Before the skyscrapers, before the Palm Jumeirah, before the Dubai Mall, there was “The Sail.”
The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is more than a hotel. It is the building that put Dubai on the world map. As a Dubai expert, I know that to understand modern Dubai, you must understand the story of this building.
It was a project of pure ambition. In the mid-1990s, the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, had a vision. He wanted a building that would be to Dubai what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, or the Opera House is to Sydney.
He didn’t just want a hotel. He wanted an icon.
The Challenge: Build a “Sail” on the Sea
The vision was simple but nearly impossible: build a hotel that looked like the sail of a traditional Arab dhow boat, and build it in the sea.
The Architect: The job went to a young British architect named Tom Wright. The brief he was given was “to create an icon for Dubai.” He sketched a design of a giant, billowing sail on a napkin. That sketch became the final building.
The Man-Made Island: You can’t build a 321-meter (1,053 ft) skyscraper on sand. The first challenge was to build an island. It took two years to create a secure man-made island 280 meters (920 ft) offshore. It’s built from special concrete blocks designed to absorb the power of the waves.
The Architecture: A “V” Shape and a “Mast”
How do you make a building that looks like a sail stable?
- The “Exoskeleton”: The building is not supported from the inside. It’s supported by a giant, V-shaped steel frame on the outside. This “exoskeleton” is the first of its kind.
- The “Mast”: The tall “mast” at the top isn’t just for looks. It’s a key part of the structure, holding the two “wings” of the sail together.
- The Fabric Wall: The side of the hotel that faces the land (the atrium) is not glass. It’s a 15,000 sq. meter (161,000 sq. ft.) Teflon-coated fiberglass fabric, just like a real sail. It is the largest wall of its kind in the world.
The “7-Star” Myth: Where Did It Come From?
This is the best part of the story. The Burj Al Arab has never called itself a 7-star hotel. Jumeirah’s official rating is 5-Star Deluxe.
The “7-Star” name was a complete accident.
- The Story: During the hotel’s grand opening in 1999, a British travel journalist was invited for a preview. She was so stunned by the opulence—the private butlers, the 22-karat gold, the duplex suites, the Rolls-Royce fleet—that she wrote in her article: “I cannot find the words to describe this. This is so far beyond 5-stars… it must be a 7-star hotel.”
- The Legend: The name stuck. It perfectly captured the hotel’s “over-the-top” luxury. The legend became more powerful than the truth.
The Icon: A Symbol of Ambition
The Burj Al Arab became a symbol. It was a statement to the world that Dubai was no longer just a desert. It was a place where the impossible could be built.
It set the stage for every ambitious project that followed, from the Palm Islands to the Burj Khalifa.
The hotel’s helipad became a PR legend, hosting:
- Andre Agassi and Roger Federer for a “tennis match in the sky.”
- A Formula 1 car doing donuts.
- The “world’s highest” (and most expensive) cocktail, delivered by a private jet service team.
The Legacy Today
Today, some critics say the hotel’s 90s decor is “dated.” But they miss the point. The Burj Al Arab is not meant to be a modern, minimalist hotel. It is a time capsule of pure, unfiltered opulence. It’s a fantasy.
It remains the icon of Dubai. And to this day, it is the benchmark for 7-star service.
This building is the reason Dubai is a city of dreams. To book your own piece of this history, you can see our full Burj Al Arab Jumeirah suite price and booking guide.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah suite price and booking guide
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Who designed the Burj Al Arab?
The Burj Al Arab was designed by British architect Tom Wright of WKK Architects. His mission was to create a building that would become an icon for Dubai. - How long did it take to build the Burj Al Arab?
It took five years. Two years to build the man-made island (1994-1996) and three years to build the hotel itself (1996-1999). - Is the Burj Al Arab really a 7-star hotel?
Officially, no. The 7-star rating system does not exist. The hotel is officially rated as a 5-Star Deluxe. The “7-star” name was given by a journalist and became a powerful marketing legend.
