Mideast first Ice Hotel in Dubai

DUBAI: Outside it was a sticky 111 degrees, but Ali Hamdan was shivering under two parkas as he sipped hot chocolate, surrounded by tables and chairs made of ice. Everything is made of ice: the walls, tables and chairs; cups, glasses and plates; the art on the wall, the sculptures depicting Dubai’s skyline, the beaded curtains, the 7-foot-chandelier and the bar. Not everyone is so impressed. Some rush out after only a few minutes in the 21-degree temperature.The $17 cover charge gets you one drink and the rental of a hooded parka, woolen gloves and insulated shoes.Customers don them outside then spend a few minutes in the Buffer Zone, a room set at 41 degrees to adjust before entering the restaurant.