The sail-shaped Burj Al Arab might soon have some competition, design-wise: Bulgari just announced the launch of a seahorse-shaped hotel complex on Jumeirah Bay Island in Dubai. The hotel is being designed by Italian architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel and Partners, who previously designed the Bulgari Hotel and Resort in Rome.
Together with Meraas Holding, a Dubai-based real estate company, Bulgari Hotels and Resorts is planning a complex that will cover an area of 1.7 million square feet and will comprise 100 hotel rooms and suites, alongside 20 hotel villas and a marina.
“This project is for us part of a larger plan to forge a stronger presence in the GCC,” explained Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari Group in an official statement. “It is a privilege to work with Meraas Holding, a leader in its field, and we look forward to unveiling the Bulgari concept in Dubai as our debut offering in the region.”
The new hotel is expected to be the third designer hotel in the UAE, along with the Armani Hotel in Dubai and the Palazzo Versace, which has delayed its official opening. It will be the fifth property of Bulgari Hotel and Resorts, following Milan, Bali, London, and Shanghai. The opening date has yet to be announced.