QE2 ocean liner brought back from the brink for new life as luxury hotel

A decade since its retirement, the former transatlantic liner, Queen Elizabeth 2, will once more see guests ascend the gangway as it opened her doors as a luxury hotel in Dubai earlier this month.

Whilst enjoying their World cruise on board the Queen Mary 2 passengers were given the opportunity to be the first to visit the newly opened Queen Elizabeth 2 that has just opened its doors as a floating hotel on the Dubai coast.

Guests travelling on the Queen Mary 2 were given the opportunity to join special guests and media folk at the opening of the Queen Elizabeth 2 hotel on the 18th April, whilst Mary was docked in Dubai on her World Voyage.

It is Cunard’s intention to offer visits to the Queen Elizabeth hotel on future World Cruises, giving passengers the chance to take a glimpse into the company’s long standing history. Guests will enter the ship from a terminal which has been turned into a maritime museum featuring artworks from the ship, which was sold by Cunard to the Dubai government in 2007, but due to the economic climate (who knew this went as far as Dubai and its riches) the ship sat there untouched for a decade, but she is now ready to welcome guests.

There will be thirteen different room types on board Queen Elizabeth 2 across 224 rooms and suites. Standard cabins are 180 square feet and offer a 49 inch flat screen television and dark wood panelling, giving the feel of her glory days. Royal suites are 800 square feet and come with a bathtub, private dining room and balcony. Though the restoration process has left much of the ship untouched, the restorers were keen to keep the authenticity of some of the vessels original features, such as artwork and decorations. The ship even kept its’ distinctly British feel keeping the English styled pub called the Golden Lion.