High Rollers

From Bedouins to skyscrapers, the city of Dubai has come a long way. Today it’s a showcase of global success. So what better place, then, to indulge in the opulence of the most luxurious models from the house of Rolls-Royce.

- Arup Das

Smack bang in the middle of the desert, Dubai is the jewel in the crown of the United Arab of Emirates – an oasis of splurge and opulence. After all, Dubai offers many manmade miracles – the Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, and, wait for it, an indoor ski slope. But it’s all a bit too artificial for my tastes. However, when we got an invitation to drive the latest fleet from Rolls-Royce in Dubai, all my inhibitions went out the window. I mean, c’mon, it’s Rolls-Royce! Nobody in his right mind would refuse such an opportunity.

I landed in Dubai late evening, and to my surprise the weather was just right for a drive thanks to a cool breeze sweeping through this city of lights. Sitting comfortably snug in the rear seat of the BMW 7 Series, we passed Dubai’s City Walk – the new luxury and hospitality hotspot – where Rolls-Royce has its first ever worldwide boutique concept store. Honestly, the brightly lit showroom was quite hard to miss. We’ll get to that later, as all I wanted to do was take a shower and call it a day. And I did just that once I reached the hotel.

Sleeping early didn’t quite calm my nerves though, as I was up in the wee hours. So, I laid about watching the light drizzle (yes, in Dubai!) from the French window. A couple of hours later, I was all set to meet our partners in crime – a row of Rolls-Royce motorcars. If you’ve ever felt your heart pounding in your chest, you’ll know exactly how I was feeling.