Emirates Palace is in line for a new rating to distinguish it as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, as Abu Dhabi expands its classification system to create a level above five stars.
As part of the expansion of the system that was launched last September, Abu Dhabi will also introduce classification standards for restaurants and desert camps, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) said yesterday.
"These refinements to our classification system will come into effect in the new year and will further enhance Abu Dhabi's destination credibility," said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, the chairman of the ADTA.
"We are committed to delivering quality across the entire tourism sector and are introducing these standards in collaboration with our stakeholders.
"We are currently working on upgrading the system to include a new category which will, more accurately, represent properties deemed as above five star."
Under the new classification system, Emirates Palace was awarded a five-star rating. The ADTA said it was considering various options as to what the new grading would actually be.
The ADTA and Emirates Palace have said that six and seven-star ratings are generally not used in official hotel classification systems.
The authority could opt for a rating such as "five-star superior", which is used in Germany.
Before the present system was introduced there was no official classification rating in Abu Dhabi.
Now all hotels in the capital have to display a plaque showing the hotel's grading at its entrance.
The system, which took the ADTA almost two years to develop, was designed to raise standards at the emirate's hotels and provide consistency for tourists.
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Grand Slam titles: 2 (French Open 2016, Wimbledon 2017)
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Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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