The new world’s tallest hotel is now operational in the heart of Dubai, a global travel, tourism, and business hub. The building rises 377 meters high (about 1,236 feet) with 82 floors. It is located in Dubai Marina, a waterfront district of high-rise residences and includes one of the world’s highest infinity pools.
The Context
The new hotel is part of the United Arab Emirates’ seemingly endless efforts to pursue iconic architecture and expand the country’s luxury-tourism sector. Dubai is known for its lofty ambitions to dominate the global skyline and is home to the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, standing at more than 2,700 feet. It is also building the Burj Azizi, planned to rise nearly 2,300 feet.
What To Know
The Ciel Dubai Marina features 857 rooms and 147 suites featuring floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel, designed by London architect NORR Group, will be part of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (IHG) Vignette Collection and is operated by Dubai-based First Group Hospitality.
The hotel was designed with the help of computer simulations and wind tunnel tests, which influenced its final shape and structure, according to NORR Group. Ciel Dubai Marina has been recognized with multiple awards from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat in 2025.
The Tattu Sky Pool, billed as the world’s highest infinity pool, is already open on the 76th floor and a spa is scheduled to open in 2026. Perched around 310 meters (1,017 feet) above ground, the sky pool surpasses Dubai’s Address Beach Resort, which held the Guinness-certified record at 294 meters (964 feet) in 2021.
Tourism is a key pillar of Dubai’s economic strategy, aimed at diversifying the emirate’s revenue away from oil. Dubai’s tourism continued to rise in the first half of 2025, with 9.88 million international visitors, up 6 percent from the same period in 2024, and hotel occupancy reaching 80.6 percent, the government said in August.
Saudi Arabia is also pushing aggressively to diversify its economy through tourism, and part of that effort includes building record‑breaking skyscrapers. Both Gulf nations have pursued high-profile partnerships with the Trump Organization on real estate and hospitality projects.
What People Are Saying
Heinrich Morio, managing director of Ciel Dubai Marina, said Monday in a statement by IHG: “This extraordinary hotel reflects Dubai’s status as a global destination for tourism and business, offering an experience that is as elevated as it is unforgettable.”
NORR Group’ says in website description of the hotel reads: “Ciel’s design addresses many complex challenges, including resource efficiency and sustainability, the limits of bending glass in constructing the envelope, and the integration of naturally ventilated landscaped terraces within the form of the tower.”
What Happens Next
The UAE is expanding its tourism footprint beyond Dubai by positioning Ras Al-Khaimah, a coastal city about 75 miles north, as a fast-growing destination and plans to increase its hotel capacity in the coming years.
