Think you spent too much on your tree this year? Think again - This 42ft. beauty that currently decks the lobby of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace Hotel is estimated to be worth an astonishing $11 million USD.
According to the hotel's owners, the tree started out with an initial value of a mere $10,000 USD. However, the value kept increasing as they added the ornaments, which in this case comprised of 181 pieces of gold, pearl, diamond, sapphire and other precious jewelry loaned to them by local jeweler, Star Gallery. The hotel now plans to contact the Guinness Book of Records to see if they can claim the title to setting up the World's most expensive Christmas tree. The current title established in 2002, belongs to a tree in Japan, which was decorated with 83 pieces of jewelry, estimated to be worth $10.8mm USD.
While a tree like this may sound odd, especially in a hotel lobby, it makes perfect sense given that it sits right under the hotel's pure gold dome and adjacent to the world's first and only ATM machine that dispenses gold bars. Also, given that a seven-day package, that includes a car and a private plane at this ultra-luxurious hotel, costs a whopping $1million USD, there is very little likelihood of any of the expensive jewels getting stolen - We hope!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of You!