Dubai-based luxury hotel chain Jumeirah has opened its first property in mainland Europe.

The brand, which operates several high-profile properties in the Middle East including the Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the ‘seven star’ Burj Al Arab,

Jumeirah welcomed its first guests to its new Frankfurt property August 1, ahead of the official opening in September.

The Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai has been voted the best hotel in the Middle East for the eighth year in a row.

The plush property was one of a host of winners at this week’s World Travel Awards‘ Middle East ceremony, the first in a whistlestop World Travel Awards tour which will see further regional ceremonies in Antalya, Turkey; Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt; Bangkok, Thailand and Montego Bay, Jamaica before the year is out.

Also picking up prizes in the competition, billed as “the Oscars of travel,” were Emirates, Etihad and Qatar, the region’s leading airlines.

Luxury hotels in the United Arab Emirates are offering their guests an Arabian fantasy as Britain’s Prince William marries Catherine Middleton on Friday.

The Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, promises “a majestic experience fit for a king and deserving of an emperor” and said it wants to make the day unforgettable for its guests too.

The Palace, which bills itself as a seven-star hotel, offered an overnight stay from a modest $450 to $1,500 (300-1,010 euros) with a royal high tea thrown in.

Beijing authorities plan to build a “seven-star hotel” modelled after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – in a $1.3 billion joint project with Saudi Arabia.

The hotel will be erected in western Beijing‘s Mentougou district some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the Chinese capital’s centre.

The Saudi side is expected to foot the entire bill but we still dont know why such an expensive project would be located in the underdeveloped rural area.

London has been voted the “World’s Leading Destination” at this year’s World Travel Awards, which took place November 7.

It beat off fierce competition from New York, Cape Town and Sydney to take the award, which is seen as one of the most prestigious in the travel world.

The World’s Leading Hotel gong went to the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, despite rivalry from 26 other properties including the Armani Hotel in Dubai, the Hotel Ritz Paris and the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

The Wealth Bulletin has compiled a new list of the World’s Top Ten Most Expensive Hotel Rooms.

Despite the past year’s financial and economic turmoil, prices at the best hotel suites have risen by an average of 10% this year.

The winner is the Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva Switzerland which charges a whopping $65,000 a night.