Dubai › Dubai Hotels
Updated: November 22, 2022
By Santorini Dave
Our Favorite Dubai Hotels
• Beach resort: Four Seasons
• 5-star hotel: One&Only Royal Mirage
• 4-star hotel: Media One
• For families: Atlantis
• For couples: XVA Art Hotel
• Best pool: Burj Al Arab
• Near airport: Holiday Inn Express
• Near shopping: Address Dubai Mall
• Best water park: Atlantis
• Best new hotel: Address Beach Resort
The stunning beach and awesome location (close to downtown and shopping) of the Four Seasons at Jumeirah Beach.
40 Best Hotels & Beach Resorts in Dubai
1. One&Only Royal Mirage Jumeirah Beach
Hotel Phone: +971 4 399 9999
This aptly-named palatial tropical resort is simply amazing. Think luxury fit for royalty; a flawless beach with white sand, blue water, and inviting cabanas; and a gigantic pool dotted with ‘islands’ of palms seemingly out of a glossy travel magazine. Yet, in contrast to more fashionable rivals, the Arabian-style design throughout is so exquisite. Among vast grounds with towering palms, the rooms and suites are in low-level buildings given names like ‘Arabian Court’ and ‘The Palace’, some with unobstructed sea views. With a kids club, 3 pools, several tennis courts, and a water-sports center, all this is, remarkably, within a residential area close to the exotic Dubai Marina. Also a brief stroll to trams that loop around the marina and beach areas and connect to the metro for the airport and the rest of Dubai.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com2. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Hotel Phone: +971 4 301 7777
Award-winning, sensationally opulent Sheik-vibe hotel featuring massive, 1 to 3-bedroom suites with oversized sofas, floor-to-ceiling windows, gold-framed interactive TVs, and 24-carat gold iPads, iMacs, lavish jacuzzis, complimentary buffet breakfast, personal butler services, and to-die-for views. Two-bed suites add 2 lounges, bedrooms with sea views, private bars, and butler’s kitchens, while 3-bed suites add more living spaces. A staggering range of facilities and amenities including 9 restaurants and bars, 5 swimming pools, private beach, spa, helicopter airport transfers/tours, Ferrari and other luxury car rentals, and complimentary access to a nearby water park.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com3. Four Seasons at Jumeirah Beach
Hotel Phone: +971 4 270 7777
Fancy, family-friendly, and huge (14 acres) beachfront resort with subdued rooms and suites featuring subtle Arabic design motifs, high ceilings, freestanding tubs, private bars, bathroom mirrors with built-in TVs, walk-in closets, big private balconies, and amazing sea/pool/garden views. Suites add living rooms with pull-out sofa beds, more balconies, and guest powder rooms, while top-of-the-line suites have added luxuries like full kitchens (private chefs), wraparound terraces with panoramic views, water features, private fitness areas, media rooms, spa rooms with massage beds, steam rooms, and studies. The hotel is famous for being home to one of the world’s coolest rooftop bars.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com4. Al Maha Resort & Spa
Hotel Phone: +971 4 832 9900
Exquisite ‘old Arabia’ themed, eco-luxury resort offering unique, luxurious Bedouin-style tents (suites) with handcrafted furnishings, bedouin jars, ornate chests, Omani doors, binoculars, easels, sun decks, private temperature-controlled plunge pools, butler services, and 2 complimentary desert activities every day. ‘Emirates suites’ add spacious kitchens, courtyard, and lounge with dining areas and guests’ private staff quarters.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com5. One&Only The Palm
Hotel Phone: +971 4 440 1010
Resplendent beachside resort with a residential air, blending Moorish and Andalusian architecture (geometric designs, horseshoe arches, fountains, cascading palm terraces) having generously-sized, opulent rooms, suites, and beachfront villas with private balconies/patios. Has many suite options that add living/dining areas, private outdoor terraces/beachfront garden patios, majlis-style areas, and private pools. The secluded 2-story freestanding villas feature living areas with bars, private-service kitchenettes, and lush gardens with private pools. The hotel has an eye-catching 850 sqm pool, its own marina, and a Michelin-star chef.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com6. Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf
Hotel Phone: +971 4 366 5000
Part of the Madinat Jumeirah resort with access to its private beach and multiple restaurants and pools, this stunning hotel offers contemporary Arabian summerhouse style rooms, suites and villas with private majlis, marble bathrooms with bathtubs, balconies/terraces, tea/coffee facilities, and ocean/resort views. Ocean suites have more ornate majlis and private pantries. The 3-bedroom villas and above have private jacuzzis, full kitchens and bars, and private gazebos and plunge pools. (Villas 9-11 are more central to amenities.)
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com7. Jumeirah Al Qasr
Hotel Phone: +971 4 366 8888
Arabian-fantasy style, incredibly lavish beachfront resort with a variety of spectacular suites (ranging from 1-bedroom to presidential), with keyhole arches, antiques, stucco freezes, mosaic tiles, and carved woods set in a 40-hectare larger resort (Madinat Jumeirah) that has over 50 restaurants and bars, 95 boutique shops, and more. Depending on the category, suites offer ocean/resort with Arabian wind tower views, private majlis (sitting area), large terraces, jacuzzis, complimentary breakfast, and more. Has access to a private beach, man-made canals, and unlimited access to the nearby waterpark.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com8. The Ritz-Carlton Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 399 4000
Beautiful beachfront resort with Middle Eastern touches (wooden screens, artwork) and large, plush rooms and suites featuring marble bathrooms with tubs, walk-in closets, in-room coffee/tea services, honor bars, and private balconies/patios with gulf, pool, and garden views. Suites add living areas and more opulent suites add dressing areas, dining areas, full kitchens, personal balconies, and jacuzzis. Has a private beach, 6 swimming pools, and 9 bars and restaurants, and is steps away from the Jumeirah Beach Residence walk with its shops and restaurants.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com9. Bulgari Resort
Hotel Phone: +971 4 777 5555
Dominating a man-made island shaped like a sea horse, the sleek, chic, and massive Bvlgari is as exclusive and fashionable as the brand of namesake jewelry, handbags, and other accessories sold at the lobby boutique. Within 7 separate buildings alongside a yacht club and facing a marina, all rooms and suites face the water and are extremely bright and airy because of the abundant floor-to-ceiling windows. The signature Bvlgari Suites feature wrap-around balconies while the magnificent pool villas overlook the curved sandy beach lined with cabanas. It’s not near any metro or tram routes, so it’s a little isolated, though it’s only a short taxi trip to classy places to eat, drink, and shop.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com10. Armani Hotel Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 888 3888
Designer hotel, located in the Burj Khalifa tower with slick, understated rooms and suites featuring bespoke Armani furniture, bathtubs, bars, coffee machines, personal butler stations, iPad room controls, and views of downtown Dubai. Fountain suites overlook the spectacular Dubai fountain and upgraded suites add balconies. Has direct access to the huge Dubai Mall.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com11. Anantara Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort
Hotel Phone: +971 2 886 2088
Stunning desert fortress with a sumptuous royal Arabian-themed garden, balcony and terrace rooms, as well as suites and gorgeous pool villas having bejeweled chandeliers, oversized round bathtubs, Nespresso coffee machines, and mind-blowing sand dune views. Suites add living areas and kitchenettes while pool villas (recommended) add private plunge pools with sun decks and personal butler services. Has multiple dining options, and long stay, short break, and more special offers.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com12. Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Hotel Phone: +971 4 348 0000
Luxury family-friendly resort with modern rooms, suites, and Arabian style beachside villas, with coffee/tea facilities, bathtubs, mini-bars, and great views of the Burj Al Arab and the Gulf. Family garden suites on the ground floor have private terrace areas with direct access to a pool and gardens, while some suite categories add sun terraces. Villas have gold-plated bathrooms, complimentary laptops, plunge pools overlooking private gardens, and butler services. Extensive facilities include a private beach, 21 restaurants, cafes and bars, 6 swimming pools, and complimentary access to the nearby Wild Wadi Waterpark. Recently refurbished.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com13. Raffles Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 324 8888
Extremely popular, pyramid-shaped, Egyptian-themed hotel connected to the huge Wafi Mall, with very spacious and plush rooms and suites with both categories having sitting areas, handcrafted decorative elements, butler services, mini-bars, good-sized balconies/terraces with garden/skyline views. Suites add private bars and work desks, and top-end suites add dining rooms, kitchenettes, and jacuzzis. Has Presidential-themed suites (based on the 4 elements of earth, water, fire, and wind).
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com14. Westin Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Waterpark
Hotel Phone: +971 4 399 4141
This sprawling tropical resort on the edge of a residential area alongside the impressive Dubai Marina is fit for royalty. The world-class amenities include 5 pools, a water-sports center, and tennis courts, and with a children’s pool, kids club, and so many rooms accommodating at least 4, it’s superb for families. All rooms and suites are in comparatively low-level buildings that resemble a Mediterranean-style palace and face the water. What’s more, the shady lawns are vast, the beach immaculate, and guests have access to even more facilities at the adjoining Le Méridien resort. Only a short walk to trams that loop around the marina and beach areas and connect to the metro for the airport and the rest of Dubai.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com15. Park Hyatt Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 602 1234
Top-notch hotel featuring impeccable waterfront rooms and suites with Moorish and Mediterranean influences, freestanding bathtubs, and private balconies/terraces with scenic Dubai creek views. Suites add living areas, mini-bars, and complimentary breakfast, while Presidential & Royal suites add kitchens, dining areas, and personalized butler services.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com16. Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
Hotel Phone: +971 4 381 3231
Beautiful, Arabic fort-style resort (wind towers & courtyards), set in/around an oasis having inspired rustic rooms and suites with hanging lanterns, Persian carpets, Majlis areas, coffee/tea facilities, and mini-bars. Terrace rooms have lovely private terraces/patios with seating areas, while Junior suite guests get complimentary breakfasts. Deluxe Suites are the most spacious and add walk-in dressing rooms and desert/garden views. Has 8 dining options, a spa, and an infinity pool.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com17. Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa
Hotel Phone: +971 4 399 5555
Although the overall design and décor are certainly fashionable, this resort is mostly about families. Almost every room, suite, and apartment can accommodate 3 or 4 people, and amenities include water-sports, a kids club, 2 children’s pools, and engaging activities for everyone. The massive tropical-style pool with a swim-up bar is surrounded by shady palms and inviting sunbeds and backs onto a lovely beach. Within a brief stroll are a mall, abundant restaurants, and the useful trams that loop around Dubai Marina and the beach areas and connect to the metro that stretches across Dubai as far as the airport.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com18. Habtoor Grand Resort
Hotel Phone: +971 4 399 5000
Quietly distant from the main road, this Marriott-operated resort is the type normally found on a Pacific island. The twin towers contain a vast array of accommodations and with few high-rises nearby, views of the Dubai Marina are extensive. Among grounds substantial enough to warrant buggies are several tennis courts and the main pool (1 of 3), which is huge and surrounded by palms. Families would also appreciate the children’s pool with waterslide, kids club, and water-sports, and the resort backs on to a gorgeous beach with gleaming sand and tranquil water. Just a short stroll to a mall and the excellent trams that loop around the marina and beach areas and connect to the metro for the rest of Dubai and the airport.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com19. Taj Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 438 3100
Part of an Indian-based chain of very luxurious hotels, the Taj Dubai soars skywards deep within the main business district of central Dubai. However, the double-tiered pool with ‘islands’ of palms, ‘waterfalls’, and cabanas is the sort usually found at a tropical island resort. The other amenities are just as impressive, while the rooms and suites are especially plush, spacious, and fashionable – and many are suitable for families. Offering so much elegance throughout, it’s also walkable to the useful metro that heads to the airport, beaches, and malls.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com20. Grosvenor House Hotel & Apartments
Hotel phone: +971 4 399 8888
Cosmopolitan, family-friendly hotel close to the Jumeriah beach, with sophisticated rooms, suites, and serviced apartments (1-3 bed) with mini-bars, tea/coffee makers, personal butlers, bathtubs, and amazing Marina views. Suites add lounge areas, private balconies (some), complimentary breakfast buffet, and airport transfers. Serviced apartments (short and long stays) have full kitchens with dishwashers, refrigerators and, sea/Palm Jumeriah views.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com21. Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
Hotel Phone: +971 4 341 0000
Decadent hotel with a luxe vibe (towering ceilings, Arabic aesthetic) offering vibrant rooms and suites and unique, fabulous Aspen Chalets (add views of an indoor ski slope – recommended), all with in-room iPads, coffee/tea facilities, marble bathtubs, and city views. Has numerous, very spacious chalet categories – Ski chalets (great for families) have a cozy winter retreat vibe with stone faux fireplaces, wooden floors, kitchenettes, and butler services, while pool chalets feature direct access to 2 outdoor infinity pools. The hotel is directly connected to the Mall of Emirates with 500+ shops and has easy access to the mall’s metro station.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com22. InterContinental Dubai Marina
Hotel Phone: +971 4 446 6778
Contemporary hotel with direct access to the Marina walk, featuring stylish, minimalistic rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, modern art, work desks, glass-walled bathrooms, and fantastic marina views. Suites add living areas, espresso machines, and well-equipped kitchenettes. Has a Jason Atherton restaurant and a shisha lounge.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com23. Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Hotel Phone: +971 4 399 3333
Although more personable and laidback than rivals nearby, this resort is still very stylish and luxurious. The spacious grounds feature lawns filled with lounge chairs and the flawless beach is sprinkled with thatched umbrellas. The excellent amenities include tennis courts, a kids club with a decent range of activities, a water-sports center, and a shaded children’s pool – and guests can also use all the facilities at the adjoining Westin resort. All rooms and suites are very comfortable and those on higher floors offer perfect sea views. And it’s just a quick walk from the many bistros along the Dubai Marina and the tram that loops around the marina and beach areas and connects to the metro for the airport and the rest of Dubai.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com24. Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites
Hotel Phone: +971 4 319 4000
The 52-floor Marriott only offers luxurious and very spacious suites and apartments (each with up to 3 bedrooms and full-size kitchens), and being on a quiet corner facing the exotic marina, views from most balconies are exceptional. Amenities are those expected at a business hotel, so the pool is smallish and there’s no kids club, but it’s still ideal for families and those staying a while. Just across the street are a major supermarket and oodles of cafés, and the Marriott is only a 5-minute walk from the tram that loops around the marina and beach areas and connects to the metro that stretches across Dubai as far as the airport.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com25. Anantara Downtown Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 444 1444
Almost hidden among similarly lofty buildings, the ultra-sleek Anantara seems to be made of nothing but glass, metal, and marble. The massive rooms and suites (with up to 3 bedrooms) feature contemporary art, stylish furniture, and full-length windows providing extensive views that are, in some cases, shared by the bathtub. Facilities are generally set up more for business than leisure, although family activities and a resort-style pool are provided. The metro, which heads to the airport and beaches, is only a few minutes’ walk, and the Anantara also offers free shuttles to some mega malls. And along the nearby streets with the Business Bay commercial district are a particularly inviting range of places to eat, drink, and shop.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com26. Shangri-La Hotel Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 343 8888
Featuring amazing panoramic in-room views of Burj Khalifa or the Arabian Sea, this classy hotel has modern rooms and suites in gold and ruby tones with local artwork, deep-soaking tubs, coffee/tea facilities, and mini-bars. Suites add sitting and dining rooms and the 2-bedroom Presidential suites add kitchenettes and butler services. Has 8 restaurants and bars, a big spa, plunge pools, tennis and squash courts, and a notable outdoor lounge with poolside shishas.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com27. Swissôtel Al Ghurair Dubai
Hotel Phone: +971 4 293 3000
The enormous and classy Swissôtel faces a major roundabout within a likable and lowly-built residential area. Located from the 6th-floor upwards above the Al Ghurair shopping center (Dubai’s first), rooms are very comfortable, while in a separate tower, suites feature extended living areas, club lounge access, and (usually) balconies offering fascinating street views. All sorts of room combinations are also available for families. Amenities include 2 rooftop pools, an exceptional spa and gym, and free shuttles to the beach. It’s also handy to the airport (6 km), a short stroll from the metro which runs to the airport and all over the city, and surrounded by places to eat and, especially, shop.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com28. Zabeel House by Jumeirah
Hotel Phone: +971 4 519 1111
In a chic and modern square building in the leafy embassy district, everything is so quirky yet immensely likable – from the ‘human’ statues in the lobby to the maps of Dubai on the room ceilings. Contrasting so sharply with the usual chain hotels is the unique décor and design throughout – e.g., in most rooms, the bed is in the middle. Zabeel House is also perfectly positioned: alongside Dubai Creek (which resembles a river) along which the hotel’s inviting bistros/bars are positioned, and part of the remarkable Al Seef, a massive reconstructed ‘old village souq’ (market) packed with shops and restaurants. And if that’s not enough, the infinity pool along the rooftop terrace is truly one of Dubai’s finest.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com29. Arjaan by Rotana – Dubai Media City
Hotel Phone: +971 4 436 0000
Lesser known – and, therefore, quieter – than rivals over the road and facing the beach, the appealing exterior of Islamic-style windows and Middle-Eastern courtyards are strangely not reflected in the lobby, which is nonetheless fashionable. The pool is stylish but not massive, and it doesn’t offer tennis courts and a kids club, but the less expensive rates reflect this. The great-value suites and apartments, each with full-size kitchens, up to 3 bedrooms, and some with plunge pools – are exceptional, and views of the marina and Palm Jumeirah Island from the balconies are unique. A food court is attached, and the hotel is walkable to other amenities and to the trams that loop around the marina and beach areas and connect to the metro for the airport and the rest of Dubai.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com30. Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers
Hotel Phone: +971 4 228 1111
The hotel is squeezed between the main road through a busy commercial district and Dubai Creek (which actually resembles a river). Ignore the uninspiring exterior and marvel at the atrium, lobby, and lounge before gasping at the views from the waterfront restaurants. Fully renovated in 2015, all rooms and suites are spacious and sumptuous and feature Arab-chic décor. With an unusual shape and positioned alongside (but walled off from) the quiet riverside path, the pool also has a children’s splash area. Handy to the airport (6 km), only a brief stroll to the excellent metro (for connections to the airport and across the city), and meters from ‘floating restaurants’ and water taxis along Dubai Creek.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com31. Radisson Blu Deira Creek
Hotel Phone: +971 4 222 7171
One of the city’s first tourist hotels, the canny design ensures that many rooms face Dubai Creek (which actually resembles a river). The colonial charm in the plush lobby/lounge blends so nicely with the Arabian-style grace of the atrium which houses a café and several shops. The rooms and suites are also elegant, each proudly displaying prints of old Dubai rarely seen elsewhere. It’s handy to the airport (6 km), only a brief stroll to the excellent metro (for connections to the airport and across Dubai), and meters from ‘floating restaurants’ and water taxis along Dubai Creek. And with so many restaurants and bars on-site, including one alongside the large pool, the Radisson Blu competes exceptionally well with higher-priced competitors nearby.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com32. XVA Art Hotel
Hotel Phone: +971 4 353 5383
The XVA is along one of many meandering lanes within Al Fahidi, Dubai’s oldest neighborhood (which has been substantially reconstructed). An unassuming wooden door leads to a trio of delightful courtyards with shady trees and traditional seats and corridors lined with contemporary art. Because of the old design, most rooms are compact and many have limited windows (or none at all), but all are individually and beautifully decorated. No pool or gym, as expected, but the overwhelming appeal is the Arabian design, laidback vibe, adorable courtyard café, and inner-city location within a historic district which can be explored by bicycle (free rental). And listen… zero traffic noise.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com33. Marriott Executive Apartments Dubai Creek
Hotel Phone: +971 4 213 1000
With up to 3 bedrooms, the fully-serviced open-plan apartments are in twin towers remarkably linked on the top floors by a ‘skybridge’. Each apartment contains everything needed for families and long-stayers: a large kitchen, clothes washer/dryer, sizable living area, and ensuite bathroom in every bedroom – and on separate rooftops are a pool and playground. What’s more, it’s only 5km from the airport and an easy walk to the metro which connects to the rest of the city and airport. Also, only 300m to Dubai Creek, which resembles a river and is lined with traditional dhow boats, ‘floating restaurants’, and water taxis to the older part of Dubai.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com34. Golden Sands Hotel Creek
Hotel Phone: +971 4 212 7002
This chic hotel seems almost lost among similar-looking office blocks on the edge of an inner-city commercial district. It’s also just across the road from Dubai Creek (which resembles a river), where there are floating restaurants, a wharf of traditional dhow boats, and water taxis across to the older part of the city. The lobby features a sleek design of metal and glass, while the rooms and suites are cozy, comfortable, and well-sized – and the marble bathrooms are almost as stunning as the views of the city, water, and nearby mosque. The main attraction for many, however, would be the fabulous rooftop pool.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com35. Crowne Plaza Dubai Deira
Hotel Phone: +971 4 262 5555
Within a middle-class residential suburb lined with 24-hour supermarkets, the Crowne Plaza is nicely distant from Dubai’s more fashionable and overpriced areas – which are, nonetheless, connected by free hotel shuttles. The lobby is surprisingly spacious and opulent, and the rooms are softly decorated and better furnished than most rivals. And with a fitness center open 24/7 and a large rooftop pool (with children’s splash area and jacuzzi attached), the hotel represents excellent value. It’s also convenient: 6 km from the airport, 1.5km to the atmospheric Dubai Creek (which actually resembles a river), and an easy walk to a mall and the excellent metro that connects to the rest of Dubai and the airport.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com36. Al Seef Heritage Hotel
Hotel Phone: +971 4 707 7077
So different from the typical high-rise hotel, guests can experience rare historical charm but with all the modern conveniences and an inner-city location. All rooms are compact and lovingly designed with (fake) mud walls, shuttered windows, and carved wooden furniture, while the suites are similar but considerably larger. It’s part of Al Seef, a massive complex of shops and cafés within a reconstructed village souq (market). Beautifully positioned alongside Dubai Creek (which resembles a river), with ‘floating restaurants’ and water-taxis just meters away. Guests can be shuttled by buggy to the facilities, including one of Dubai’s finest rooftop pools at the sister hotel, Zabeel House (also reviewed).
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com37. Hyatt Place Wasl District
Hotel Phone: +971 4 401 1234
Impressively crafted from limestone, this Hyatt offers far more flair than all the concrete-and-glass hotels nearby. Rooms are substantial and feature cute corner sofas which can convert to single beds, while the apartments include kitchenettes and 2 bedrooms – ideal for families. Bonuses are the free shuttles to some mega malls and complimentary buffet breakfast (rarely offered elsewhere). The pool is smallish but on the rooftop alongside the gym and children’s play area. The other major drawcard is the location: pleasantly distant from the overbuilt and overpriced districts and only 6 km from the airport. Also, a short stroll to the excellent metro which connects to the rest of Dubai and the airport, and just across the road from a likable (but not oversized) mall.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com38. Hyatt Place Dubai Al Rigga
Hotel Phone: +971 4 608 1234
This bright, airy, and cheerful hotel provides exceptional value considering there are a gym and pool, and all rates include buffet breakfast (a substantial add-on elsewhere). Unlike many rival hotels, it’s also back from the main road, so it’s quiet throughout. Rooms are spacious and many have connecting doors. All feature adorable corner sofas that can convert to single beds, and in a separate building are the substantial self-contained apartments. Within a likable residential suburb distant from the overbuilt and overpriced beach areas, it’s surrounded by places to eat and shop. Also, only 5 km from the airport, and walkable to the excellent metro which connects to the rest of Dubai and the airport.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com39. Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel
Hotel Phone: +971 4 377 1111
This easy-to-find landmark in the city center provides far more value than most internationally-known chain hotels. All accommodations are spacious – especially the massive suites – and feature proper desks and better-than-average views. Some amenities, such as the rooftop pool, substantial gym, steam room, and jacuzzi are sometimes not provided at more expensive hotels, while the world-class Kris with a View restaurant on the 19th floor is certainly worth visiting if staying elsewhere. It’s virtually opposite the massive BurJuman Mall, surrounded by familiar fast food outlets, and halfway between 2 stations for the useful metro that stretches across Dubai and to the airport. Also, free shuttles to the beach.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com40. Premier Inn Dubai International Airport
Hotel Phone: +971 600 500 503
As well as the Holiday Inn Express next door, the Premier Inn is ideal for those leaving early or arriving late. It’s also particularly good value and much better than just an airport hotel: e.g. there’s a gym and rooftop pool, and rooms are colorful, well-sized, and nicely soundproofed. The main selling point is, of course, that it’s only 5-10 minutes from the airport terminals – and, unlike almost all rivals, it offers a free pick-up/drop-off every 30 minutes almost 24/7. No amenities nearby, but the Premier Inn does offer several fashionable bistros and bars and free shuttle services to the beach and malls.
• Hotel Website • Check prices on Booking.com
About Santorini Dave