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On a bright autumn day in Milan last month, Giorgio Armani spent hours walking around a hotel, meticulously inspecting every last detail. The first Armani hotel opened last year in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, in Dubai. But Mr Armani says he feels much more of an "emotional" connection with the Milan property.

Fashion house Armani is to transform one of London’s best known landmarks into a luxury hotel, it was claimed today. The brand synonymous with style and sophistication plans to open a £100million resort in Admiralty Arch. It is understood to be close to snapping up the gatehouse which leads from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace.

The team at the Armani Hotel at the Burj Khalifa must be breathing a slight sigh of relief this morning after it was announced that the grand opening (due to take place on Wednesday) has now been delayed by a week after Iceland’s volcanic ash put a scupper on their party plans when the guest of honour –Giorgio himself – was grounded in Milan and unable to fly to Dubai.

One inevitable area of travel exhibitions and conferences is that many organisations use the occasion to throw out some fascinating statistics and trends. Industry will start to see co-branded hotels for signature hotels – hypothetical example, Armani Hotel in Dubai or a Rough Guide Intercontinental.

First Class passengers receive a two-night stay with breakfast at the newly opened Armani Hotel Dubai, while Business Class passengers get a one-night stay with breakfast at The Address Downtown Dubai. With the offer, premium passengers also get the chance to experience literally being on top of the world with priority tickets to the ‘At the Top, Burj Khalifa’.

Accor has opened its third Sofitel hotel in Dubai today, located in the shadow of Burj Khalifa, and close to Dubai Mall and the city’s financial district.