I happened to be teaching art in a very prestigious company from the financial district of the city. Their headquarters occupied a whole modern high-rise building, flooded with light both natural and artificial and well decorated with contemporary art of various styles. What surprised me was the amount of gold fittings used profusely in many areas - from door handles to extravagant chandeliers, and part of the furniture. It quickly dawned on me that this company was also operating as a luxurious hotel, with a couple of suites at the back of the boardrooms and conference halls.