United Arab Emirates Hotels

Other Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

The Address Downtown Burj

by gandhicd

Service was poor when checking in
Bathroom was damaged but was given a new room

Great views from the endless pool.

Nihal Hotel: Good Hotel near Airport and Dera Area

by adeeltahir

Near Main road
Friendly staff

Free shuttle service for Dubai City Centre and Dubai Mall available

Casablanca Hotel: Ras Al Khaimah Affordable Hotel

by travelpoop

New in town and unable to afford to stay at the Hilton Downtown in Ras Al khaimah for more than a couple of nights.

Did not have to look far as across the road was the Casablanca hotel. The decor may be a bit cheesy but the room was decent, spacious and a third of the price compared to Hilton.

Good Location - 10 minute walk to The Mall and to the Free Zone.

Thai massage parlour on the top floor

Metropolitan Hotel: 4 Star hotel

by donna12

Old 4 star hotel situated on Sheikh Zayed Road. Nice pool and lovely rooms. Extensive breakfast.

burj al arab: burj al arab

by balramdass

great

The Majestic Hotel Tower: Hotel in Dubai

by donna12

Superb hotel situated in Bur Dubai, with executive suites on the top floors. Superb views of the city and a lovely swimming pool.

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi: Rattling around in a Palace

by FriederikevonRabenau

We stayed at the Emirates Palace for a week end in July 2007. Reception and check-in upon my arrival in the evening were friendly and efficient and I was grateful that someone took my luggage as I had to perform a hike of about half a mile to get to my room. The hotel is extremely vast with a couple of wings that go off in opposing directions, which is why the gyms and other facilities exist in twin version at the opposing ends of the hotel. After the morning hike from our room to the restaurant we felt that we had already worked off sufficient calories to deserve the pig-out at the fabulous breakfast buffet. While the standard room was cosy enough, we were unable to set the air conditioning to a comfortable level and even though we asked for help from the staff they didn't seem to be able to do anything for us. When we tried to open the window to let some warm air in, the condensation that almost immediately started to form and run down the walls, forced us to close the window and we decided to switch the aircon off for a while until the room got too stuffy. During a walk through the tomb like halls of the hotel we did meet the odd guest or two and almost felt that we had to greet them like long lost fellow members of our species. While we didn't feel quite lonely at this point it was remarkable how empty the whole place was. However, we were told by the staff that during the following week the hotel was fully booked with a conference.
While I can't fault the service or the food that we received I do not feel the desire to stay there again as everything was too big, too vast, too overbearing, too empty. I simply didn't feel comfortable there and prefer simpler more homely accommodation that has not been purpose-built to dazzle.

The Emirates Palace is another one of the Arabian extravaganzas in luxury and questionable taste (see my write-up on Burj Al Arab). Allegedly the most expensive hotel ever built (and I can believe it) with no obvious intention to ever recoup the money spent on its creation, it merely seems to serve the purpose to impress and dazzle. We stayed in the at US$ 385 per room per night surprizingly affordable standard room (see picture), which still sported fabulous furnishings, plasma screen TV, remote controlled air conditioning, sound and TV systems and possibly more that I couldn't figure out. Everything was beautifully appointed and our balcony had views over one of the magnificent out door swimming pools. Rooms with views over the private beach are also available. Gyms with (very sparsely attended) aerobics classes, spas, indoor swimming pools are also available and one of the most important features are electric, chauffeur driven golf carts that take people around the grounds as the distances one has to travel are vast and it tends to be unbearably hot and humid for a significant part of the year. Alternatively, mountain bikes can be borrowed for this purpose but one would have to do the peddling oneself. By the pool we got deck chairs, towels and water bottels brought to us but didn't feel quite as spoiled as at the Burj Al Arab.

Burj Al Arab, Dubai: Self-proclaimed 7 Star Hotel losing stars?

by FriederikevonRabenau

We stayed at the Burj Al Arab in 2003 and 2005 for a week end each time. What a downer the second stay was. Read about the unique qualities first before you continue to read this:
In 2005 the transport, breakfast, dinner, massage and dressing gown had all been removed from the menu but all the other extras had remained. We couldn't help but observe that our room was starting to look a bit tired with the wall paper scuffed in places. We could also tell which was the preferred furniture by the other guests as certain seats and sofas were starting to look saggy and scuffed. Neither our wall clock nor the TV in the bed room were working. It took the engineer three attempts before the TV got fixed, the wall clock remained dysfunctional throughout our stay. The mattress on our bed was too soft for me and the next morning I asked whether this could be changed for something a bit firmer. The receptionist on our floor promised to see what could be done. When we got back to our room the mattress had been removed and the sheets had been put onto the box. Even though padded, the box provided an extremely hard surface to sleep on and our second night's sleep was even worse than the previous night's. What really got to me was the coffee that we ordered after dinner. When the milk was poured by the waiter it spluttered into the cup in big lumps and the waiter giggled and informed us that this was because the milk had stood around in the kitchen all day, just what we needed to know. Come on Salmonella and get me... Now, would I recommend this to antyone else? I personally wouldn't go there again as the cost benefit margin for me has shifted into the unacceptable. There are lots of other nice hotels around and unless they got their act together again a bit more in the past 2 years I really wouldn't bother. To fulfill ones morbid curiosity about how the other half spend their holiday it is possible to go there for guided tours or to book a table for dinner, which is still expensive, but it won't cost US$ 1000 per night.

World's first self-proclaimed 7 Star Hotel, built on an artificial island to be reached by causeway, with private beach on the mainland, great sea views, some over the palm islands. All rooms are two storey affairs with the large living room, desk with computer and guest toilet downstairs and the bedroom with large dressing area and bathroom with jacuzzi upstairs. Our stay at the hotel entitled us to free use of the water park next door. In 2003 our deal included pick-up and drop off from airport in luxury car (Rolls Royce and 7 series BMW), B&B, one free buffet dinner, free facial or massage, free kimono dressing gown with our names embroidered on front, all sets of soaps were fully sized sets of Hermes soap, bathgel, skin lotion, eau de toilette, deodorant etc, everything to take home at the end of the stay. Also included were our own beach bags and shoe horns. A personal butler (shared by a few apartments on the same floor) and two plasma screen TVs as well as a box of dates, a big (renewable) fruit basket and a complementary bottle of red wine (not renewable) were thrown in as well. Apart from the usual very exclusive spa facilities (separate for men and women but mixed pool in male spa) there was a large library of CDs at our disposal. On the beach and by the hotel pool we were spoilt with ice buckets and bottles of cold water, mist spray to moisten our sun-frazzled skins and every time we went for a swim someone came and straightened the towels on our deck chairs. We paid US$ 1000 per night for two people and thought that all told it was great value. Food was excellent and overall the service was great too. We couldn't have faulted the place and found even the overbearingly gaudy decoration interesting, even though not quite to our own personal taste.

Holiday Inn Downtown: Deira

by emmet7

unless you need to go to the airport early and cannot risk getting caught in a traffic jam; never stay in Deira, it is just too 'blue collar' as such. Bur Dubai is the place to stay or out near the beach.

The Holiday Inn was decent as it is 'low seasonin Dubai and not vastly over-priced at this time

I liked the pool and the room for the most part but the breakfast sucked.

the pool

Le Royal Meridien Dubai beach & spa: Delightful days in the sun

by petpau

I have stayed at this hotel 3 times all together.
The hotel has three buildings, the club, the main building & the Royal tower.
I have been in the Royal Tower for all my stays and this is highly recommendable.
The Royal tower offers butler service 24/7, and they even supply you with a complimentary bottle of wine every night.
The rooms all have sea view, and on "clear" days you are able to see the Jumeriah Pallm

Questions and Answers

Q: Duty Free at Abu Dubai Airport "Just a practical question - have a lay-over at Dubai on a New York to Kozikode flight. If I buy liquor at the NYC airport will it..."

A: "http://www.abudhabiairport.ae/english/shop-dine-and-unwind/after-passport-control/shop.aspx"

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