Luxury Hotels: Armani, a name long synonymous with luxury apparel, has plans to launch Armani Hotels & Resorts, according to designer Giorgio Armani.

Armani Hotels & Resorts is developing a collection of seven luxury hotels, resorts and residences in cities around the world. The first Armani Hotel and Armani Residences are set to open at Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building developed by Emaar Properties in Downtown Burj Dubai, one of the most luxurious up and coming cities in the world.

The Armani Hotel in Burj Dubai offers 160 guest rooms and suites, as well as restaurants and a spa, covering more than 40,000 square meters. The hotel, as well as the 144 exclusive Armani Residences, is to be fully decorated with dedicated Armani/Casa home furnishings. Using luxury materials and finishes, the Armani/Casa collection delivers clean lines, practicality and elegance.

Like Armani fashions and fixtures, each room offers highly personalized living environments where the emphasis is on comfort, simplicity and elegance through the use of texture, color, shape material and styles.

Giorgio Armani said: "I am pleased to see how the Armani Hotels & Resorts project is getting attention even one year before its actual launch in Dubai. I feel enthusiasm, curiosity and high expectations all around the world. This participation to the Arabian Travel Market is an important step before the actual launch and the first time we present the Hotels concept to public since the announcement of the partnership with Emaar. I am actually looking forward to show part of the work we have been carrying out in these past few years and the high standards achieved in all details of the project. Both the Armani Hotels and the Armani Residences will be in line with the world's expectations."

For LxM Carly Zinderman