Abu Dhabi Just Released New “5 Star Plus” Hotel Ranking – Robb Report

Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

Abu DhabiThe Emirates Palace is so luxurious that it goes beyond the usual five-star hotel designation. At least, the city thinks so.

So the capital of the United Arab Emirates decided to create its own hotel category called 5-star plus hotel, for palaces and other accommodations considered more luxurious than traditional five-star hotels. And this new title is hard-won: to earn the tier, a local hotel needs to have two presidential suites, a high staff-to-guest ratio, limousine service and a helipad no less than 5 kilometers away.

Emirates Palace (Above) Officially becoming Mandarin Oriental in February 2023, following the hotel group’s acquisition from Kempinski in 2020. Now known as Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace, it has 394 guest rooms (including three palace suites), several upscale restaurants, and 114 of the world’s most exquisite golden domes. The 1.3km beach, opened to the public in 2005, is also part of the iconic hotel.

“[A 5-star plus hotel is] A five-star hotel that delivers an experience that clearly exceeds five-star expectations through ultra-luxury infrastructure, impeccable standards and service delivery that meets guest requirements in a personalized, anticipated and passionate manner,” Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism explained in a statement. Many other luxury hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Rosewood and Shangri-La, also make up some of the city’s most luxurious accommodations, but none earn a ranking above 5 stars.

Back in May, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism announce plans It will attract more than 24 million tourists by the end of 2023. The city attracted a whopping 18 million tourists last year, a reported 13% increase over 2021. Its ambitious goal may come true as the city continues to host sporting events ranging from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to the UFC, as well as musical acts such as Guns N’ Roses and the Backstreet Boys. With the crowds pouring in, there are only two questions left: which luxury hotels will be next to earn a 5-star plus rating, and whether those hotels will redesign spaces and introduce new amenities to meet the standard.

Looks like we’ll have those answers soon.