By Jennifer Polland
Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel, arguably the world's most luxurious hotel, has unveiled its newest luxury amenity: 24-carat gold iPads.
When guests check into what is promoted as "the world's only seven-star hotel", they'll be given their own gold iPads, which will serve as a “virtual concierge” that offers information on everything from the hotel's restaurant menus and spa treatments to housekeeping and butler services.
Dubai's Burj al Arab hotel offers a 24-carat gold iPad for guests' use - presumably they don't have to wear white gloves, though.
The gold iPads are embossed with the hotel logo and were created for the hotel by British brand Gold & Co. CEO Amjad Ali told the Huffington Post: "The 24-carat gold plated iPad is the ultimate in luxury accessories so it's only natural that we wanted it to be paired with Burj Al Arab, the world's finest hotel.
"The symmetry is obvious: Both the gold plated iPad and the hotel are unique in terms of quality, mystique and dare we say: decadence.
"Quite simply, there is no hotel in the world like the Burj Al Arab and there is no accessory quite like the gold plated iPad."
The hotel already has an iMac in each of its 202 rooms, in addition to other luxury amenities such as walk-in showers and jacuzzis, large plasma TVs, and private butler service.
Guests will be given the iPads just during the course of their stay at the hotel. If they want to take the luxury gadget home with them, they'll have to buy one from the hotel's boutique.
The gold iPads may seem like an absurd and unnecessary extravagance, but when you're paying from $1500 per night (the starting rate for a double room) up to $19,200 (the Royal Suite), you expect the ultimate in luxury.