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.

 



Tourists Told to Heed Warnings after Etna Eruption 

Volcanic steam rises from Mount Etna, as seen from Milo, Italy, June 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Volcanic steam rises from Mount Etna, as seen from Milo, Italy, June 2, 2025. (Reuters)
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Tourists Told to Heed Warnings after Etna Eruption 

Volcanic steam rises from Mount Etna, as seen from Milo, Italy, June 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Volcanic steam rises from Mount Etna, as seen from Milo, Italy, June 2, 2025. (Reuters)

Tourists have been told to check for warnings before climbing towards the summit of Italy's Mount Etna after an eruption sent hikers scurrying for safety.

Video footage from Monday's eruption showed dozens of people hurrying down a path as a large plume of ash rose behind them from the volcano on the eastern side of the island of Sicily.

Salvo Cocina, the head of Sicily's Civil Protection Department, said dozens of hikers had ventured on to Etna despite a warning issued early on Monday morning after initial signs of increased activity on Europe's largest active volcano.

"There was a big explosion and a crater collapsed but luckily it fell into a deserted area," he told Reuters on Tuesday.

"It's very hard to block access, you can't fence it off," he added.

Cocina said those on the mountain on Monday, who had climbed to a height of some 2,700 meters, appeared to be properly equipped and he acknowledged the need to balance safety concerns with the desire of tourists to enjoy the views.

Nobody was injured in Monday's eruption and the alert for volcanic activity had been downgraded to the more standard "yellow" level on Tuesday.