Abu Dhabi has a thriving hospitality industry, but the locals will assure you the Emirates Palace Hotel is in a league of its own.
A landmark in itself, the gold-adorned structure cost US$3 billion to construct and the building alone extends 1km from wing to wing.
The hotel stretches across carefully manicured gardens leading visitors to a 1.3km beach which is made up entirely from specially imported soft, white sand.
Simply exploring the hotel is no small feat, with the property packing in 302 rooms and 92 suites, each of which comes with a personal butler service.
The property provides ample opportunity to work up an appetite for its 14 food and beverage options ranging from European, Chinese, Lebanese and local Emirati cuisine.
It features a 6km bike track and bikes for rent, along with two outdoor pools, cricket and football pitches, tennis courts, badminton and a beach volleyball court.
Respectfully dressed tourists (wearing smart casual and refraining from shorts, thongs or exposing garments) are free to zip in and out of the perfectly symmetrical grounds, gawking at the structure’s pure magnificence.
Tucked away within the Palace, inside the front doors and through the grand atrium 
is Le Caf, where guests can indulge in the Palace’s specialty — cappuccinos dusted with gold.
The sparkly beverage is a go-to attraction for guests and the baristas can be seen constantly churning out perfectly sprinkled cappuccinos. The Palace uses a massive 5kg of pure edible gold per year for decoration, mainly on desserts and drinks.
