Burj Al Arab, Dubai

The world's most recognisable hotel rises 321m from its own artificial island in the shape of a dhow sail, with 202 duplex suites starting at $2,000 per night and a helipad used as a tennis court by Roger Federer and Andre Agassi in 2005. Opened in 1999, it was the first hotel to claim a self-designated 7-star rating, and its atrium -- at 180m the tallest in the world -- is sheathed in 22,000 square metres of gold leaf.