The last word in luxury?
Last week, News From Abroad reported that the first luxury underwater hotel is under construction off the coast of Dubai; this week plans have been revealed for a hotel that is gold-plated from top to bottom, with gold dust to be pumped into its swimming pools and fountains.
According to The Times, the hotel, which will be an exact replica of the Capitol in Washington DC, will be built between the glitzy Spanish resorts of Marbella and Puerto Banus. The newspaper reports that 12 tonnes of 24-carat gold will be used for the hotel’s walls, baths and tables.
Maria Jose Lucas Carbonell, a lawyer for the company that is due to build the hotel, Aurum XXIV, reportedly told the newspaper: “Walls, floors, doors, furniture, trees Everything will be in gold, to give the hotel a high level of sophistication and a unique luxury the world over.”
If the hotel is given the go-ahead by planners (which The Times says is likely), rooms are likely to cost in the region of £4,000 per night, with a presidential suite costing a massive £10,000 per night. And if permission is given, the hotel could be open by the end of 2005.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026