Help! I'm trapped in a hi-tech hotel
Raffles Doha is one of the world's weirdest, most improbable buildings. That's it in the picture – a five-star hotel incorporated in one prong of the incomplete circle that is the 40-storey Katara Towers in Lusail City (the Fairmont Doha is in the other prong), on land reclaimed from both desert and sea. It's an architect's/despot's fantasy turned reality. The bonkers design is meant to echo Qatar's national emblem of crossed scimitars, and I'd love to see the back of the envelope upon which it was first sketched.
It's far, far beyond my miserable hack's pay grade, but invited as a guest I'm ashamed to say that I couldn't resist. The tone was set at Doha's Hamad International Airport (Skytrax Airport of the Year 2021, 2022, 2024), where I was met by a chauffeur-driven gold Bentley.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
21 hours ago
- Scotsman
Vintage Bentley once owned by Noel Gallagher for sale, but very serious offers only
A piece of Oasis history could be yours, but at a very high price. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A 1997 Bentley once owned by Oasis' Noel Gallagher is currently for sale on AutoTrader. The private sale is in excellent condition and is 'surprisingly reliable' after all these years. But those looking to make an offer take heed - it comes at a princely sum. Oasis fans looking for their next piece of memorabilia ahead of the band's highly anticipated reunion shows later this year might be curious to see a listing on AutoTrader this week… The digital automotive marketplace has listed a 1997 Red Bentley Turbo R, once owned by Noel Gallagher, for the handsome sum of £1.2 million – an opportunity that Erin Baker, Editorial Director at AutoTrader, remarked doesn't 'come around very often.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 1997 Purple Bentley Turbo R, previously owned by Noel Gallagher, is currently for sale for £1.2 million on AutoTrader. | Getty Images/AutoTrader The listing for the vehicle states that the 'stunning Bentley, once the 'pride and joy' of Oasis's Noel Gallagher,' is in excellent condition with a superb interior, surprisingly reliable, and includes a private 'OASIS 2' registration.' The seller also noted that the new owner has a chance to 'invest' in a piece of the band's history. The vehicle's history shows there have been six other owners. For those cautious about ownership, AutoTrader has confirmed that a vehicle check shows the car is not recorded as stolen, scrapped, an insurance write-off, imported, or exported. But before making the call, the private seller has stated they are seeking genuine inquiries only, so there's no chance of buying 'part' of the vehicle to scratch your Oasis collecting itch. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Is Noel Gallagher's 1997 Bentey the most expensive celebrity car sold? It is one of the more expensive vehicles formerly owned by a musician, but currently still not the most expensive one sold. It could be, however, the most expensive piece of Oasis memorabilia sold at of writing. The biggest sale at auction of a piece of Oasis history was Noel Gallagher's smashed Gibson ES-355 guitar, which fetched £326,909 ($405,000) at auction in Paris in 2022. This guitar is particularly significant because it was the instrument famously smashed by Noel Gallagher during a backstage row with his brother Liam in 2009, an incident widely considered to be "the physical manifestation of the breakup of Oasis." The damaged guitar was carefully restored before the sale. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Do you have an event you'd like to share with us? You can now promote your What's On stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
Oasis star Noel Gallagher's Bentley goes on sale for £1.2 million
Oasis star Noel Gallagher's Bentley goes on sale for £1.2 million The four-door saloon car listed on Auto Trader was previously owned by the 58-year-old 1997 Bentley Turbo R owned by Noel Gallagher Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher's red 1997 Bentley Turbo R has gone on sale priced at £1.2 million. The four-door saloon car listed on Auto Trader was previously owned by the 58-year-old, despite the fact he cannot drive, once telling Zoe Ball on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show that he gave up learning after being mobbed by children when he was told to park close to a school for a lesson. Speaking about the sale, Erin Baker, editorial director at Auto Trader, said: "Cars listed by music legends don't come around very often, and Noel Gallagher's Bentley Turbo R is certainly one for the Auto Trader history books. "With over 80 million visits to Auto Trader every month, we expect this rock 'n' roll ride to strike a chord with music lovers and car collectors alike." The car also has the number plate 'OASI6 2', in reference to his Britpop band, who will reunite to play a run of gigs this year in the UK and Ireland, featuring stops at Manchester's Heaton Park, London's Wembley Stadium, and Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium, throughout July, August and September. Despite not being able to drive, Gallagher was ordered to pay a court £1,000 and was handed six penalty points in April 2023, for failing to tell police who was driving his Range Rover, when it was clocked speeding at 41mph on a 30mph stretch of the A40 in Edgware Road, West London. Article continues below Speaking about his driving lesson in the 1990s, Gallagher told Ball in 2023: "I have had one driving lesson in the 90s and I was driving round a housing estate in Slough and she (the instructor) said to me, 'if you just indicate and pull over here' then I pulled over. "She got out the car she said, 'I'll be back in a minute', she came out with her mum, she drove me to her house. "Then the local comprehensive bell went and they all came out. "This is at the height of Oasis-mania and I was like, 'never, never again'." Gallagher began his career in the 1990s with Oasis, who he formed alongside his brother singer Liam Gallagher. The band has gone on to have eight UK number one singles and eight UK number one albums, and is best known for songs such as Wonderwall, Rock 'N' Roll Star and Live Forever. Article continues below The guitarist formed the High Flying Birds after Oasis's initial break-up in 2009, who have gone on to have four UK number one albums.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Vintage Bentley once owned by Noel Gallagher for sale, but very serious offers only
A piece of Oasis history could be yours, but at a very high price. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A 1997 Bentley once owned by Oasis' Noel Gallagher is currently for sale on AutoTrader. The private sale is in excellent condition and is 'surprisingly reliable' after all these years. But those looking to make an offer take heed - it comes at a princely sum. Oasis fans looking for their next piece of memorabilia ahead of the band's highly anticipated reunion shows later this year might be curious to see a listing on AutoTrader this week… The digital automotive marketplace has listed a 1997 Red Bentley Turbo R, once owned by Noel Gallagher, for the handsome sum of £1.2 million – an opportunity that Erin Baker, Editorial Director at AutoTrader, remarked doesn't 'come around very often.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 1997 Purple Bentley Turbo R, previously owned by Noel Gallagher, is currently for sale for £1.2 million on AutoTrader. | Getty Images/AutoTrader The listing for the vehicle states that the 'stunning Bentley, once the 'pride and joy' of Oasis's Noel Gallagher,' is in excellent condition with a superb interior, surprisingly reliable, and includes a private 'OASIS 2' registration.' The seller also noted that the new owner has a chance to 'invest' in a piece of the band's history. The vehicle's history shows there have been six other owners. For those cautious about ownership, AutoTrader has confirmed that a vehicle check shows the car is not recorded as stolen, scrapped, an insurance write-off, imported, or exported. But before making the call, the private seller has stated they are seeking genuine inquiries only, so there's no chance of buying 'part' of the vehicle to scratch your Oasis collecting itch. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Is Noel Gallagher's 1997 Bentey the most expensive celebrity car sold? It is one of the more expensive vehicles formerly owned by a musician, but currently still not the most expensive one sold. It could be, however, the most expensive piece of Oasis memorabilia sold at of writing. The biggest sale at auction of a piece of Oasis history was Noel Gallagher's smashed Gibson ES-355 guitar, which fetched £326,909 ($405,000) at auction in Paris in 2022. This guitar is particularly significant because it was the instrument famously smashed by Noel Gallagher during a backstage row with his brother Liam in 2009, an incident widely considered to be "the physical manifestation of the breakup of Oasis." The damaged guitar was carefully restored before the sale. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
