43 storeys up, looking out over Sheikh Zayed Road towards that iconic view of Downtown, Shangri-La Dubai may not be the newest building in the UAE, but it’s a location that will always hold a special place in my mind when I think of hotels in the city.
Built back in 2003, this luxury hotel has always stuck to its brand, its heritage and its roots – to deliver that classic Shangri-La service in one of the most modern destinations in the world.
And finally, we got to shoot the interiors with the team…
It’s a property that holds respect for many reasons – but for me, aside from the stunning views, it’s those little vignettes in every corner of the hotel that stand out. Considered, bold, authentic and polished; this is a place where every element has been thought through to deliver striking perspectives.
Whether that’s the simplicity of a 4-chair table on the mezzanine, or the dominance of the giant gold and silver accents that adorn Shang Palace’s restaurant walls and ceilings – it’s those striking features that give the entire hotel its distinctive feel.
In contrast to the stark steel and glass construction that makes up the majority of modern builds across the Dubai skyline, Shangri-La sticks with its warm tones, soft materials and Asian heritage as you move around these spaces full of details and intrigue.
As a mezzanine location, of course, what can be awesome as a first impression when you walk in – photographically – can also be a challenge to capture. With very little control of natural light, and a desire to keep the spaces looking “real”, this was a truly interesting visual project to work through (especially when on minute-by-minute timing at each spot.)
Timing, of course, that means we shoot mosaic glass wall features in order to make better use of periods when guests are still sat in our planned shoot location – the Lobby Lounge, from above…
But even with a few guests milling around, this is a space that just seems to absorb people – it’s rare for the hotel to feel “busy”, even if it is, and you can always find that quiet space in a corner somewhere, regardless.
Shooting statement stairs without closing them off is a breeze when there’s only one or two people using them each hour…
…while trying the same trick at the pool is rather more of an impossible feat.
Of course, the goal to remain invisible and not disrupt any guest activities when onsite means we’ll always pack up and move should someone really want to be in a space. But on operational hotel shoots, we’re pretty quick anyway, to the point where I doubt people even knew we’d been there – especially if it was for less than 20 minutes flat.
To say a shoot needs excellent on-site co-ordination with the team in order to go well (especially with F&B) would be an understatement.
Those timings are so tight, it needs clean-up, reset, visual checks and images taken in literally 20 minutes between two services in locations such as Dunes Café. The goal here being to capture a different perspective on the overall space, showcasing the cocoon-booths and bright, airy, feel to their all-day dining concept.
Switching down a mood or two from the constant bustle of Dunes, that comforting feeling of warmth, tradition and calm is on the menu as you step through the threshold of Hoi An – another of the mezzanine restaurants at Shangri-La.
Full of nods to its namesake city that feature all around the dining room, you quickly forget that you arrived from a hotel lobby as you walk into this colourful Vietnamese restaurant.
The risk with trying to capture the entire space, of course, is that we have a tendancy to make a restaurant feel too big, too sparse, too cold – so focusing on only one, smaller, angle that features all the key design cues can help such images avoiding overwhelming the viewer with too much space.
And after dinner – what better place to wind-down for the evening than the Balcony Bar? Fitted out with traditional wood decor, leather armchairs, a prized liquor cabinet, cigar case and expert bartender with encyclopedic knowledge of whatever cocktail you can handle…
Speaking of winding down – of course you can’t have a 5-star luxury hotel without its own dedicated relaxation floor. In this case – Chi, The Spa, provides all the warm, natural tones you need to forget the modern day business of the city outside.
But then, let’s be honest – a lot of us visit Dubai specifically for the chaos and excitement of the city itself.
With that in mind, Shangri-La have launched a room category known as the “Picture-Perfect Room”. Previously a lucky (if you got one) premium offering, these rooms have that key, specific, view looking out over Sheikh Zayed Road with unobstructed views of the Burj Khalifa and wider Downtown Dubai area.
They’ve even kitted them out with a comfy chair to watch the world go by…
…and a day bed, right into the window, for those who feel the need or desperate urge to Instagram their view while pretending to have just woken up in that spot. (Enough about that practice!)
Of course, if it’s a view you want, there’s very little that can beat THE VIEW from the top floor pool deck that looks out over the same panoramic vista.
While the rooms have an unobstructed view of the city – that one corner that I’ve known for so long now still gives me goosebumps as you approach it outside.
Add to that, when you’re shooting images with the team, an endless supply of Diet Coke to keep you happy while watching the city come alive at night – and you’ve got every single one of my boxes ticked.
Until the next time, anyway.
And a final, huge, thanks to Pramukshi for her management on-site, and Nick for the hospitality of his team.
What a truly fantastic group of hotel industry professionals.