Tall Order - Another Hotel Record Breaker In Abu Dhabi

The stunning Dusit Thani atrium, said to be the third highest in the world

There’s a smile on the face of the marketing and communications manager as he proudly gives me a tour of his beloved Dusit Thani Hotel in Abu Dhabi, because Vivek Suri knows he has an ace up his sleeve!

In this strangely luxurious, almost brash, society, where sand and one-upmanship are commonplace, the need to have something ‘worthy’ to say is almost a prerequisite to doing business in the hospitality sector.

“We have the third highest atrium of any hotel in the world at 125m,” says Vivek. He pauses for my reaction, but realises I need further clarity. The dictionary says that an atrium is an ‘an open-roofed entrance hall or central court in an ancient Roman house.’ But right now, we’re not in Italy and I’m sure the houses didn’t have 527 rooms or 37 floors!...