Synchronised champagne pouring
“Honey, do you mind if I put an afternoon tea on the credit card? It’ll be $120. Ok thanks bye!” I ask Mr NQN by instant messenger.
Perhaps you may have heard of the Burj Al Arab Hotel which is Dubai’s 7 star (self rated) all suite hotel that is said to be a must do – if only you can get in that is. Visitors or inevitable gawkers aren’t permitted and can only gaze at it from afar, where it resembles a sail. It is the location of the famous tennis court where Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played tennis on the helipad. It sits in the middle of an artificial island and is accessible only by a 280 metre bridge. Otherwise the only way in is by a booking either as a guest of the hotel or as a restaurant visitor. This all seems rather easy until you realise three things:
1) You can’t just walk in. You need to book ahead of time and you are assigned an unique code which allows you entry.
2) Apparently even with the current economic troubles in Dubai, a luxurious dining experience is a highly sought after thing and they advise you to book a few weeks in advance.
3) The least costly “encounter” is their ever popular afternoon tea which at 395AED for the Sky Lounge is about $120AUD/$105USD*. The Lobby Lounge afternoon tea on the first floor is 375AED and is slightly easier to get a spot at as it has less spectacular views.
So with these three things in mind I thought I would chance it and try to get in (for research purposes of course) even though I was *shock horror* asking for a table just the day before. I was in the business centre of the Le Meridien hotel and they were on the phone to the Burj Al Arab. It was a tense time waiting. As they were taking my credit card details (which secures your booking and diners are charged 50% for a no show) my booking quickly disappeared before our eyes as it was snapped up by another diner whose credit card details were entered just a fraction quicker than mine were. The business centre woman and I looked at each other aghast at being pipped at the post by mere seconds!
It was by a minor miracle along with some sweet talking by her and I was the recipient of a booking code. Located in Jumeirah which is best described as the Beverly Hills of Dubai, it is a sail boat shaped hotel. In has an adjacent sister property called the Jumeirah Beach Hotel which is shaped like a wave and from the sea it is said to look as if the sailboat is being supported by the wave. Nearby is the 360 degrees cocktail bar which revolves (and is said to be very expensive). I had intended to take a taxi there (interestingly enough pink topped taxis are driven by female taxi drivers for female passengers) but luckily my Arabian Adventures driver accommodates my last minute change in plan and offers to drive me there and wait for me and drop me off at the shopping centre for some post Afternoon Tea shopping. We can arrive up to 30 minutes ahead of our booking but no more than that (I suppose they don’t want people loitering). There was of course a strict dress code: semi formal for the whole hotel. I took out my best silk dress and heels and off I went hoping that what I had would qualify me as a semi formal dresser.
We pull up with the printout at the ready with my confirmation code A suited man with a clipboard and a pen asks for our details and welcomes us with a smile. We drive up the winding pathway and see the beach with the Atlantis The Palm complex. As we drive up we see a range of luxury cars including of course, a red Ferrari behind a red rope. They open the door and I walk into the lobby past the pictures of the various Royal heads. I can see a Sheikh lighting the bakhoor (incense) and it fills the lobby with its heady scent. Inside it is opulent and lavish with the thick, spotlessly clean red patterned carpet, curved coloured panels that reach higher than the eye can see and a lot of gold.
I take some photos and look at them and realise that it’s actually better looking in real life than in the photos. I walk past the fountain which is fascinating. I don’t often get transfixed by fountains (read: never) but I am by this one. Instead of the constant bubbling noise, the water shoots out in a rhythmic clapping sound and someone comments that it’s almost like a sporting or football chant rhythm. The pattern of the water is very pretty and then it explodes (and scared a few curious kiddies who had gone up close to stare at it) and shoots high up into the air.
Just in case you didn’t think it was Rodeo Drive enough
The entranceway
I walk past a large curtained doorway not daring to look inside and go past two rather glitzy looking stores called what else but “Rodeo Drive” and travel up the glass panelled elevator and press #27. There are two women checking bookings. I’m invited to sit down in the waiting area which has foreign newspapers laid out to read and then I’m ushered past the red velvet rope through the green panelled tunnel into the Sky Bar. All staff members are very deferential and friendly. I take a seat and look around. There are mostly couples but some groups of four. Considerately they seat couples in the booths in tables of four so that no-one has their back to the view which is a nice touch as they could have easily filled the pace up with at least 30% more people.
Berries with cream and champagne
I take a look at the menu (gold of course) and there are a range of teas. You can order as much food and tea and coffee as you like. Whilst I am having a look they bring me a glass of Louis Roederer and a mall bowl of fresh berries and cream. If there’s one thing I find it hard to resist it’s berries and cream (berries are healthy no ? And cream has calcium? Am I fooling myself?). I take a sip of the delicious bubbly and finish off the sweet berries and cream. I decide on a pot of White Glory tea which is a White Tea with hint of peach.
White Glory Tea
My waitress explains the order with which the dishes will come out. I will firstly receive a hot starter which is a Salmon Wellington and then out comes the High Tea goodies. Two of these tiers will then be replaced by scones and preserves and these will then be followed by Christmas cookies and mulled wine. They weren’t kidding about the 7 courses, in fact I think I count 8.
Salmon Wellington
The slice of Salmon Wellington is brought out. Thankfully (as I’m worried about stomach space) it’s quite thin and comes with a fennel and butter sauce and in one corner I see a chef carving up slices to order. It’s quite good indeed although a part of me is chomping at the bit to try the dainty pieces that I see around me. But first things first, I need to get photos as it gets dark quickly here as the maitre’d considerately lets me know. For once I’m not the only one taking photos, in fact every other table in the restaurant takes their camera out and walks around and starts snapping at the view.
I take a walk around the restaurant along with other curious camera wielding guests into the restaurant area (which is not open until later).
The view
The sailboat stand
Sandwich selection
My four tier sailboat shaped tower of goodies arrives. As I am dining along I get one to myself and I notice the friendly German couple next to me get the same size. I can see the table of four opposite me get two sail stands which when they’re set down next to each other look like one whole boat. My sail is packed with goodies – really enough for two people and I start with the sandwiches. There are three types of sandwiches cut into crustless half fingers: a blended goat’s cheese, tomato and cucumber on a malty brown bread, cucumber and cream cheese, egg and mayonnaise and smoked salmon and cream cheese. I particularly like the smoked salmon and the egg and mayonnaise sandwiches and they’re all wonderfully fresh and soft.
I tackle the second tier. There is a squid ink bread slice with mozarella and tomato on top, a roast beef sandwich, a prawn teardrop shaped vol au vent and a chicken filled choux puff with lid. The prawn vol au vent filling is delicious although the ratio of pastry to filling isn’t quite right and it ends up being a little dry with mostly pastry (and it’s not that fabulously buttery kind of pastry), the chicken choux is delicious and crisp with the chicken mixed with mayonnaise and the bread with mozarella and tomato on squid ink is interesting although not particularly squid ink tasting so I taste mainly just the mozarella and tomato. The simple roast beef sandwich is delicious.
Coffee
I tackle the third layer but not before they ask me if I’d like another tea. My current pot is still hot but as I have a flight out that evening at 1:40am I ask for a coffee. When they bring it the foam isn’t that impressive looking and sadly the coffee is burnt. When the waitress comes to pick up the untouched cup she asks if it is alright and I let her know that it is burnt. She offers to replace it with another but I decline as I’m more interested in the teas.
View 1: Panna cotta and cakes
View 2: cakes and shortbreads
Tier number 3 is stacked full of cake slices. These kinds of cakes aren’t my usual preference i.e. fruit cake and carrot cake sans icing so I take a bite just to try them and they’re really just too dry for me. There are two types of shortbread: a nutty shortbread and a plain vanilla shortbread and they’re both very short and crumbly.
Scones
House made preserves
The sandwich layers are replaced with scones and there’s a plain scone and a lemon scone today. They’re served with clotted cream (yay!), strawberry mousse, and house made passionfruit jam and strawberry jam. The jams are of a runnier consistency and they’re true to flavour, the passionfruit similar to a tangy passionfruit butter but my favourite combination has to be the strawberry mousse and the strawberry jam on the scones.
I’ve hit my point of satiety and realise that not only do I have one tier of cakes to go but also the mulled wine and Christmas cookies. Taking a deep breath I plunge on ahead knowing that if I don’t go forth and eat then they won’t bring me my cookies until later and the light will be terrible for photographs. I try the apple and sultana cake which is nice enough but not enough to make me eat more but the one item that has me swooning is the blackberry macaron. It’s a macaron half with some blackberry jam on top. The three plump, fresh blackberries are placed on top of this and on top of that is a mini macaron and a strip of candied lemon zest. I back away from the chocolate layer cake which is nice but I find it hard to eat chocolate at the end of a rich meal.
Christmas Cookies
Despite the fact that I feel like I’ve eaten 20 courses I can’t help but be delighted when they present me with the Christmas cookies. There’s all sorts of cookies from almond cookies to gingerbread and lebkuchen (like a soft gingerbread cake) but my favourite is most definitely the stollen which reminds me of a moist finger bun with thick icing on top. There’s a centre of marzipan too and I almost, for a fleeting second, want to ask for some more of this before I realise that they may have to roll me out of here.
Mulled Wine
The Mulled Wine is a bit too hot to the touch in the champagne flute and I worry about bursting – even though I’ve taken bites of things today, these bites certainly add up so I take a sip and relax and watch the lights and view change. It’s almost hypnotic sitting here by myself watching the blue and green light gradually reflect on the glass and look like part of the view.
Hermes toiletries in the bathroom
As the evening presses on and the light dims I visit the ladies room where they have a bathroom attendant and they offer Hermes toiletries. I head downstairs wishing that I was turning into a suite here.
Why a restaurant of course!
I depart slowly and outside the palm tree lights have come on and they light up the night beautifully.
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever visited a place that you were really reluctant to leave?
*at time of writing
Burj Al Arab
Tel: +971 4 3017777 Fax: +971 4 3017000
Open for Afternoon Tea 13:00-16:30 (Except Fridays)
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69 Comments | Add your own
Wow! Just, WOW!
Wow. That looks like a real treat! x
Hmm, that coffee does seem very disappointing!
Thank you so much Lorraine! I felt like I was right there with you
So much fun! I also love that you perservered with fullness just because you “needed good light”. Such a trooper!! 
What a fabulous experience, though I would have been longing for someone to share it with, especially the food. You aren’t deluding yourself about the cream – it not only contains calcium but is delightfully wrinkle plumping. Kristy and I are sure that cake and cream are keeping us young
My husband and I stayed in a B&B in Callander (Scotland) called the Westerton and we didn’t want to leave.
WOW! Everything looks amamzing! Especially the view and everything around you! Thanks for sharing this! Makes me wanna fly to Dubai just to have that view infront of me! (:
Wow Lorraine – what an experience! And your photos are GORGEOUS!!!!
Swoon.
I am going to forward a link to this post to my husband. I think we need to plan a stop over in Dubai soonish.
SSG
This is a fabulous post. Even though I may never see this magical (read “money”) place, it is very interesting to read it in exquisite detail. I’d love to read more of the same kind of post in different areas.
Wow wow wow, that place looks stunning. And hurray for clotted cream with your scones!
If there’s one thing I find hard to resist it’s a glass of Louis Roederer (never mind the berries and cream!!!)
Absolutely stunning post, I loved it even more than your airline food one. If I ever go to Dubai I will make a point of going there.
Hi Lorraine- So glad you had the full afternoon tea so we could live vicariously! Your photos are beautiful- We had a cocktail up there and then dinner (behind the curtain!) at Al Iwan-Found the Burj a very very strange place- just wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all- but certainly memorable…http://eat-tori.blogspot.com/2009/07/escapism-in-dubai-analysis-in-three.html
The decor at this place is gorgeous and such nice afternoon tea with great selection of sandwiches and treats!
What an exotic hotel – and I love your high tea experience. Yum! The mulled wine looks superb – I’d love to try it.
Oh wow. Amazing. And that view! No wonder you were reluctant to leave.
Isn’t it amazing how even here they can’t get coffee right???
What an amazing experience and so truly OTT.
We went to the Maldives for our honeymoon and were completely spoilt. I never wanted to leave there and hope to go back for our 10 year anniversary.
Jaw Dropping!
O ME GOSH!!!This is da BOMB!!!
what do u call this Class opulence-it’s not shabby sheik, of course, aaaand i can’t say WOW!!!
I guess I’m like Alice.psst I’m going for the lottery,u neva no!
Lorraine, absolutely fantastic! Great writing and the pictures are amazing…thank you so much
gollyyyyyy that looks out of this world! i can’t even imagine what Dubai is really like but this gives me an idea – so extravagant!
totally looked worth checking out though – i’ll just live vicariously through you
What a fantastic experience Lorraine, wish I could have been sitting next to you, the food, the sheer luxury of it all. I would have been very, very disappointed with the cappuccino, shock, horror! lol.
We were in India 3 years ago and stayed at Le Meridien in Jaipur , it was out of this world and though we stayed 3 nights we could have easily extended to a week. Our suite was the same one that Aishwayra Rai the famous and beautiful Indian actress stayed in!
Beautiful clicks, Lorraine. Thank you for showing them so that I can dream about it
WOW!! WOW!! WOW!! I think I should book now.
The weird and wonderful world of the burj! Thank you so much for all your ‘research’
Great insight into this fascinating OTT life. I’m with Sarah, loved this as much as your airline food post x
What an awesome treat! I love afternoon tea and this looks like a fantastic version. I really need to convince Mr Kitty to let us stay at the Burj… I don’t like my chances though!
Wow, this looks amazing, Lorraine! I love your pics, and yes, that is a lot of gold!
The view is stunning and all the food looks so pretty…that passionfruit jam sounds divine!
That is freaking awesome. $130 well spent!
Oh yes, I have heard of this hotel. You have to pay like US$100 or something just to go inside! How lucky that you are experiencing all this. Dubai is not my sales territory hence, I don’t think I will ever get to travel there for business. For leisure?… maybe not just yet. Have fun!
I just love staying in hotels and usually have to be dragged out sobbing. Anywhere that provides food and cleans up after me is my idea of heaven and sooo not like home!
My very favourite hotel of all time is the wonderful Shangri La Hotel in Singapore. The suites are divine, the staff understand the concept of “customer service” and they actually perfume the air!!!
Looks like it was worth the $130 for the entry fee to check out this ’spectacle’ but perhaps not for the food/coffee?
Fabulous!
I didn’t want to leave the Rayavadee in southern Thailand – which is accessible only by boat and was magnficent. Not gold – but great beaches, dramatic cliffs (with climbers), wonderful food and two storey villas for guests.
You’d think a 7 star hotel could afford the best barista in the world!
What an amazing afternoon tea!! Thanks for sharing! I love a great high tea, and this one seems to be top of the list of ones to go to! Will have to remember to book in advance if I ever get a chance to go
wow that looks amazingly beautiful..m imagining the fountain clapping…thats uinque…must hv been a gorgeous view too. lucky u ..as I always say ^^
What a wonderful experience….what a beautiful spot!
I actually think it all looked quite tacky and the food didn’t look too good either! The view was amazing but no better than the gorgeous views enjoyed by most Tasmanians everyday !
this place looks amazing you are so lucky to have visited
Ooh fancy pants! Love it. Shame about the coffee though – I’m surprised that it wasn’t good.
oh you lucky thing! I have always wanted to visit here – it looks fantastic
This is seriously impressive in its opulence! *swoon*
I now live in Dubai (moved from oz a few months ago) and i have been wanting to try their afternoon tea for ages but never had anyone to go with. Now if i knew you were in town i would’ve asked to tag along
Thankyou for sharing your experience. I’ve always been fascinated by that hotel so it was a real treat to see inside. That was a High Tea and a half! My girlfriends and I are huge fans of High Tea and have been to lots around Sydney, but never have we been to one with 7 courses!!
The hotel looks amazing inside! Definately don’t think I’ll even get the chance to step foot in there in my lifetime. Unless a miracle happens and I win a few million in the lotto which will be never because I never play! =( It’s great you’ve gotten the chance and have been kind enough to share about it too.
So glad to have come across someone else who’s been there
And what a lovely coincidence, only this morning I published a photo post about the interior of Burj Al Arab, as a follow up to my afternoon tea article!
I enjoyed reading your take on the whole experience. Definitely a place that grabs you with its grandeur and hospitality and doesn’t let you go easily.
Did you find they went a little overboard with the use of white chocolate in the various desserts? By the end of it, I almost asked for a digestif!
OMG!! You are such a lucky gal!!! Must be quite an amazing experience ;D
Fascinating read on what must be an unforgettable afternoon tea. Such opulence! Savoured every photo
On my list of things to do this year is a High Tea.
Should I reach for the stars and aim for going there?
What a treat! Thank you to Mr NQN for sacrificing the $$$ so we can all share the experience with you, hehe!
Hi!!! I am going to Dubai in August and I cannot wait. Will book a table straight away!!! Sounds fabulous. OMG!!
Wow – what an adventure – I don’t know if tea room can ever top this for you Lorraine – unless maybe you have your own?!
Such luxury! I can’t believe you managed to polish off the stand. It looks quite big!
Oh, my! Such opulence and grandeur!
Thank you! I’ve just had afternoon tea at the Burj vicariously through your post. Gorgeous photos you have there.
oh wow! you lucky girl! tops to getting through all the food
i think i would’ve too!
forget synchronized swimming–synchronized champagne pouring is what i want to watch! in person, preferably.
truly impressive place, and yet another location where i’d stick out like a sore thumb. 
Wow. That’s like no tea I’ve ever had! 8 courses–that might be worth the $120!
Mmmh, it’s almost as good as being there
. Thank you for posting in such detail, you covered all the things I was curious about!
My brother took me out for a birthday meal a couple of years ago at a place called “29 – Grill at the Square” (http://www.29glasgow.com/grillroom.php) which was beautiful and the food was just fantastic; there’s something about incredible service, too, that makes it that bit more special I think
I love your posts. They’re always so interesting and fun!
Daaaahling, I am reluctant to leave any place that has food. Thats my problem
I love it how they made the tea tray in the sail boat shape, just like the building. Dubai is known for being OTT, and sometimes they do err on the side of tacky, but the food looks lovely. I like the sandwich selection in particular 
.
THis tea looks great
A totally fab experience, Im sure!
*kisses* HH
Thank goodness you got that booking, looks like an experience to remember. If only you took me with you to help eat all that food!
Yeah… I didn’t want to leave Melbourne last time I visited. Not exactly an exotic locale, but I wasn’t quite ready to kiss my holiday goodbye.
what a cool experience!
i have never done high tea but now i want to try.
hopefully one day i can go to dubai and try as well!
WOW! This looks absolutely amazing. That view is stunning, and all those courses – I think you did pretty well
We watched a Discovery Channel episode on this being built and it looked totally amazing and indulgent. Looks like it is even more amazing and indulgent than we imagined. But, wow, $120 for tea. That’s steep, to say the least.
I was really sad to leave here – http://www.villaraja.com/
Much more affordable, and a more low key type of luxury, but I’ll remember it forever.
What an experience! I’ve heard lots aboutthis and can’t wait to visit someday.
this is an awesome posting…
heard a lot about Burj Al Arab, and Jumaira Resorts, and how much they invested in these resorts…
Glad that you shared us with your experience.. and wonderful photos.
Great posting
The photos are fabulous and if the photos don’t do them justice then I am afraid the whole experience will take my breath away.
I am very disappointed to hear about the coffee and some of the desserts. For $120 I would have walked outta there pouting.
Thank you for sharing.
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