Hotel building 'getting back to 2007 levels'

Rising room rates have helped ensure that domestic and foreign investors are increasingly looking to build hotels in Dubai.The emirate's plethora of top-quality resorts attracted huge numbers of people in 2012 and the surge in bookings allowed hoteliers to hike their prices.Speaking to the National, director of professional services at Knight Frank Stephen Flanagan said the firm had been asked to pitch for a number of projects in recent months."We're getting back to 2007 and 2008 levels of activity which is very positive," he was quoted as saying.It is fair to say there is no other city in the world that can match Dubai when it comes to stunning, record-breaking hotels.The emirate is renowned for its skyscrapers and innovative buildings and six of the seven tallest hotels on the planet can now be found in Dubai.According to The Skyscraper Centre - a database maintained by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat - the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai is the highest resort on earth.Standing at an incredible 355 metres from the floor, the hotel is already one of the most imposing structures in the city and it is not even fully open yet.The Rose Rayhaan by Rotana, Burj Al Arab Hotel and Emirates Tower Two - all of which are in Dubai - are next on the list.There has always been a sense of one-upmanship in Dubai's construction sector, with developers looking to outdo each other on a regular basis.With the demand for property investments in Dubai rising sharply again, it is only a matter of time before the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel is overtaken by another impressive building.Developers are reporting that wealthy, ego-driven real estate buyers have been asking for all kinds of weird and wonderful structures that will only enhance the city's reputation as a unique real estate hub even further.It will certainly be interesting to see what the Skyscraper Centre's rankings are looking like in a few years' time.Looking for property in Dubai? The First Group can give you a helping hand