Who this guide is for
Architects, interior designers, hotel owners, operators and project managers working on hospitality spaces in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Decoflame fireplaces are chosen by hotels, clubs and design houses including Four Seasons, One&Only, Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Hyatt, Radisson, Bang & Olufsen, Dubai Marina Yacht Club and The Pearl Qatar.
The questions below are the ones we work through with every project team, usually at concept stage, when the fireplace can still shape the joinery and services around it.
Decision 1: real flame or water vapour
This is the first decision, and it often depends on the space rather than the design.
Bioethanol gives a real, living flame. It needs no chimney, flue or gas line, because bioethanol burns without smoke, soot or ash. It suits lounges, restaurants, rooftops, terraces and suites where an open flame is permitted and wanted, and it gives a gentle warmth that guests notice on winter evenings.
Water vapour (Hybrid Mist) gives the look of flame without fire. Demineralised water is atomised and lit by LEDs, with no combustion and no heat. It suits spaces where an open flame is restricted, high-traffic public areas, family zones, spas and any room that should look alive in August as much as in January.
Many hotels use both: water vapour inside, where operations and codes are simpler, and bioethanol outside, where the flame is the attraction. Because bioethanol and Hybrid Mist burners fit the same families of Montreal casings, a scheme can also be designed so that a casing is convertible later. See bioethanol or water vapour for a full comparison.
Decision 2: size and scale
Hospitality spaces need scale. The Denver F6 automatic burner is made in lengths from 620 mm to 3,920 mm, so a single continuous flame can run the length of a lobby wall or a lounge banquette. For water vapour, Hybrid Mist burners come in 720, 920 and 1,120 mm, set into casings of 800, 1,000 or 1,200 mm, or made to measure.
Two published figures matter for sizing bioethanol in enclosed rooms:
| Burner | Burn time at maximum flame | Minimum room size |
|---|---|---|
| Denver F6, 1,020 mm | 7.3 h | 102 m³ |
| Denver F6, 1,120 mm | 7.0 h | 115 m³ |
| LogicWood Linear, 920 mm | 9.5 h | 85 m³ |
Lobbies and restaurants are normally far above these minimums. Suites and private dining rooms should be checked; our safety guide explains the calculation.
Decision 3: form and integration
Decoflame makes the whole fireplace in its own factory in Vestbjerg, Denmark, so the form can follow the architecture:
- Built-in: Montreal casings open to the front, a corner, three sides or straight through, and Clear for exterior walls.
- Integrated burners: the Denver F6 drops into non-combustible materials: stone, concrete, masonry, or your own joinery with the right surround.
- Room dividers: movable fireplace walls that zone a lounge or a restaurant.
- Suspended and freestanding: sculptural pieces for atriums and lounges.
- Dining and bar: burners set into tables and bar displays.
Finishes are made in-house: black, brushed stainless steel, Corten, copper, brass or any RAL colour, so the fireplace can match the metalwork package.
Decision 4: controls and operations
For a venue, the fireplace has to be easy for staff and consistent every night.
- Controls: control panel, remote, and the Decoflame app for iOS and Android over Bluetooth.
- Building systems: the burners are smart-home ready with an add-on Wi-Fi module that integrates with systems supporting MQTT, including Home Assistant. Confirm with your systems integrator what your building management platform supports.
- Flame levels: six levels plus ECO WAVE on the Denver F6, so the flame can be lowered for quieter hours.
- Refuelling: an optional 60 L automatic tank system with 10 m of cable and hose keeps fuel handling away from guest areas. Hybrid Mist runs up to 48, 53 or 57 hours on one tank, depending on size.
- Safety: automatic emergency shut-off, a spill sensor that prevents start-up, and sensors for CO₂ level and overheating. Every Decoflame fireplace is CE-marked and regularly tested at an approved test centre.
Decision 5: documentation and coordination
What we provide for your drawings and tender:
- Technical datasheets with dimensions, burner data and installation requirements.
- Principle drawings for built-in, see-through and three-sided models.
- CAD drawings for your project, on request.
- Custom engineering for non-standard sizes, openings and casings.
We coordinate with the fit-out contractor on the non-combustible surround, power points for automatic burners and Hybrid Mist, access for servicing, and where the automatic tank sits. Request documents on our architects and hotels page.
Service and warranty
One point of contact in the Gulf matters when a venue has a problem on a Thursday night. Decoflame UAE is the official Decoflame dealer in the UAE, backed by the factory in Denmark, which also offers remote diagnostics. Every fireplace carries a 24-month warranty on materials and workmanship, for homes, hotels and yachts, provided it is installed and serviced by our authorised team.
A short specification checklist
- Real flame, water vapour or convertible casing, per space.
- Burner length and room volume checked against the datasheet.
- Form: built-in, integrated, divider, suspended or freestanding.
- Non-combustible surround detailed with the joinery.
- Finish matched to the metalwork package.
- Power and data points; integration route confirmed.
- Refuelling: automatic tank location, or water supply routine for Hybrid Mist.
- Service access and responsibilities agreed.
To start, request specifications or book a design consultation for your project. We work with design teams from concept to handover.
