| The United States was once synonymous with | | | | safety and some believe the structure to be |
| having the largest incarnation of just about | | | | unsafe due to the use of poor quality building |
| anything you could think of - whether it was the | | | | materials. |
| world's largest ball of string or the tallest | | | | As a result, travellers looking to stay in the |
| free-standing structure on the planet. However, | | | | world's tallest operable hotels should head back to |
| out of the top ten current tallest buildings in the | | | | Dubai, where they'll be able to stay in the third |
| world, Uncle Sam has only two structures, neither | | | | and fourth tallest hotel structures in the world: the |
| of which sits in the top slot. That honour is held | | | | Burj-al-Arab and the Jumeirah Emirates Towers. |
| by Taiwan, whose Taipei 101 structure measures | | | | The Burj-al-Arab has 60 guest floors, stands at |
| a lofty 509m in height, almost 70m taller than | | | | 321 metres tall and is constructed on an artificial |
| Chicago's Sears Tower, the United States' tallest | | | | island that is connected to the mainland by a |
| building. | | | | private curving bridge. Construction of the |
| While Taiwan can claim to have the world's largest | | | | Burj-al-Arab began in 1994 and was built to |
| industrial building, Dubai can lay claim to having the | | | | resemble the sail of a dhow - a type of Arabian |
| world's tallest hotel. In fact, Dubai is home to | | | | sea vessel. |
| three out of the top ten world's tallest hotels with | | | | The Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel is a 56-floor |
| the Rose Tower - despite still being under | | | | five-star business hotel in Dubai which stands at a |
| construction - the tallest at a height of 333 | | | | height of 309 metres and is the 29th tallest |
| metres. When construction began, the Rose | | | | currently-standing structure in the world. The |
| Tower was supposed to reach 380 metres - the | | | | Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel is also referred |
| height of the Empire State Building. However, | | | | to as Emirates Tower Two and is connected to |
| design modifications led to its projected height | | | | the 54-floor Emirates Office Tower by a retail |
| being reduced, and while it is still under | | | | boulevard and together the two structures form |
| construction, the honour of tallest hotel is | | | | the Emirates Towers complex, which is complete |
| unofficial. | | | | with lakes, waterfalls, public seating areas and has |
| Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea is | | | | ample car parking space for up to 1800 cars. |
| home to what would have been the second tallest | | | | Although renowned for its sand, sun, and |
| hotel, the Ryugyong Hotel. With 105 stories rising | | | | shopping, Dubai is fast becoming world famous for |
| to a height of 330 metres, the Ryugong Hotel is a | | | | its architectural audacity and breathtaking |
| towering, empty concrete shell, which has stood | | | | structures. Today, shiny new skyscrapers reflect |
| unfinished since 1992. With no windows, fixtures | | | | the mosques and wind towers of Old Dubai while |
| or fittings ever being installed, the basic structure | | | | some of the world's tallest structures - hospitality |
| is complete but has never been surveyed for | | | | and industry alike - dominate the Dubai skyline. |