perfect location and indigenous personal offerings will do," said Ross Klein, President of Starwood’s Luxury Brands Group. "The magical destination of Ras Al Khaimah on the edge of the Arabian Gulf creates the perfect setting for the debut of The Luxury Collection in the United Arab Emirates."

The hotel’s 300 lavishly decorated guestrooms will include 40 suites, all with breathtaking views and the latest modern conveniences.  It will serve a variety of international culinary options at its six food and beverages outlets, including two specialty restaurants, and offer approximately 43,000 square feet of indoor meeting space. The Luxury Collection Resort will provide guests with an exceptional level of service, a majestic ambience and exquisite oceanfront dining options. Guests can take a refreshing swim in the pool, play an invigorating game of tennis, indulge themselves with a soothing spa treatment or simply enjoy the sun along the hotel’s beautifully landscaped property, which includes a private stretch of pristine beachfront.

Saraya Islands, the luxurious mixed-use destination, is conveniently located fifteen minutes from Ras Al Khaimah’s international airport. The Luxury Collection Resort will occupy a prime spot in Saraya Islands. Within this destination, guests will have access to upscale shops, restaurants, entertainment outlets, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, a water amusement park and three miles of sandy beaches.

"It is only right and in sync with our strategy to partner with the best in the tourism field for Saraya Islands.  Partnering with The Luxury Collection brand is our contribution to the hospitality sector in Ras Al Khaimah, which has witnessed substantial development in the past couple of years, and this hotel will add a further dimension of excellence," said Mahdhar Al-Tamimi, General Manager of Saraya Islands.

"We are very proud to be chosen by Saraya Islands for the management of this fantastic property and I am looking forward to expand our relationship in the near future," said Roeland Vos, President of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Europe, Africa and Middle East. "We are fully committed to providing exceptional service and memorable experiences to our customers and I am sure this Luxury Collection Resort will offer our global travelers the opportunity for an unforgettable, luxurious stay in United Arab Emirates."

The Luxury Collection Hotel concierge will bring guests enriching, indigenous experiences that showcase the beauty, culture and gastronomic richness of the area.  The new property joins more than 69 hotels under The Luxury Collection brand around the world, including Hotel Maria Cristina and Hotel Marques de Riscal Hotel in Spain, Hotel Danieli in Venice, Hotel Imperial in Vienna, Hotel Grand Bretagne in Athens, and The Phoenician in Arizona.  Each is unique, providing the discerning global traveller with an experience that is authentic to the destination.

Saraya Islands will comprise six premium five-star hotels and resorts, a top-notch marina, palatial villas, villas of various types and sizes, lagoon view townhouses, waterfront terraced apartments, exotic bungalows, high quality retail, restaurants and entertainment outlets, a pedestrian boulevard, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, pedestrian-friendly bridges, bicycle roads, and an amusement water park, in addition to five kilometers of sandy beaches, all set within a unique architectural design.

London high end stonemasons, Limestone Gallery have just launched a new range of 3D stone cladding aimed at the luxury property market. Five designs suitable for both internal and external application and available in a range of textures. All carved from natural stone and customized to an individual project. Available as panels or single slabs. According to Carlos Zanarotti, MD of Limestone Gallery:

“The majority of our clients are architects and designers seeking bespoke stonework that is unusual, unique and jaw-dropping for luxury projects.

“There is clearly tremendous appeal for commercial projects such as luxury hotel receptions, spas and exterior cladding. There is also a strong appeal for glamorous residential projects where the panels could be used to create a unique shower as well as creating a wow factor.”

Limestone has a comprehensive portfolio of bespoke stoneware for the luxury interior design market. And if you needed any more proof that you can sell anything using a pretty girl wearing very little clothing, here are a few samples from their brochure.

Luxury Stonework from the Limestone Gallery