Emirates Palace…an International Icon in World of Hospitality

Emirate Palace Mandarin Oriental hotel in Abu Dhabi (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Emirate Palace Mandarin Oriental hotel in Abu Dhabi (Asharq Al-Awsat).
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Emirates Palace…an International Icon in World of Hospitality

Emirate Palace Mandarin Oriental hotel in Abu Dhabi (Asharq Al-Awsat).
Emirate Palace Mandarin Oriental hotel in Abu Dhabi (Asharq Al-Awsat).

The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, officially named Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, is a landmark in the world of international extravagant hotels. Now, the palace is offering people the chance to visit and take a closer look at its breathtaking luxury.

 

In the lobby, you can spot Arab and foreign visitors queuing to enter the hotel through its massive doors accompanied by the receptionists who stand to warmly welcome the guests. The tour often starts at the grand dome known for its unique decoration inspired by the Islamic and Arabic civilization that reflect the history of the country and the region.

 

Executives at the Emirates Palace believe that “the hotel has become a world-known landmark in the UAE, and a site with a cultural and historic significance.”

 

The fancy and precise detail we see are indescribable; gold dominates everywhere inside the hotel. According to CNN, the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, valued at $3 billion, has witnessed the restoration of 2,000 square meters by a specialized team that painted the interior sides of the hotel with real silver and gold.

 

The latest developments promise a new phase of advanced services at the hotel, whose management has always been eager to maintain the legacy of the site and provide new hospitality experiences for guests including renovated rooms, new spa, and improved sport facilities.

 

The hotel is characterized with top-notch sustainable services and trends, and provides redesigned accommodations including the so-called “first vegan rooms” in the region with an eco-friendly design, sustainable beds, vegan menus, and cruelty-free bath products.

 

Located on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental boasts wide areas, expanded lobbies, and highly detailed and diverse decors that reflect an incomparable creativity completed with rare artifacts displayed in glass vitrines in the corners of the corridors.

 

The management of the hotel has been making major steps to ensure significant upgrades that lure more visitors, such as incorporating cafés and restaurants into the main lobby, and dedicating a special pavilion for high-profile gatherings so guests can take their favorite hot and cold beverages on comfortable tables and chairs in keeping with the hotel’s tone, in addition to exquisite food and drink menus.

 

The Mandarin Oriental also includes Michelin starred restaurants and international award-winning spas.

 



Heatstroke Alerts Issued in Japan as Temperatures Surge 

A person visits Horikiri Iris Garden in Tokyo where temperatures reached into the mid-30s Centigrade (90F+) on June 18, 2025. (AFP)
A person visits Horikiri Iris Garden in Tokyo where temperatures reached into the mid-30s Centigrade (90F+) on June 18, 2025. (AFP)
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Heatstroke Alerts Issued in Japan as Temperatures Surge 

A person visits Horikiri Iris Garden in Tokyo where temperatures reached into the mid-30s Centigrade (90F+) on June 18, 2025. (AFP)
A person visits Horikiri Iris Garden in Tokyo where temperatures reached into the mid-30s Centigrade (90F+) on June 18, 2025. (AFP)

Sweltering temperatures prompted heatstroke alerts in multiple Japanese regions on Wednesday, with dozens of people seeking emergency medical care in the capital Tokyo.

The hot weather was headline news in the country, which last year experienced its joint warmest summer ever as climate change fueled extreme heatwaves around the globe.

Record temperatures were logged in 14 cities for June, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, while in central Tokyo the mercury hit 34.4 degrees Celsius (94 Fahrenheit).

Doctors treated at least 57 people for heat-related malaise in the capital on Wednesday, adding to the 169 people seen on Tuesday.

At least three heat-related deaths were reported in other parts of the country this week.

Some Tokyo residents wore heat-repellent clothing to beat the high temperatures, like Junko Kobayashi, 73, who showed AFP her cooling scarf.

"I soak it in water and then wrap it around my neck. It feels refreshing. And I use this umbrella too. It blocks the light and heat so it feels cooler," she said.

Other elderly residents said they were trying to take it easy so as not to risk heatstroke, while 80-year-old Naoki Ito said he was making sure to regularly drink water.

"I don't need to take a big gulp, just a small sip here and there. It's important to remember that," Ito said.

Every summer, Japanese officials urge the public, especially elderly people, to seek shelter in air-conditioned rooms to avoid heatstroke.

Senior citizens made up more than 80 percent of heat-related deaths in the past five years.

Japan is also experiencing a record influx of tourists, with foreign visitors up 21 percent year-on-year in May.

"It's been pretty stinking," said 31-year-old Australian tourist Jack Budd, who was trying to find shade whenever possible with his travel partner.

"The breeze is quite warm so it's hard to get out of it unless you go inside," he said.