DUBAI – Rotana Hotels on Wednesday inaugurated the world’s tallest hotel in Dubai, stealing a title the iconic Burj Al Arab has held for the last decade.

The 333-metre Rose Rayhaan, located on “the Strip” on Sheikh Zayed Road, is 72 storeys and has 482 rooms, the hotelier said.

The seven-star Burj Al Arab, one of Dubai's most famous landmarks, is 321 metres high.

The Rose Rayhaan, which cost $180 million to build, operates under the hotelier’s alcohol-free brand, Rotana said.

The opening comes just two days after the newly-named Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 828 metres, was inaugurated in Dubai.

Rotana said in November it expects occupancy levels of no less than 80 percent.

The hotelier’s expectations are a far cry from current hotel occupancy levels in the UAE, which have been hit by the global recession as fewer tourists visit the emirate.

UAE hotels saw revenue per available room (RevPar), a key measure of hotel performance, slump 28.3 percent to 766 dirhams ($208) in November, while room occupancy declined 8.8 percent to 75.5 percent, STR Global figures show.

The Rose Rayhaan opens is a four-star hotel, but Rotana said it plans to upgrade the hotel to five-star by the beginning of next year.

Rotana said the Rose Rayhaan becomes the 11th hotel it operates in the UAE. - Maktoob