“It is probably the highest hotel suite in UAE, standing over 220 metres above the ground,” she adds with a proud smile.

The extravagant suite spreads across 1,085 square metres and it includes three bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, cinema, a fully equipped gym, a luxurious spa and the grand majlis that is suspended between the two towers. Decorated with cascading strands of crystal, 24-karat gold leaf, leather wall tiles, art deco inspired furniture and crystal chandeliers, the Abu Dhabi Suite is no doubt St. Regis’ most luxurious feature.

“It is not quite finished yet, so unfortunately we cannot visit it now,” points out Carmen.

Carmen Ortiz is the director of marketing of the new St Regis Abu Dhabi hotel, planned to open towards the end of this year at the west end of the capital’s Corniche. Strong flat shoes and hard hat on, she opens the doors for a sneak preview of what is still a construction site, but soon to be yet another sumptuous five-star hotel being added to Abu Dhabi’s growing assets.

The glass and steel Nation Towers would fool anyone in thinking that this is another modern building with a futuristic or pretty de-personalised interior design. But, surprise, surprise! A whole different world is being created indoors! A world of rich, glitzy, turn of the century high-society New York, enriched by Arab and Moorish accents.

“The tower on the left side will have 360 apartments, which are not connected with St. Regis. This tower will have offices from the fourth to the 32^nd floor. The St. Regis’ 243 rooms and 40 suites will be from the 33^rd to the 49^th floor, while on the ground, mezzanine and third floor there will be the restaurants, swimming pool, spa and all other hotel facilities. The hotel’s offices will be on the second floor,” explains Carmen.

Nation Galleria, a mall of 60 shops and cafes will also be part of the complex, developed and owned by International Capital Trading, an Abu Dhabi private company, so the hotel will be accessed through three different entrances — from the mall, from the Rhodes 44 restaurant and from the main entrance, on the side road.

“We are now in the main entrance,” announces Carmen, trying to cover the noise of an army of construction workers.

Two grand symmetrical spiral staircases open up in front of the doors. The theatrical looking hall will be lit by two grand chandeliers in the shape of Moroccan lanterns. A tapestry hand woven in Afghanistan depicting Emirates pearl diving will be hanged on the back wall. Mahogany wood and Tiger’s Eye gemstone decorate much of the grand entrance hall.

“See the floor? The tiles have diamond shape, a symbol reminding one of the Astors, the family who founded the first St. Regis in New York, in 1904, who were rich and had lots of diamonds,” says Carmen.

Up the stairs, a lounge cafe with a live piano player, as well as a bar and cigar room lead to one another. A 1,300 square metre ballroom, a library and four meeting rooms are part of the hotel facilities.

A Remede Spa offering customised treatment will be available for the first time in UAE and, for a change, the hotel will have something exclusively for men: the Hommage Grooming Atelier, a French grooming salon for men that took even New York by storm.

A helipad, the famous St. Regis butler service, a health club, indoor and outdoor swimming pools will also be offered by the hotel.

In seconds, the elevator reaches the 33^rd floor, where Superior and Grand Deluxe rooms, as well as the various suites are pretty much ready. The smallest of them all, the Superior rooms, are 45 square metres.

Dark wood and leather furniture trigger reminiscences of Hemmingway during his years in Africa and perhaps his “Old Man and the Sea” would make a perfect read during a stay here.

In Grand Deluxe rooms and Junior suites, white and soft cream leather armchairs and mother-of-pearl decorated beds bring out even better the dark wood.

“All carpets in the hotel, including the ones in the rooms are hand woven,” announces Carmen while stepping over one of them, rolled up and covered in plastic to be protected from dust and construction work. Like with any respectable bathroom, separate shower rooms, some with their own sitting down stone bench, are next to the main bathtub and wooden towel cabinets rooms and, if that is not posh enough, St. Regis has gone one step further and incorporated, into each bathroom’s mirror, a small flat screen TV.

Genuine Bedouin jewellery, textiles and other crafts are framed and hanged on the walls, blending pretty smartly the St. Regis grand interior design with Arabic elements.

“Look, from here you can see the Abu Dhabi Corniche and Lulu island,” says Carmen.

Indeed, one of the best parts about this location and altitude is the view! Depending on what side of the building the room is, views of either the sea, the city or mixture of both stretch as far as the horizon and the weather conditions allow.

“See down there? That’s going to be our beach club,” says Carmen, pointing towards the sandy beach right in front of the hotel and over the Corniche road.

The club will be accessible via an air-conditioned tunnel from the hotel and it will have a seafood and a Japanese restaurants, a kids’ club and pool, another swimming pool for adults and, of course, a private beach.

Back to the grand floor, pass the future Villa Toscana, one of St. Regis’ restaurants, we end where the tour started from: the Rhodes 44 restaurant. No doubt about it, this will be one of the most exciting culinary news in Abu Dhabi this year. The legendary British chef with six Michelin stars attached to his apron will open his second restaurant in UAE.

“There will be a boutique area where people can buy pastry and deserts, then over here there will be the open kitchen where you can watch Garry cook. On this side there will be a juice bar, and over there various pastry and other items will be presented,” explains Carmen.

The cuisine of Rhodes 44 will be British, European and Arabic, “ideal for sharing”, as Carmen suggests.

Back at the entrance doors, a group of men in grey suites have just come in to have a look at the new St. Regis. It is time to hand over the hard hat and wait for the opening news.

silvia@khaleejtimes.com