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Desert, Temps Over 100 Degrees - Yep, Let's Build a Ski Hill

By J.D. O'Connor
May 01, 2006

Entrepreneurs in Dubai, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, are testing that maxim, creating one of the hottest - literally - ski destinations in the world in the barren sands overlooking the Arabian Sea.

Kempinski Hotels looked at the oil-rich sands of Dubai and said: "Why not?" building its third hotel in the Emirates, styling it after a Swiss chalet and then capping the whole thing off with a 25 story indoor ski resort complete with year-round snow, black diamond runs, and a cafe they've dubbed "Aspen."

With outside temperatures hovering in the high 90s, "Ski Dubai" as it is known hums along, making its own snow and attracting hordes of monied travelers looking try out brand new snowboards without having to fly to St. Moritz or the cafe's Colorado namesake.

The 395 rooms in the hotel include 15 meticulously detailed "chalets" which overlook the slopes, usually covered with skiers and boarders from the Emirates, Europe, and England.

"It's pretty bloody amazing to see for the first time, I have to say," said Armand Muller of London. "As you get closer there's this huge silkworm cocoon rising out of the desert and when you get inside it's snowing."

The adjoining Mall of the Emirates is the largest shopping mall outside of North America. Its 426 stores include a branch of the luxury London department store Harvey Nichols, an Arabian shopping bazaar and a luxury shopping street with the likes of Armani, Bulgari, Gucci and Versace.

There's a fitness center, personal butlers and shopping butlers. Rates for a standard room start at about $400 US.

Travel agents and hotel operators say business is brisk, with the novelty of desert skiing appealing to Middle Easterners.

"Most who ask to visit are from the UAE or Saudi Arabia," said Paris travel agent Jeannine Devareaux. "And then maybe France and the UK. They are close enough to go and they want to be able to say they have skied in the desert."

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Comments

	Just visited Ski Dubai two weeks ago and it was cool so to speak. Very strong business supported by the World's second largest shopping mall with at least 25 shops and restaurants looking at the skiing experience. Gotta be good for our business but the energy equation is as weird as American SUVs.
	Posted by: Paul Mathews Ecosign | May 1, 2006 12:13 PM

	I been here!! Very fun place to learn to ski. My children (3) had great fun.
	Posted by: Hamid Mostaghani | May 1, 2006 01:02 PM

	Not exactly the most environmentally sound operation though is it? Think of the energy expended.
	Posted by: David Kent-Jackson | May 2, 2006 06:59 AM

	Thats awsome. There's a ski hill in the saudi arabian desert. Who cares how much energy it uses up, it will be a huge attraction, people will want to come from all over the world to go skiing in the desert.
	Posted by: Dr. John fliperdinkel | February 15, 2007 06:52 PM