Dubai’s Burj Al Arab to unveil new luxury leisure attraction shipped from Finland

Luxury Dubai hotel Burj Al Arab plans to soon unveil a new leisure attraction shipped directly from Finland, developer Jumeirah has revealed.

Named North Deck, the luxury concept will extend 100 metres into the Arabian Gulf and feature 32 cabanas, 400 sun loungers, a fresh water pool and a salt water pool, a restaurant and a bar.

The 10,000 square metre private luxury deck is due to open in the second quarter of 2016, Jumeirah said in a statement. Initially, only in-house guests will have access to it.

The deck has been developed by marine construction firm ADMARES at a shipyard in Finland that specialisies in the construction of cruise ships and yachts.

Made from steel and weighing around 5,000 tonnes, the North Deck left Finland on January 9 and is currently being transported to Dubai by sea.

On arrival at the hotel in mid-February, the six sections will be lifted by crane and lowered onto a grid of 90 steel piles, stretching from the hotel out into the Arabian Gulf.

The construction and steel pile installation process will cause “minimal impact” to the marine environment, the company said. It has been designed to provide shade for local fish and to attract undersea ecosystems that are known to cluster around steel piles.

No details were disclosed about the expenses involved in creating the structure.

Jumeirah group chief operating officer Robert Swade said: “Dubai is renowned for providing exceptional experiences. This is the first time a structure of this nature and size has been built in one country and then transported to another country to be assembled and operated. We are really pushing the boundaries of innovation and demonstrating how committed we are to positioning Dubai as the most exciting destination in the world and Burj Al Arab Jumeirah as the finest provider of luxury experiences.”

Dubbed the world’s first seven-star hotel, Burj Al Arab offers 202 luxury suites ranging in size from 170 to 780 sqm with reception desks on every floor, round-the-clock private butlers, a Rolls-Royce fleet and a private beach.