Atlantis The Royal in Dubai has ranked 44th in a list of the World's 50 Best Hotels, which includes those from 35 locations across six continents.
On Tuesday evening, leaders of the travel industry gathered from all parts of the world to celebrate each other’s achievements at a ceremony in London's historic Guildhall.
Passalacqua, the luxury boutique hotel on the shores of Lake Como in Italy – which opened in June 2022 – took the top spot on list.
In its 18th century villa with spectacular terraced gardens running down to the water, the De Santis family has created an exquisite 24-room property with the feel of a private home.
In the No 2 spot is the towering Rosewood Hong Kong, set in the city’s Victoria Dockside arts and design district with stunning views over the harbour.
The Four Seasons Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River, the Upper House in Hong Kong and Aman Tokyo finished up the top five.
In the wider Mena region, two hotels in Marrakesh, Morocco, were also honoured by the list.
La Mamounia ranked sixth and the Royal Mansour 23rd on the list.
Twenty-one of the winning properties were in Europe.
London has solidified its reputation as a global travel centre, boasting four hotels on the list: Claridge’s (16th), The Connaught (22nd), NoMad London (46th) and The Savoy (47th).
Two other UK properties were also winners: Gleneagles in Scotland (32nd) – recipient of the Art of Hospitality Award announced in August – and The Newt in Bruton, Somerset (37th), which was awarded the Carlo Alberto Best Boutique Hotel Award.
Other accolades were given to hotels and people deemed to be best in class.
The Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel Award was awarded to Soneva Fushi (seventh) in the Maldives.
Sonu Shivdasani, co-founder and chief executive of Soneva, and founder and former chief executive of Six Senses, won the SevenRooms Icon Award.
Capella Bangkok (11th) won the Nikka Best New Hotel Award.
The Flor de Cana Eco Hotel Award went to Singita Lodges (15the) in South Africa, after a rigorous audit by the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
“After seeing the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality industry, it’s been especially fulfilling to see so many hoteliers from around the world gather in London to celebrate each other’s achievements under one roof for the first-ever awards ceremony of The World’s 50 Best Hotels,” said Tim Brooke-Webb, managing director of The World’s 50 Best Hotels.
“Our heartfelt congratulations go out to each and every hotel on the list, and we hope this list inspires travel-lovers to book somewhere truly spectacular for their next trip.”
The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is created by The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, an influential group of more than 580 independent leaders, each selected for their expert opinion of the international hotel scene.
The resulting list is the first of its kind that hopes to inspire travellers to book stays at the finest 50 properties in the world.
The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023 list in full
1 - Passalacqua, Moltrasio
2 - Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong
3 - Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok
4 - The Upper House, Hong Kong
5 - Aman Tokyo, Tokyo
6 - La Mamounia, Marrakesh
7 - Soneva Fushi, Maldives
8 - One&Only Mandarina, Puerto Vallarta
9 - Four Seasons Firenze, Florence
10 - Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok
11 - Capella Bangkok, Bangkok
12 - The Calile, Brisbane
13 - Chable Yucatan, Chochola
14 - Aman Venice, Venice
15 - Singita Lodges – Kruger National Park, Kruger National Park
16 - Claridge's, London
17 - Raffles Singapore, Singapore
18 - Nihi Sumba, Wanokaka
19 - Hotel Esencia, Tulum
20 - Le Sirenuse, Positano
21 - Borgo Egnazia, Savelletri
22 - The Connaught, London
23 - Royal Mansour, Marrakesh
24 - Four Seasons Madrid, Madrid
25 - Aman New York, New York City
26 - The Maybourne Riviera, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
27 - Rosewood São Paulo, São Paulo
28 - Capella Singapore, Singapore
29 - Le Bristol, Paris
30 - Park Hyatt Kyoto, Kyoto
31 - La Reserve, Paris
32 - Gleneagles, Auchterarder
33 - Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes
34 - Cheval Blanc, Paris
35 - Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens
36 - Soneva Jani, Maldives
37 - The Newt, Bruton
38 - Amangalla, Galle
39 - Hoshinoya Tokyo, Tokyo
40 - Desa Potato Head, Seminyak
41 - Eden Rock, St. Barths
42 - The Siam, Bangkok
43 - Badrutt's Palace, St. Moritz
44 - Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
45 - The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
46 - NoMad London, London
47 - The Savoy, London
48 - Equinox New York, New York City
49 - Six Senses Ibiza, Portinatx
50 - Hotel de Crillon, Paris
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
Sole DXB runs from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Design District. Weekend pass is Dh295 while a one day pass is Dh195. Tickets are available from www.soledxb.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE%C2%A0SPECS
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Boston%20Strangler
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Little Things
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto
Four stars
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
%3Cp%3E1.%20Singapore%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Switzerland%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Denmark%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Ireland%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Hong%20Kong%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Sweden%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Taiwan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Netherlands%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Norway%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs: 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 60kWh battery
Transmission: Single-speed Electronic Precision Shift
Power: 204hp
Torque: 360Nm
Range: 520km (claimed)
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
The specs: Macan Turbo
Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
Aayan%E2%80%99s%20records
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