The Emirates Palace Hotel has the distinction of being only the second seven-star hotel in the world, next to Burj Al Arab in Dubai. At a cost of $3bn, the hotel is certainly the most expensive ever built. The hotel was built as a superlative for national prestige and not as a profit-making concern, although next to oil, tourism is the largest money spinner in Abu Dhabi. The hotel was constructed to the highest possible standards of luxury and technology.

The Emirates Palace hotel is set in 1,000ha of beautifully landscaped park with palms and fountains, with the architecture reflecting the different landscapes of the desert. There is a 1.3km private beach attached to the hotel. The external architecture boasts 114 impressive domes that rise up to 60m and glisten in the sun, resembling pure gold.

The hotel has a total floor space of 850,000m², with the western and eastern wings containing the guest rooms. It is traditionally decorated inside the hotel, dominated by gold and marble combined with state-of-the-art technology.

The Emirates Palace atrium is 60m high, 42m wide and topped with the largest dome in the world. It is decorated with 13 colours of marble, ranging from sunrise yellow to sunset red – to reflect the many different hues of the desert. 22-carat gold leaf covers the inside of the dome, making it the greatest gilded expanse ever created in one building. The entire interior of the hotel is decorated with 86,114ft² (6,000m²) of 22-carat gold leaf.

If you only have one hour at Emirates Palace, spend that hour enjoying the famous Palace Cappuccino. Sprinkled in real 23 karat gold flakes, this is the epitome of indulgence at the Palace. At Emirates Palace, they use only the finest ingredients to create signature gold cappuccino. Also known as the Palace Cappuccino, this superior blend of aromatic coffee is c sprinkled with gold flakes to give you a taste of royalty, making it unlike anything you have ever tried before.Served on a polished silver tray, you can enjoy your cappuccino with a special date and dark chocolate. There is also a palate cleansing glass of water to finish with.