When people think of Dubai, many automatically have the Burj Khalifa in mind. After all, Dubai has become a city of superlatives especially thanks to this building. With a height of 828 meters, it is the tallest building in the world to date and shapes Dubai’s skyline like no other skyscraper. For comparison: the Empire State Building is “only” 443 meters high.
Located right next to the Dubai Mall – the world’s largest shopping center – the Burj Khalifa is an absolute magnet for visitors. Most tourists buy a ticket for the At the Top observation deck, located on the 125th floor, for a once-in-a-lifetime view of the city. On their way, they squeeze past many other visitors and try to catch a good vantage point, which can take a lot of patience.
Visit the Burj Khalifa in a more relaxed way
However, you don’t have to do that to yourself. The visit can be more relaxed, more luxurious and above all more delicious.
The most important questions and answers at a glance
The At.mosphere Lounge is open from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Prices start from $25 per person for morning coffee. Breakfast is available from a minimum of $65 per person. And the afternoon tea and dinner are served from $90 per person.
The At.mosphere Lounge is located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa. Take a cab with the destination Armani Hotel to be taken to the right entrance. The Dubai Mall does not have access to the At.mosphere Lounge.
You can make the reservation via the At.mosphere website here.
At.mosphere Lounge & Restaurant at Burj Khalifa
The 122nd floor is also the location of the At.mosphere Lounge and the At.mosphere Restaurant. Sitting there, you can relax, have good drinks and delicious food while enjoying the outstanding view. Sounds much better than pushing past dozens of other tourists, doesn’t it? Now you’re probably thinking: That’s unaffordable! Wrong 😉
At.mosphere Lounge prices
For comparison: Tickets for the At the Top observation deck cost between $45 and $80, depending on the time of day and whether you booked the tickets in advance or show up spontaneously.
A table in the At.mosphere Lounge for dinner starts at AED 250 ($60) per person. A table by the window is available for 350 AED ($90) per person. The amount is a fixed minimum consumption. Each guest may or must order food and beverages to the value of AED 350. So, in this case, no money is lost and you don’t just pay for the scenery. The view is basically free of charge, as is the relaxed atmosphere.
Those who prefer to visit the Burj Khalifa during the day can have an Afternoon Tea in the lounge at lunchtime. It is available for 350 AED ($90) per person – without alcohol and not by the window – or for 550 AED ($150) per person for a seat by the window and including alcohol.
Prices for the superior At.mosphere restaurant are even higher, especially at dinner time. According to many opinions on TripAdvisor, however, it is really worth it. If the food is at least as good as in the lounge, then you can certainly trust the reviews.
Reservation
If you are interested in this special experience at the Burj Khalifa, you can easily reserve a table on the official website. Once you have selected the location, the date and the desired time, you can specify the number of guests and ask for a window seat, depending on your preference and availability.
In addition, you have the option to specify if there is a special occasion for the visit. I had used my mother’s birthday as an occasion, just like I did when I made the reservation at the Burj al Arab. After providing a phone number and email address, you can send the reservation and you will then receive a confirmation email with the details and further information about the arrival and dress code. Payment is made only at the time of the visit.
Getting to Burj Khalifa and access
When arriving, note – and this is also explained in detail in the confirmation email – that access is not through the Dubai Mall, unlike the At the Top observation deck.
Access to the At.mosphere Lounge and the At.mosphere Restaurant is located in the Armani Hotel. Since it is neither easy nor particularly classy to find the right entrance on foot, it is recommended to arrive by cab. The destination is the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa. Upon arrival, you show your reservation confirmation, which gives you permission to pass. Inside the hotel, you are then kindly directed towards the correct elevator by the staff.
Location and beverages
At breathtaking speed, the elevator goes up to the 123rd floor. The ride lasts just over a minute. Once at the top, you can first take a first look at the city from 440 meters above the ground and take some photos.
When you are ready, you are again all too kindly escorted to your table, whereupon the feast can begin in a cozy atmosphere. The menu can also be viewed in advance online, which is here (scroll all the way down).
You will quickly notice that the minimum consumption amount is just enough for a reasonable meal. The prices for the food and drinks – especially the alcoholic ones – are in fact enormously high. A cocktail costs on average a solid $20. Non-alcoholic beverages are a lot cheaper at a price of around $10.
In this context, however, it is important not to forget where you are – namely in the world’s tallest building in one of the most luxurious cities in the world. You should not expect bargain prices and you shouldn’t think too much about it. Once in a lifetime experience… IYKYK.
Delicious food
You shouldn’t worry too much about the drinks anyway, because the absolute highlight is the great food!
Sitting in the lounge, I never expected the food there to be so delicious. Maybe the food even comes from the At.mosphere restaurant kitchen and that’s why it is so fantastic. Because it had nothing to do with ordinary bar-food.
We had sampled our way through the menu a bit as part of the minimum consumption and ordered korean chicken bao, shrimp tacos, and small burgers aka ATM sliders, among other things. I just say delicious. I have rarely experienced such dimensions of flavor.
For dessert, I opted for the chocolate fondant with banana ice cream and a salted caramel sauce. Heavenly. The view of the illuminated and blinking city becomes almost a sideshow.
Happy Birthday at the At.mosphere in Burj Khalifa
Just in time for dessert, the birthday cake for my mom was served. Like at the Burj al Arab, the surprise was big, especially because her birthday was the day before. However, I myself was no less surprised, because I had already forgotten that I had specified an occasion when making the reservation.
Well, so we had to devour the cake after eating a lot, because otherwise it would be rude to leave it there – according to my mom. So we did what needed to be done and ended up well filled, despite the hefty prices.
Before we headed back downstairs, we visited the restrooms. You shouldn’t miss this if possible, because the view here is also magnificent thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Likewise, the equipment as well as the service are out of this world. Probably not even Caesar peed more luxurious.
Dubai Fountain & LED-Show
Finally, we left the lounge and rushed back down to the Armani Hotel. From there you can stroll within a few minutes to the Dubai Fountain and watch the incomparable water fountains that take place every half hour in the evening.
For some time now, the Burj Khalifa itself has also been the object of an LED show. Watching the colorful lights on this iconic building is almost mesmerizing. If you stand too close, you also run the risk of neck stiffness.
All in all, the shows provided a worthy conclusion to a very special evening in the world’s tallest building.
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