The Burg Al Arab, the world’s first seven-star hotel, is the current icon for Dubai. The hotel has a 200m-high lobby and an underwater restaurant, among other facilities. A bar, restaurant and helipad extend from side to side at the top of the building. The design is supposed to evoke a sail of an ultramodern catamaran. Everything that looks gold is gold, with approximately 8,000 square metres of 22-carat gold leaf used within the interior design. Here’s a view from the Madinat Jumeirah.