Being built in the heart of UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi is a five star hotel whose looks will blow your mind. The Grand Corniche Hotel has the potential to change the entire landscape with its glittering façade. Singapore based Surbana Consultant Pte ltd is undertaking its construction. The hotel will rise 35 storeys high and is modeled on “Dhow”: the traditional Arab sailing vessel. The exterior of the Grand Corniche Hotel will be completely of glass and the tower is set on a rectangular podium. Through the crescent runs a spire that adds to the overall grace of the building. The looks at night will be distinguished from those during the day as detailing on the building’s sail will only be available in the lights lit at night. A total of 390 rooms and 90 suites along with 144 apartments and 3,600 meters of shopping area will be housed in this skyscraper. Also will be lobby bars, two pool bars, swimming pools, gyms, spas, and banqueting facilities that’d cater for 1000 guests at a time. However the place to be would definitely be the restaurant atop, which would provide awesome views of the surrounding area. Set to be completed in 2009, Grand Corniche Hotel is a well-timed effort to bring Abu Dhabi on to the tourists’ maps.Via: Skyscrapernews

The world is really full of strange places, so why not the strange hotels? You will not likely find any of these in the most recommended section of even the best hotel portals as they are not for sure for the average traveller.Jules Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, Fla.You can almost imagine this place like the isolated research labs in the DOOM movie and it actually is a former research lab located underwater. Those who cannot scuba dive can forget about staying here although you only need to dive 21 feet to reach their main lobby. This hotel can house a whooping 6 guests but, listen to this, each room is air-conditioned and contains a full 42-inch window in the water. Better draw the shades if you don’t want fishes and other deep-sea creatures peeping in on you! Hydropalace, Qingdao, China.

This most unique hotel is anchored in the Yellow Sea where it is 16-20 meters deep during low tides. How do you get there? By a yacht of course!Ice Hotel, Quebec, Canada.

This hotel is probably most well-known among all the rest on this list no thanks to James Bond. This freezing hotel is reconstructed each year out of 15,000 pounds of snow and 500 pounds of ice. The 34-room hotel features an ice chapel, two art galleries and a host of outdoor activities. Surprisingly, the temperature inside the hotel is not arctic cold, but hovers around 23 to 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and best of all, the beds are carved from ice. Don’t worry, you don’t sleep directly on the ice, though–there’s a wooden plank between the ice and a comfy mattress, plus you’re insulated with a special sleeping bag that can withstand the harshest temperatures (-40 degrees Fahrenheit). The best thing about this place, the bathrooms are heated!Casablanca Hotel, New York

This Casablanca Hotel is named for the classic 1942 film featuring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.Propeller Island City Lodge, Berlin, Germany.

Each room features a different theme from coffins to castles. There is even a room (as seen below) with wooden blocks adorned with 300 different symbols, talk about unusual.Library Hotel, New York City.

No prizes for guessing what this hotel is unusual for. It is located, (surprise!) near the New York Public Library. Each of its 10 floors is designed after one of the 10 categories of the Dewey Decimal System, such as Math and Science and Religion, and each room houses part of the hotel’s collection of 6,000 books. Think Nerd paradise.The Pitcher Inn, Warren, Vt.

The nine rooms and two suites at The Pitcher Inn are designed on themes such as “School,” “Trout” and “Calvin Coolidge.” And the themes are not limited to just variations in wallpaper–the “Stable” suite has a hay chute opening into it.Ariau Towers Hotel, Brazil.

Ever dreamed of sleeping on the treetops since you were young, but could not build a treehouse near your home? This is your dream come true. This hotel is situated in the treetops of the Amazon Rainforest with “Tarzan’s house,” perched on stilts 80 feet above the ground. This sounds cool!b>Beckham Creek Cave Haven, Parthenon, Ark.

Think Bill Gates during caveman times and you get Beckham Creek Cave Haven. This ultimately “luxurious cave” features jacauzzi bathtubs and large windows for lighting.Winvian, Morris, Conn.

The most unique feature of this place, is the lodging options, one of which is a helicopter. Don’t ask me, but it doesn’t sound like the most comfortable room!

shores of the Mediterranean amid lush pine forest, the Adam & Eve Hotel is a luxurious modern landmark property located 40 kilometers from Antalya, Turkey. Adam and Eve Hotel is designed as a life style with the purity of life. The hotel has the world’s largest rooms - including 27 suits, the world’s largest pool (100 meters), the world’s largest bar, and the only hotel in the world to include a personal spa in every room. In 2007, Adam & Eve Hotel won the TV Best Design Hotel award. The hotel has been stylishly designed using mirrors, atmospheric lighting and white decor to create a serene ambiance, making the ceilings almost appear to reach to the sky. The Adam and Eve is a minimalist hotel set amidst 100.000 m of vast green forest, inviting you to turquoise Mediterranean, the most pampering and relaxing SPA treatments the finest cuisine from cultures a round the globe not to mention seaside golf. Truly unique Adam and Eve is the sexiest design hotel on the Mediterranean.

The guestrooms have been designed with soft epoxy floor coverings and walls completely dressed with mirrors so that the inside becomes outside with stunning views of the sea and forest reflected throughout the room. The rooms are well equipped with all of the modern amenities you will need for maximum comfort. Amenities include wireless Internet, air conditioning, plasma-screen televisions with pay movies, direct-dial phones and mini-bars with gourmet snacks, AC, mini bar, safe. Bathrooms are complete with steam and massage showers, Jacuzzi, separate tubs, bathrobes, slippers, hair dryers and designer toiletries.

The hotel offers various dining options with several restaurants serving mouth watering cuisine from around the globe and to suit all tastes, including a main buffet restaurant, and Italian, Ottoman, Tappenyaki, Kebab and Fish restaurants. Additionally there are also a selection of bars with different atmospheres and drink selections so you will never go thirsty. Sleekly elegant restaurant, coupled with a visual celebration of pleasure for the eye and mind. Whether you move on to one of the special interest bars, or when you dine at the restaurants, Adam and Eve Hotel is designed to let you show off your personal style.

Adam & Eve Hotel combines design, nature and sensuality to create the newest concept hotel in the Mediterranean, opening in late 2006. Calling itself a “sexy design hotel” it is due to open late summer with a rate of around €250 per room. Children age 1 and under stay free in the room with parents and in existing bedding. Children age 2-12 receive a 50 pct reduction. Located in the center of the Mediterraneans new destination, this is a place where luxury and comfort surround you. A rich visual temptation the scene at Adam and Eve Hotel is one that the original parents of humanity could never have imagine

This most unique hotel is anchored in the Yellow Sea where it is 16-20 meters deep during low tides. How do you get there? By a yacht of course!Ice Hotel, Quebec, Canada.

Younis scored double century in Karachi test

KARACHI: Skipper Younis Khan scored double century in the first test against Sri Lanka at National Stadium here on Tuesday.

Tennis: Azarenka triumphs in Memphis

MEMPHIS: Victoria Azarenka of Belarus claimed her second title of the season Saturday as Andy Roddick and Radek Stepanek booked a final showdown at this 1.22 million-dollar ATP and WTA hard court tournament.Second-seeded Azarenka swept past top-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-1, 6-3 to add the Memphis crown to the first career title she won in Brisbane last month. The 19-year-old had reached four finals over her previous two seasons but didn't break through until the Australian Open tune up. After a disappointing showing in the Australian Open, where she retired from her fourth-round match against eventual champion Serena Williams due to heat-related issues, Azarenka rebounded here.In the men's semi-finals, US top seed Andy Roddick rallied to beat Australian Lleyton Hewitt 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in a showdown of former world number ones. Roddick, who blasted half his 16 aces in the second set and six more in the third, advanced to Sunday's final for a 300,000-dollar top prize against Czech fifth seed Radek Stepanek, who eliminated Israeli qualifier Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-1.

Sri Lanka 505-3 at lunch in first test

KARACHI: Sri Lanka reached 505 for the loss of three wickets in their first innings at lunch interval on the second day of the first cricket test against Pakistan at National Stadium on Sunday. Mahela Jayawardene (185) and Thilan Samaraweera (177) were at the crease at the break. Sri Lanka scored 99 runs in the session without losing a wicket

Pakistan needs 401 runs to avoid follow-on

KARACHI: Pakistan will resume its first innings at 44-1 on day 3 of the Karachi Test at National Stadium here on Monday.Earlier on day 2, Sri Lankan duo Mahela Jayawardene (240) and Thilan Samaraweera (231) rewrote the record book with a massive 437-run stand that put Sri Lanka in the driver's seat on day two of their first cricket Test against Pakistan here on Sunday.The outgoing Lankan skipper Jayawardene and Samaraweera starred in a fourth-wicket partnership of 437 runs from 634 balls that not only smashed a five-decade-old record but also guided Sri Lanka to a massive 644 for seven before the visitors declared.The spectre of follow on looms large on Pakistan, who finished the day at 44 for one, having lost opener Salman Butt (23) to Muttiah Muralitharan.Debutant Khurrum Manzoor (18) and captain Younis Khan (0) were batting at stumps with the hosts needing another 401 to avoid the ignominy of follow on.With the pitch offering little to the bowlers, Jayawardene, resuming the second day on 136, and Samaraweera, on 130, carried batting fluently and effortlessly taking their team to 505 at lunch.During their long partnership they surpassed the 52-year old batting record of 411 runs for the fourth wicket by Peter May and Colin Cowdrey of England in 1952 against the West Indies. Sri Lanka's total is also their highest against Pakistan and also the highest by any team at the National Stadium.Pakistan gained some consolation just before tea when they grabbed three wickets in 10 balls.Former captain Shoaib Malik broke the partnerhip when he had Jayawardene caught by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal while trying to sweep a leg side ball.Jayawardene went after having batted for 423 balls and hit 26 fours.His partner, Samaraweera, who made his first double century and highest Test score fell seven balls later at the same scoreof 614 when he was bowled by a flipper from leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.Samaraweera batted for 318 balls and hit 31 fours.Pakistan got their third wicket when Tillakaratne Dilshan(0) was caught behind beaten by a doosra by Malik leaving the visitors on 614 for six at tea.Sri Lanka declared shortly after resumption when Kaneria got his third wicket bowling Prasanna Jayawardene for 18 to leave him with figures of 3 for 170

ICC to pay homage to Steve Bucknor

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) will pay a glowing tribute to umpire Steve Bucknor, who has decided to retire from officiating in international cricket next month."Steve's contribution to our great sport over two decades at the top level of umpiring has been immense. We will pay Steve the tribute for his outstanding service to the game merits once his final appointments have been completed," ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said."To have remained as one of the game's top officials for that length of time has required Steve to be self-motivated, confident and well respected, and he has all those qualities in abundance, while at the same time remaining a very humble man," Lorgat added.The 62-year-old Jamaican's last Test assignment will be the third match between South Africa and Australia in Cape Town from March 19, while the two ODIs between West Indies and England in Barbadoes will be his last match commitment at international level."In the meantime, I know that Steve, being the understated man that he is, will want to focus on the job at hand, that of getting things right on the field, something he has done as well as any other umpire in the history of the game," Lorgat said in an ICC release.Bucknor officiated in a record 126 Tests and 179 ODIs, including every World Cup final since 1992.

Karachi Test wicket not supporting, term experts

KARACHI: Terming the Karachi Test wicket not supporting for bowlers, team management and other cricketing experts said, this wicket is serving nothing good to cricket, as it is a batsmen’s paradise offering nothing much for bowlers on it.After Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam’s criticism, captain Pakistan cricket team Yonus Khan also said the wicket is dead for bowlers.He said, over nine hundred runs have been scored on the pitch so far but only 10 wickets have fallen adding bowlers are sick of playing cricket on such pitches.According to experts, such pitches endanger popularity of Test cricket meanwhile, Younus Khan called for preparation of supporting wicket at all costs in second Test match at Gaddafi Stadium.

ICC fails to end Indian board and ICL dispute

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council's (ICC) bid to end a dispute between the Indian board and the rebel Twenty20 league ended in failure on Monday.The Indian Cricket League's (ICL) application to be recognised as unofficial cricket will now go before the ICC Board which meets in Dubai in April, the ruling body said in a news release.ICC president David Morgan was disappointed three-hour talks in Johannesburg proved fruitless."I'm grateful to all parties for coming together with the best of intentions and the discussions took place in a friendly and cordial manner but, unfortunately, we were not able to come to a successful conclusion," he said.The ICL, bankrolled by one of India's largest media firms, launched the league following India's triumph in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007.It signed overseas players, particularly from Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh. However the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), concerned the league would undermine its position, refused to recognise it and persuaded other national boards to ban players who signed up.

Skipper Younis struggling to avoid follow-on

KARACHI: The fourth day’s play in first test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is underway at National Stadium.Younis Khan's unbeaten ton helped Pakistan fought back to save their first Test against Sri Lanka with a resolute display of batting.The new Pakistan captain, who came under fire for his questionable fielding tactics that allowed Sri Lanka to amass 644 for seven declared, took his team to safer shores with an unbeaten 149. Misbah-ul-Haq (20) was the other unbeaten batsman. At stumps, Pakistan were placed at 296-3, still 348 runs behind Sri Lanka and needing 149 more to save the follow-on.

Younis scored double century in Karachi test

Updated at: 1332 PST, Tuesday, February 24, 2009 KARACHI: Skipper Younis Khan scored double century in the first test against Sri Lanka at National Stadium here on Tuesday.

Dominic Cork says no security threat in Pakistan

KARACHI: Former English fast bowler Dominic Cork Monday urged English cricket team to tour Pakistan as he insisted there is no security threat in Pakistan.Talking to media here in Karachi Cork said, “I have enjoyed in Karachi a great deal and I met no difficulty here.” Adding that English and Australian players will find no security threat here in Pakistan. He maintained that he was ready to forward a detailed report on security issue to English Cricket Board (ECB) in case ECB seeks.He termed banning ICL players from playing domestic cricket “needless”.

Sri Lankan team postpones practice session

KARACHI: The Sri Lankan cricket team has postponed its practice session scheduled to be held at the National Stadium today while the Pakistan team will practice in afternoon.The Sri Lankans while postponing their practice session preferred to go to the Karachi Golf Club where they are enjoying golf at themoment.Meanwhile, Pakistani cricketers will go on practice at the National Stadium where Ahmed Shahzad will also join the training camp.Ahmed Shahzad, who was earlier not among the 22 probable players, has succeeded in getting the attention of the selectors by hitting a brilliant 146 in the recent two-day practice match against the touring Sri Lankan team.

Yousuf calls on chairman PCB

LAHORE: Pakistan’s renowned batsman and the ICL player Mohammad Yousuf met with chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt here today at the Gaddafi Stadium.Talking with media after the meeting, Mohammad Yousuf said that his meeting with Ijaz Butt was held in a pleasant atmosphere.He said that the PCB chairman wants him to come back in the national team.However, Yousuf said that he cannot say at the moment that when he would return to the team as various issues remained to be resolved.Mohammad Yousuf said that the PCB chairman did not say anything for leaving the ICL.He further told that he has signed the contract with the ICL before signing the central contract with the PCB.