The £7m Christmas tree: Hotel unveils fir draped in diamonds (and no prizes for guessing it's in the UAE)

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Opulent: A guest walks past the $11million Christmas tree in the Emirates Palace hotel atrium in Abu Dhabi


Surrounded by examples of decadent wealth, Abu Dhabi is probably the only place where an $11m Christmas tree might not seem a little over the top.

Dubbed one of the 'most expensive Christmas trees ever', the glitzy Emirates Palace hotel has unveiled the 40ft evergreen in its gold-leaf bedecked atrium.

Decorated with traditional silver and gold bows, baubles and white lights, the tree is also decked out in necklaces, earrings and other jewellery giving it its record value.

It holds a total of 181 diamonds, pearls, emeralds, sapphires and other precious stones according to Khalifa Khouri, owner of Style Gallery which provided the jewellery.

Hans Olbertz, general manager of the hotel, said: 'The tree itself is about $10,000. The jewellery has a value of over $11million - I think 11.4m, 11.5m.'

He added that the hotel would apply to the Guinness Book of World Records to find out if its tree is the most expensive ever.

Asked if the tree might offend religious sensibilities in the United Arab Emirates, where the vast majority of the population is Muslim, Mr Olbertz said: 'It's a very liberal country.'


Glitzy: The 40ft tree is decked out in jewellery, including diamonds and emeralds, as well as traditional decorations


Luxurious: The Emirates Palace hotel, which calls itself seven-star, offers a $1m seven-day stay complete with private jet, chauffeur and butler


The hotel has had Christmas trees up in previous years, but this year 'had to do something different' and the hotel's marketing team came up with the idea.

It is not the first extravagant offering at the Emirates Palace - a massive, dome-topped hotel surrounded by manicured lawns and fountains.

Billed as a seven-star hotel, it introduced a seven-day stay in February costing $1million.

Guests who take up the offer have a private butler and a chauffeur-driven Maybach luxury car during their stay, as well as a private jet available for trips to other countries in the region.

And in May, the hotel became the first place outside Germany to install a gold vending machine.


source: dailymail