After the fire

This lobby will be out of action for a month or more and, for the most part, it is easy to take his words as truth and not just media spin.

After all, the man has a formidable track record in creating successful mega-resorts - his international eight-hotel empire is estimated to be worth anything from US$2billion to US$4billion.

Kerzner is famed for his eye for detail, something that is very much in evidence at this latest project. One soaring wall, for example, has been painstakingly inlaid with hundreds of thousands of glass nuggets to give the impression of bubbles. He remains heavily involved in each of his projects, and inspects the resorts closely.

"It's just the way I am," he says when asked about this trait, following up with an example: "I was walking around the water park. It is very nicely done, but I still pointed out certain areas where they needed to replant and what have you. They were a little surprised because we have all the issues in the lobby - why should we worry about the small stuff?" But it is precisely the small stuff that Kerzner believes completes the experience for guests.

And he should know. In light of this expertise, what does he think makes for a successful resort? "It's horses for courses; certain people want one thing, other people want something else. And what I love about Atlantis - and I think it is part of its success - is that there is pretty much anything you want."

It's a testament to his ‘think big' philosophy that it finds a happy home in the Middle East.

Even while the 24-hour team work on the lobby repairs and countless other people mill around making final preparations, I am invited to take a look around the property. Ballrooms and conference suites have been taken over by a flurry of activity as the training and finishing touches are carried out. One huge room boasts rails and rails of various uniforms and an orderly queue as the 3,000-plus staff are kitted out.

The site is extensive. Employees already in situ have reported weight loss that they attribute to the many kilometres they walk each day as they navigate it. Seventeen restaurants with an array of celebrity chefs (Michelin-starred Santi Santamaria, Giorgio Locatelli, Michel Rostang and Nobu Matsuhisa among them) are primed and ready to provide guests with any fodder their hearts desire.

Two kids clubs have been created for different age groups to keep youthful guests entertained and engaged - childcare professionals have been drafted in to devise programmes that are as educational as they are fun, to soothe the consciences of anxious parents.

Similarly, the Lost Chambers and Dolphin Park are hands-on exhibits showcasing some of the more attention-grabbing sea life. The aim is to make them, too, both enjoyable and educational.

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