The $5 billion moon hotel that could hit Dubai

While it may feel like Dubai is throwing up a groundbreaking hotel every other week (it’s basically true), this potential project is worthy of a little added attention. If the proposed designs are to be as spectacular as they seem, the skyscraper-studded city could have a 224 meter high moon shaped hotel added to its skyline.

The gargantuan $5 billion project would, in theory, be capable of hosting more than 10 million tourists a year, including both those staying in the hotel and day visitors. The hotel itself would have around 2 thousand rooms, as well as an array of luxury amenities like spas, restaurants, fitness centers and the like.

But it’s the experiential aspect that’s driving curiosity. While details are few and far between, the moon will be built with its own “lunar colony”, where 2.5 million guests a year can experience space tourism without ever leaving the ground. How immersive these will be is anyone’s guess, but the Canadian architects behind the project seem confident it’ll be ground breaking.

Multiple cities are being approached, with Las Vegas now apparently off the table, but Dubai is likely to be the first recipient if the plans are approved. It’s estimated to take around 48 months to build, so in theory, it could be operational by 2027.