Countries were judged on criteria such as how long expatriates stayed in the country, their ability to earn and save, the level of luxury experienced, and the quality of accommodation.

The resort will feature 217 rooms and suites, 91 luxury apartments, and 4 upmarket villas. Other features include 10 restaurants and bars, 2 ballrooms, meeting rooms, a spa, gym, and 3 tennis courts.

The 10 million litre aquarium now holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest acrylic panel. The panel measures 32.88 metres wide and 8.3 metres high and allows visitors uninterrupted views of more than 33,000 marine animals.

The Dubai Aquarium opens at 4 pm on Tuesday November 4. Entrance is free for visitors to the shopping mall.

In a statement on their website they say, ‘The Dubai Mall was prepared to open as planned for October 30. However, the additional days will ensure the final touches are in place to allow our visitors to fully appreciate and enjoy The Dubai Mall experience.’

The mall was originally scheduled to open in August.

After arriving she will undergo an extensive refurbishment to recreate her original interior décor and fittings. She will then become a floating hotel, berthed at a pier on the Palm Jumeirah.

The 70,000 tonne vessel was launched by the Queen Elizabeth II in 1967 and has carried more than 40 million passengers and made more than 800 transatlantic crossings.

The Monarch Dubai, one of Dubai’s leading luxury hotel’s, was named Middle East leading new hotel and its exclusive Monarch Suite has been named as the Middle East’s leading suite.

For the past 15 year’s the World Travel Awards have been recognising the world’s leading hotels. This year, more than 500 Middle East travel and tourism companies and organisations from across the region, representing every industry sector, took part in the ceremony.

The Monarch Dubai General Manager Henning Fries, said that as a flagship project, a lot of hard work and dedication had gone into getting The Monarch Dubai to this stage, where it is beginning to be recognised by its industry peers as a leader in its field.

‘We are very proud of what we have achieved here as a team,’ he said. ‘For a flagship operation to be included in such a prestigious event and even come away with honours, within just a year of opening, is a huge achievement and it proves that the Monarch concept is set for a bright future.’

Located at Dubai’s premier location of One Sheikh Zayed Road, The Monarch Dubai is positioning itself as a luxury hotel with a difference aimed at business and leisure travellers.

Fries said The Monarch Dubai differentiates itself from other hotels in the city by providing dedicated personal service consistent with its underlying philosophy of being a hospitality industry leader.

‘With a staff:guest ratio much higher than many leading European hotels, we are more than ready to exceed our guests’ expectations,’he said.

‘For example, the superb fine cuisine available in each of our eight restaurants and lounges can become a private banquet served in their suite by their own private butler who is on call 24/7. Personal trainers are on hand in the lavishly appointed gymnasiums to provide wellness assessments and individual fitness plans, while exquisite massages unique to The Monarch Dubai in the Middle East are on offer from the world-leading Mandara Spa.’

Details of films being shown are:

November 10 - Opening Night: Bond 007, Quantum of Solace
November 11 - Executive Night: Nights In Rodenthe
November 12 - Russian Night: Mongol
November 13 - Bollywood Night: Surprise Night
November 14 - Charity Night: Open Season 2
November 15 – Action Night: ROCKNROLLA
November 16 - Comedy Night: The Rocker
November 17 - Arabian Night: Lahazat Ounousat
November 18 - British Night: The Duchess
November 19 - Gala Night: Buy, Borrow, Steal
November 20 - Primer Night: Genghis Khan
November 21 - Charity Night: Bolt

Tickets are available from Virgin Megastores throughout Dubai.

Michael Bayley, Senior Vice President, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd said ‘Dubai is a dynamic and thriving city that shows great growth potential. Building on our reputation for introducing revolutionary cruise experiences, we are excited to provide a different cruise vacation than traditionally offered in this region. Royal Caribbean continues to attract vacationers globally and we are thrilled to offer new and exciting choices for our guests - combining our distinct onboard amenities with compelling itineraries including the Arabian Gulf’s most popular destinations.’

Best Long-Haul Airline

1 Singapore Airlines
2 British Airways
3 Virgin Atlantic
4 Emirates

Best Economy Class Airline

1 Singapore Airlines
2 British Airways
3 Virgin Atlantic
4 Emirates

Best Middle Eastern Airline

1 Emirates
2 Qatar Airways
3 Etihad Airways
4 El Al

Best Business Hotel Chain in the Middle East

1 Jumeirah
2 Hilton
3 InterContinental
4 Sheraton

Best Business Hotel Worldwide

1 Shangri-La Singapore
2 The Peninsula Hong Kong
3 InterContinental Hong Kong
4 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai

Best New Business Hotel

1 Grosvenor House Dubai
2 St Regis Singapore
3 Four Seasons Hong Kong
4 Hilton London Canary Wharf

Best Business Hotel in the Middle East

1 Jumeirah Emirates Towers Dubai
2 Burj Al Arab Dubai
3 Grosvenor House Dubai
4 Shangri-La Dubai

Best Resort Hotel

1 Jumeirah Beach Hotel Dubai
2 Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Muscat
3 Madinat Jumeirah Dubai
4 Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Penang

Best Airport in the World

1 Singapore Changi Airport
2 Hong Kong International Airport
3 Dubai International Airport
4 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Best Airport for Duty-Free Shopping

1 Singapore Changi Airport
2 Dubai International Airport
3 London Heathrow Airport
4 Hong Kong International Airport