The world has no shortage of skyscraping hotels. Readers may be surprised, however, about the names and locations of the world’s tallest ones. The Baiyoke Tower II, for example, also known as the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, ranks as the fifth tallest in the world. Located in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok in Thailand, Baiyoke reaches a height of 304 meters with 85 above-ground floors. This mixed-use building became the tallest building in both Thailand and Southeast Asia upon its completion in 1997. With its 673-room hotel situated between the 22nd and 74th floors, it is one of Bangkok’s most famous buildings.
The Baiyoke Sky Hotel is surpassed by the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai by just a mere 5 meters. The Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, completed April 15, 2000, stands at an architectural height of 309 meters with 56 floors above ground. It is the second-tallest completed all-hotel building in the world, eclipsed only by the Burj Al Arab hotel (also in Dubai). It boasts has 40 luxury suites that comprise 10 percent of its total room count.
The Burj Al Arab Hotel, otherwise known as the Chicago Beach Hotel, comes in at number three at a height of 321 meters. Built in 1999, the Burj Al Arab has 60 above-ground floors and an impressive 24 meter helipad projecting 210 metes above the ground. It is one of the world’s tallest structures to use a membrane facade. Excluding mixed-use buildings like the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai and the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea, it is the tallest operating hotel building in the world. It is both a national landmark for the United Arab Emirates and one of Dubai’s more famous buildings.
Weighing in at number two is the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. Also known as the “105 building” or “Capital of Willows”, this hotel is 330 meters tall with 105 floors currently under construction. For several years it was incorrectly listed at 300 meters. This hotel reached its full architectural height in 1992, but remained a concrete shell for years until construction resumed in 2008, as the Korean government continues to solicit $300 million US dollars for investment in a new structural system. The Ryugyong Hotel is pyramid-shaped building with a 75-degree slope. It is the first building outside of New York and Chicago to boast more than 100 floors.
Literally rising above all other hotels is the Rose Tower. This Dubai contender holds the top number one spot with a height of 333 meters and 72 floors. Constructed in 2007, it is also known as the Rose Rotana Hotel. Contrasted with other hotels, it sports a postmodern architectural style with a curtain wall, glass facade of dark blue and light grey colors. The Rose Rotana Hotel has restaurants, exercise facilities, sauna, and swimming pool. A 9-level car park is connected from the rear of the building by pedestrian bridge. This is the world’s tallest operating and occupied hotel.