ARN’s Natasha Thomas reports on the sights, sounds and flavours of Azerbaijan.

Day Three

The accommodation I’m staying at is Dubai’s based Jumeirah Group’s brand new property in Azerbaijan.

The Jumeirah Bilgah Beach Hotel is just 10 minutes from the international airport and located on the edge of the Caspian Sea.

While the hotel is a good half an hour away from the city – it’s not really an issue in this oil rich country where taxi fares are very low.

Not just that, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle bus service to the city for the convenience of guests.

Because of its location on the outskirts of the capital, the air here is fresh and the beach and the sand is the cleanest in the region.

Don’t take my word for it. The Cardiology Sanatorium next door has been around for decades and apparently attracted heart patients from across the former Soviet Union because of the fresh atmosphere here.

The hotel structure was designed by Nazim Valiyev, an Azerbaijani architect. It covers an area of 120,000 square meters.

The building itself is 18 stories high with a 176 sea facing rooms.

The most breathtaking feature in the premises – trust a Dubai brand to be behind it – is the 58 meter long grand chandelier at the center of the atrium lobby.

Although it’s not been officially ratified yet, the hotel management believes it’s the longest in the world.

The gold and silver plated masterpiece weighs four and a half tonnes and is lit up with 72,000 LED lights.

Its designer – renowned Turkish maestro Eren Yorulmazer - tells me it was a challenge to put it up in time for the opening but it’s definitely one of his career’s best achievements.

He says the interiors of the hotel have been inspired by the wind. Baku is Azeri for ‘wind’ and is a testimony to the strong gales the city faces during winter.

In summer however, the winds are mellowed down, making it an ideal getaway for travelers escaping the searing heat in the Middle East.

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