Dubai is planning to be back in the thick of tourism promotion by October when it opens the first cluster of hotels in its ‘Heart of Europe’ project, a cluster of seven artificial islands just off the coast. Seven hotels are slated to open then out of an eventual fifteen.
Work on the project has continued through the pandemic with the construction area isolated and so far free of the virus. Only those living and working on site have been permitted to enter.
Heart-shaped Honeymoon Island, above, features floating villas and what is said to be the first dedicated ‘seven-star’ wedding hotel in the world. Germany Island features a lagoon and Bauhaus-influenced villas and will have a Christmas Market and Oktoberfest. On Sweden Island, Viking influences in the architecture and lots of saunas, as well as a Midsummer celebration. Other countries to be represented include Italy, France, Monaco.
And for when the fantasy gets to be just too much: there will be a climate-controlled street where you can go to experience rain and other European weather.
Sounds horrendous! Well – let’s just say that I certainly won’t be queueing up for the chance to stay there. If I want to experience Italy or Germany or Sweden etc., why would I go to Dubai rather than the country concerned? And I don’t need the rain …