Source: The National

Atlantis rises from the palm

DUBAI - Jul 02: Atlantis, massive and majestic, dominates the skyline at Palm Jumeirah.

It towers over the new beach-houses and apartment blocks that feather out along the “palm leaves”, offering sweeping views of Dubai.

Residents have watched the pink structure, visible from the mainland, grow up from the ground into the magnificent building which yesterday opened its doors for a sneak preview.

It was an event not to be missed.

The hotel, with stunning architecture inside and out, boasts 1,539 rooms in its two towers and wings. The opulent Bridge Suite, measuring 924 sq metres, joins the two towers together at the top and, priced at approximately Dh91,830 (US$25,000) a night, is said to be one of the most expensive hotel suites in Dubai.

Four beaches complement the overall concept, but the main attraction is the Ambassador Lagoon.

Holding 11 million litres of water and about 65,000 fish caught from the surrounding waters of the Gulf, the aquarium dominates the hotel.

“Atlantis is about the ocean, and this hotel depicts all of that through the fish, the sea and the water park,” said Sol Kerzner, the chairman and chief executive officer of Kerzner International Holdings Limited, the firm behind the project.

Mr Kerzner was also the man behind the first Atlantis resort, in the Bahamas, and brought the concept to Dubai to globalise the brand.

A staff of 100 have been assigned to take care of the aquarium and its fish.

Ranging from stingrays and groupers to the golden trevally, a swirling mixture of colours, species and sizes fill the tank.

“We wanted to display some of what the Emirates has to offer as marine life,” said Alan Leibman, president and managing director for Kerzner International.

In the centre of the lobby a sculpture by Dale Chihuly demands attention. The American artist was commissioned to work for Atlantis and this marks his first installation in the Middle East.

The lobby’s walls are covered in murals, designed and created by Albino Gonzales.

Wandering through the spacious halls, one is struck by the amount of colour and light that has been used by the design team throughout the hotel.

There are 17 food and beverage outlets, four of which were created by celebrity chefs from around the world.

Giorgio Locatelli, Nobu Matsuhisa, Michel Rostang and Santi Santamaria will each work in the kitchens, bringing to the Middle East their unique flavours and dishes.

“This is important for me, because I want to bring a little bit of Italy here,” Mr Locatelli said when describing the food he will present.

The menu is dominated by pizzas. It was the simplicity of the dishes that would attract clients to the restaurant, he said.

The Atlantis team are keen to promote a family-friendly environment and have created two children’s clubs for youth of different ages.

One is geared for children aged three to 12 years and the other for those aged 12 to 17 years.

An estimated 100 nannies from around the world have been hired to care for visiting children.

“We are very serious about catering for children,” said Amadeo Zarzosa, senior vice president and general manager of hotel operations for Atlantis.

“Our clubs are very age-specific in order to create activities that they can enjoy.”

Outside the hotel is AquaVenture, a water park that includes slides that pass under a shark tank holding black-tip and nurse sharks. AquaVenture’s main attraction will be Dolphin Bay, home to 28 dolphins.

“Having people come and visit and swim with the dolphins is enhancing the spiritual side of such a unique experience,” said Heidi Perez, the director of marine mammal operations.

“Dolphins are a charismatic species and having that opportunity to be close to them gives people a greater appreciation of who they are.”

Atlantis is scheduled to open on Sept 24 this year, with an official launch set for November.

Taxis suffer as bus business booms

ABU DHABI - Jul 02: Two days after it was launched, the city’s free bus service has been so successful that it has left taxi drivers struggling to find passengers.

Taxi drivers say they are already seeing a drop in business as they compete with the fleet of air-conditioned buses picking up passengers around the streets.

“Before, people were fighting over who would get into my taxi,” said Ghadi Hussain, a gold and white taxi driver. “Now, who will go to taxis? Taxi drivers are going around and their cars are empty.”

The turquoise buses have quickly become a hit with residents, who say riding for free and in air-conditioned comfort is a hard deal to beat.

“Now we can visit all our Abu Dhabi customers very easily,” said Kashim Raza, 25, a credit card salesman commuting from Marina Mall. “It takes longer, but it saves us money.”

However, opting for the bus is by no means the fastest transport option.

A ride from Marina Mall to the Al Meena shopping centre, with all stops in between, took more than one hour yesterday. The trip takes about 15 minutes by taxi.

Taxi drivers claimed they were losing money.

“Last night, I was at Abu Dhabi Mall. There were two lines of people waiting for buses and no one was taking taxis,” Mr Hussain said.

Silver taxi drivers, including Khawaja Sultan Ali, said they were also scrambling for customers.

“We’re going after the buses, to their stops, thinking that some passengers will come to us,” Mr Ali said. “But no one comes.”

Mr Ali said the timing of the introduction of the bus service was bad.

“Right now, there are less passengers on the streets,” he said. “School is out, people are on holiday. There are all these extra cabs out on the street, all trying to get the same passengers.”

Ghadi Hussain, who drives a white and gold taxi, said he could not compete with the free fare for the bus. The majority of his passengers were labourers who use cabs for short-distance rides.

“The market in Abu Dhabi is different than Dubai; there are less Europeans taking taxis,” he said. “Most of our passengers are poor workers: Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis. They will, of course, choose the cheaper way to travel.”

Khadim Hussain said Abu Dhabi was too small a market for old and new taxis and now the new buses.

“This isn’t India or Pakistan. How far do most people travel?” he said. “People don’t go out much at night, maybe to Marina Mall for shopping or for a walk along the Corniche.”

Business was booming on the buses yesterday. There was standing room only on buses heading towards Carrefour on Airport Road and into the city on Fourth Street.

Mr Raza, 25, and his colleague, Mohammed Shahid, 26, said they would continue to use the buses as it would save about Dh50 (US$13.61) a day, the amount they usually spent on taxis.

Richelle Celda, 31, who works at the Arty Shop in the Al Meena Shopping Centre and at Marina Mall, said the spacious, air-conditioned buses were more comfortable and reliable than taxis. Before Monday, the only other means of public transport was a municipally run van that had a capacity for about 15 passengers. “If the seats are full, you could not get on,” Ms Celda, from the Philippines, said.

“Most of the time, I was waiting for taxis or for the [van].”

At Marina Mall, Mohammed Haneefa, a bus supervisor, was handing out copies of route maps and schedules.

He said interest in the bus service was growing rapidly. “Today it is going up, up, up,” Mr Haneefa said. There are four routes for the new service, which will be free until the end of the year. Buses depart from Marina Mall, Al Meena Shopping Centre, near Abu Dhabi Mall on 10th Street, the City Air Terminal on 12th Street and from Carrefour on Airport Road.

The first bus sets off at 6am and the last leaves at 11.30pm.

The buses, which can carry about 45 passengers, are a short-term solution. They will be replaced by buses of a higher quality by the end of the year, according to the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport. Next year, the department plans to have buses making 2,000 trips a day on 21 routes on the island.

By 2010, there will be 1,360 air-conditioned buses operating in the emirate.

* The National