On our recent RTW we ended the trip in Abu Dhabi and Dubai -- with stays both at Emirates Palace and Burj Al Arab.

Burj Al Arab was "interesting", sort-of worth the two night stay but it's not exactly a hotel I would go back again. It's a landmark as such.

Emirates Palace was a very nice experience. We had the Rolls Royce transfer from Dubai airport -- a bargain for the distance and the driver was expecting an indian due my name, not a 2-meter blonde. The staff at Emirates Palace was very friendly and attentive, the room was pretty good and the hotel is quite spectacular. A bit like Las Vegas but they use real materials instead of plastic. The amenities and service isn't quite Burj Al Arab -quality but nothing to complain about. It's huge, even when reasonably occupied you don't see too many people. The beach and two pool areas make it excellent for just enjoying the sun.

It's likely that we will return from South Africa to Europe through UAE in April and if so, we're considering having a stopover and staying at Emirates Palace.