Dubai is known for architecture that refuses to disappear into the background, and Atlantis The Royal might be one of its boldest examples.   Standing on the outer crescent of Palm Jumeirah, the resort looks less like a traditional hotel tower and more like a collection of enormous blocks stacked high above the waterfront.   Terraces, pools and open spaces appear between the different sections, while a dramatic skybridge connects the two sides near the top.   The result is massive, luxurious and instantly recognizable — even by Dubai standards.       Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), Atlantis

In a city filled with extraordinary architecture, ME Dubai by Meliá still manages to look different.   The hotel is housed inside The Opus, one of Dubai’s most recognizable contemporary buildings and a striking example of Zaha Hadid’s fluid architectural style.   From the outside, the structure begins as a simple glass cube. But its centre appears to have been carved away, creating a huge curved opening that completely changes the building’s character.   It is this contrast — between a precise exterior and a free-flowing centre — that makes The Opus so memorable.       The building was