Though it’s increasingly common for travelers to make a flight connection through Dubai’s ultramodern airport, the second busiest in the world after Atlanta’s, many Americans still don’t quite know what to make of this booming Persian Gulf city with a population of over three million. The discovery of oil in 1966 began the rapid transformation of Dubai, but black gold is only part of the story. Today, petroleum accounts for just 1 percent of its thriving economy; financial services, construction and tourism are its largest industries. The emirate is on the road to becoming one of the world’s great entrepôts, aiming to be a 21st-century version of Hong Kong, New York or Singapore, and it’s now a destination in its own right.

Europeans flock to Dubai’s sandy beaches during the winter, and year-round, people from all over the world descend upon its concentration of superluxurious malls. Ever more cruises originate in Dubai, making it popular for presailing stays. And of course, people come for the same reason they go to Las Vegas, which is just to gape at the mad spectacle of the place.

For me, the city’s increasingly star-studded culinary scene was a major enticement to return. Dubai now has a dazzling constellation of many of the world’s most famous chefs (see my restaurant reviews). But what really persuaded me to book a trip was the opening of a property by one of my favorite hotel groups.