Abu Dhabi: The Emirates Palace Hotel here that boasts a Christmas tree decorated with gold and gems has "regretted" that it may have taken the holiday spirit a bit too far.
The hotel regrets "attempts to overload the tradition followed by most hotels in the country with meanings and connotations that do not fall in line with the professional standards which the Emirates Palace Hotel keenly respects and complies with," it said in a statement.
The tree is part of an annual tradition followed by most hotels in the UAE and the rest of the world, it said, adding the sole ownership of the tree is Style Gallery that paid all the costs of making and decorating the tree. "The hotel is just a venue for exhibiting the tree."
The owner will take back the jewels after the Christmas celebrations, it said.
"Putting the Christmas tree is not a novelty, rather it is a tradition meant to share in celebrating occasions that guests hold while they are away from their home countries and families," the statement said. It is also based on "UAE`s values of openness and tolerance".
IANS
