Dubai Hotels

Saturday 21 November 2009 (UAE)

Dubai Hotels (Hotels in Dubai)

General Hotels in Dubai information

Most hotels quote a price per room (not per person) per night and usually include breakfast. There is an additional 10% service charge and another 10% municipality tax added to Dubai hotel bills. Check in time is around 2pm and checkout at noon but late checkouts are normally available. Prices range from 100-150 dhs per night for bargain basement hotels (not easy to find many this cheap) to several thousand dhs for the most luxurious rooms. For overseas travellers, the best deals are usually found by booking a flight with an accommodation package included. It's usually difficult to find a good room for much less than AED 400-500 per night (as of end 2006 but see cheap hotels in Dubai for a list to try).

The standard of rooms in Dubai hotels ranges from adequate to mind-boggling with a higher proportion of 4 and 5 star hotels than in many other cities. Facilities often include swimming pool, gym, restaurants and bars, and other sports facilities such as tennis and squash courts. Most of the better hotels have good supervised facilities for children staying there.

The mind-blowingist hotels in Dubai during 2007 are the Burj Al Arab and Al Maha Resort. The Al Maha sounds expensive but is worth every penny. Or fil, in local currency.

Along the coast from Jumeirah and Umm Suquiem to Jebel Ali you'll find many of Dubai's more well-known hotels and beach resorts for example the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the Sheraton, the Metropolitan Beach Resort, the Royal Mirage and a many other hotels. A number of high profile hotel brands have announced developments in Dubai including Versace, Armani (in the Burj Dubai - tallest tower in the world), and Donald Trump (the original design appeared to be in the form of a tulip but has since been changed to something a little more plain).

When checking in, it is normal to be asked to show a passport - some Dubai hotels will just make a copy, others will retain during the guest's stay. Although, technically, unmarried men and women should not share a hotel room, it is almost unheard of for a hotel to even ask if their guests are married. Having different surnames does not cause any eyebrows to be raised since it is normal in Arabic culture for the wife to keep her own name after marriage.

Usually the 4 and 5 star hotels (and some of the 3 star hotels) can arrange a Dubai tourist visa for their guests, they will also do airport pick-ups and drop-offs.

Dubai hotel ratings

The Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) assigns hotels a 1 to 5 star rating based on criteria established in 1998 (6 and 7 star hotels such as the Burj Al Arab and Al Maha desert resort are not given a DTCM rating). As of 2008, a new, more stringent system is expected to be put in place with old hotels retaining their star classification under the old system but new hotels being measured under the stricter criteria.

August 2006 information

Dubai has a wide range of hotels and places to stay ranging from the Dubai Youth Hostel to the self-rated 7 star Burj Al Arab (see the list of Dubai budget hotels for less expensive options). Many more hotels are planned or being built including 100 or so hotels on the Palm Islands, and another 150-200 hotel plots on Dubai Waterfront. There are about 30,000 hotel rooms available in Dubai as of mid 2006, another 8,000 hotel apartments with a further 18,000 rooms being added by mid 2008. Total number of rooms is expected to increase to 80,000 by 2010*. Despite these impressive figures, during 2006 there is a bit of a shortage of hotel rooms in Dubai and it can be difficult to find one especially during major events, conventions and conferences for example GITEX (an IT junket) and the Dubai Shopping Festival. Hotel room prices have been soaring through 2005 and 2006 with 4 and 5 star room rates of 800-1000 dhs per night, and sometimes double that or more at peak times. With occupancy rates of 80-100% most of the time, prices will remain high and probably increase further during 2007.

*September 2006 - Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels update

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels announced they would build another 55,000 hotel rooms by 2011 (across the UAE, not just Dubai). Compare these numbers to Las Vegas - 42,000 rooms under development, Macao with 27,000, and Beijing & Shanghai with just over 10,000 rooms each (figures from Sep 2006).

25 November 2006 TRI Consulting report

A report released by TRI Hospitality Consulting said that by 2010 there would be 130 new 5-star hotels in Dubai, in addition to the total of 48 by the end of 2006 (there were 35 at the end of 2005). Other increases from 2005 to 2010 are four-star hotels from 35 to 51, three-star hotels from 39 to 50. It appears Dubai is concentrating on the posh tourist market. According to the report, there will be a supply shortage until 2008. Their calculation is that total rooms available by 2010 will be about 65,000 - a little below the governement estimate of 80,000 rooms.

09 July 2007 - DTCM update on tourist and room numbers

In 2006, Dubai had 415 hotels and furnished apartment providers with a total of about 40,000 rooms available for visitors. Hotels in Dubai received about 6.5 million guests (6.1 million in 2005) in 2006 with occupancy rates over 90% and room rates soaring due to the shortage of rooms. Dubai's hotels and serviced apartments will add about 10,000 rooms in 2007. Number of hotels in Dubai in 2007 is 325 (there were 303 hotels in Dubai in 2006). Dubai will add another 22,000 hotel rooms by the end of 2008 says the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). In 2015 Dubai expects to have 15 million tourists coming to visit, some of whom will stay in 389 hotels and 131 hotel apartments. The rest will have to sleep on the beach or in bus stops. By 2016 the DTCM says there will be about 94,000 hotel rooms in Dubai including almost 30,000 rooms in the Bawadi tourist development. This information from Gulf News article 09 July 2007.

Guesthouses and Boutique Hotels in Dubai

There are a couple of small boutique hotels that have sprung up in the Bastakia area of Dubai - something a little different from the glitz and marble of the usual run of the mill five-star accommodation.

Arabian Courtyard Hotel - main hotel building in Bur Dubai next to Dubai Museum but they have a small guesthouse in the nearby Bastakiya area with rooms with TV and brightly coloured bedspreads for 700-800 dhs per night. Tel +971-4-3519111 (main hotel), www.arabiancourtyard.com.
XVA - an art gallery with a handful of rustic rooms for 700-800 dhs per night. No TV but you have a nice range of paintings to look at. Tel +971-4-3535383, www.xvagallery.com.

List of hotels in Dubai (Dubai hotel list)

These are some of the popular hotels in Dubai.

Admiral Plaza Hotel - near the Bur Dubai souk area.
Airport Meridian Hotel - opposite the airport, very comfortable.
Airport Millenium Hotel - near the airport, very comfortable.
Al Diar Hotel Apartments Al Barsha, Dubai - 64 one and two bedroom apartments, open mid-2009, operator Abu Dhabi National Hotels.
Al Khaleej Hotel
Al Khaleej Palace - Deira
Al Bustan Rotana Hotel - near the airport, very comfortable, good restaurants.
Al Maha Resort - expensive but one of those 'worth every penny' (or fil) type deals. Vastly superior to Bab Al Shams. A definite highlight of a trip to Dubai. Expensive.
Ambassador Hotel
Armani Hotel in the, Burj Dubai - expected to open by end of 2009. The Armani Hotel is a joint venture between Emaar Properties and Giorgio Armani, and will have 160 rooms. There will also be 144 Armani residences on levels 9-16 of the Burj Dubai.
Astoria Hotel - iconic hotel in the middle of the Bur Dubai souk area. Ancient by Dubai standards.
Avari Hotel
Bab Al Shams - a five star hotel in the desert but not the same as Al Maha.
Best Western Dubai hotels - 3 more hotels expected to open by end 2009 (press release 06 May 2009)
Best Western Premier Creek Hotel, 222 rooms, Bur Dubai, expected opening May 2009
Best Western Premier Dhow Palace Hotel, 320 rooms, Bur Dubai, expected opening May 2009
Burj Al Arab - the 7-star symbol of Dubai around the world.
Capitol Hotel
Carlton Tower Hotel
City Centre Hotel - next to Deira City Center, handy for shopping.
Citymax Hotels - 4 star budget business hotels announced May 2009, good value for money, in Al Barsha, Bur Dubai, and Sharjah. Citymax is part of the Landmark Group.
- Citymax Al Barsha - behind Mall of the Emirates, 378 rooms, gym, swimming pool, 24 hr coffee shop, bar, buffet restaurant. Scheduled opening date October 2009
- Citymax Bur Dubai - corner Kuwait Rd and Al Mankhool Rd, 693 rooms, buffet restaurant, Indian, Chinese, Thai restaurant, sports bar, lounge bar, 24 hr coffee shop, gym, swimming pool. Scheduled opening date November 2009
Conrad Dubai (open 2010) - Sheikh Zayed Road, 550 guest rooms, business center, meeting rooms, ballrooms, retaurants, bar, spa & health club.
Copthorne Hotel (163 rooms) - Sharia compliant meaning no alcohol, and separate swimming times for men and women. Marriage certificate not required for couples though. General Manager is Reda Mukhtar. Owned by Dhabi Islamic Bank, managed by Millennium Group. Open 19 January 2008. Location is Port Saeed area in Deira, near Deira City Center, tel +971-4-2950500.
Corp Executive Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Barsha - for trendy executives (rooms have game consoles). Close to Mall of the Emirates. Opened July 2007.
Crowne Plaza - on Sheikh Zayed road near the Trade Center.
Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City (open November 2007)
Dubai International Hotel - Airport transit hotel inside the Dubai airport terminal.
Dubai Marine Beach Resort & Spa - on the beach in Jumeirah, well known for Sho-Chos bar and Boudoir nightclub/lounge.
Dubai Park Hotel
Emirates Towers Hotel - tall twin towers on Sheikh Zayed Road, great views.
Fairmont Hotel - Sheikh Zayed road, high standard.
Gold Swiss-Belhotel Dubai (open October 2009), 4 stars, Bur Dubai, near Sheikh Zayed Road and Jumeirah Beach, 184 rooms (with 32" flatscreen TV, work desk, broadband internet, and the usual facilites), general manager Mr Nils Rothbarth. Facilities include rooftop swimming pool, The Liquid Lounge (open 1700-0200), The Kebab Connection (open 1200-1500 and 1900-2300), Senses (open 24 hrs, breakfast, lunch, dinner buffets, and wifi access), business center, health club, gym. Contact PO Box 181928, Dubai, tel +971-4-3931119, email gmgsbd@swiss-belhotel.com, web www.swiss-belhotel.com. Also contact Swiss Bel hotel International Dubai tel +971-4-2958408. Opening offer from AED 315 (++) email reservationgsbd@swiss-belhotel.com or telephone +971-4-3459992 and quote booking code NOW OPEN.
Golden Tulip Al Barsha - near Mall of the Emirates in Al Barsha, open 01 June 2007, 125 rooms, owned by Noor Capital. Has Chinese, Indian & Lebanese restaurants, sports bar, night club, pool and usual other facilities.
Grosvenor House - in Dubai Marina with the splendid Buddha Bar.
Le Meridian Dubai - otherwise known as the Airport Meridian Hotel.
Le Meridian Jumeira Beach
Four Points Sheraton - Bank Street, Bur Dubai, 125 rooms. Closed May 2009 for renovation, reopen September 2009? Tel +971-4-3977444.
Grand Hyatt Dubai - near Garhood Bridge.
Grandeur Hotel - near Mall of the Emirates Al Barsha, business hotel, 125 rooms, open October 2008, tel +971-4-3418777.
Hatta Fort Hotel - just before the border to Oman, a weekend getaway about an hour's drive from Dubai in chalet style accommodation with golf driving range and archery. Tel +971-4-8523211. Rooms 600-1000 dhs including an unspectacular dinner and band/duo but the surroundings are pleasant and scenic. Almost a historic landmark having been in operation for 30 years.
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
Hilton Dubai Creek
Holiday Inn Bur Dubai - 400 rooms, scheduled to open second half of 2008. Will be Sharia compliant - no pork or alcohol available.
Hotel Inter-Continental
Howard Johnson Hotel
Hyatt Regency - Deira, on the corniche. Home of the well-known revolving restaurant, another famous Dubai landmark.
Imperial Suites Hotel - 'friendly' ladies seem to congregate here.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) at Dubai Festival City (open November 2007) - InterContinental Hotel (498 rooms), Crowne Plaza (316 rooms) and InterContinental Residence Suites (212 studio, 1, 2, 3 bdrm apartments)
Jebel Ali Hotel - closer to Dubai than several years previously. Famous for its pleasant gardens with wandering peacocks.
Jumeirah Beach Hotel - next to the Burj Al Arab on Jumeirah Beach Road, distinctive wave shaped building.
Jumeirah Beach Club - a beach club with accommodation on Jumeirah Beach Road near Safa Park.
Jumeirah Beach Sofitel Hotel, 450 rooms, open 2009 H2, Dubai, operator Abu Dhabi National Hotels.
JW Marriott - home to a popular steakhouse restaurant.
Kempinski - overlooks Ski Dubai in Mall of the Emirates.
Marco Polo hotel
Metropolitan Resort & Beach Club - one of the older beach resorts near Dubai Marina - existed before any other development in that area.
Metropolitan Hotel - another well-established hotel in Dubai. Opposite Safa Park on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Movenpick Hotels - see below
Novotel - next to the Dubai Conference Center.
Palace Hotel, The - The Old Town, Downtown Burj Dubai. Next to Souk Al Bahar (open December 2007).
Palazzo Versace Hotel - under development (Emirates Sunland Group)
Radisson SAS Hotel - on the beach near Dubai Marina.
Raffles Dubai Hotel, Wafi Center (owner, Raffles is the operator). Partly open 12 Oct 2007 with some rooms, 1 cafe and 1 restaurant. Official opening date 20-22 Nov 2007. Has its own Botanical Gardens. Reservations tel +971-4-3149888.
Ramada Hotel - one of the older hotels in Dubai, near the Bur Dubai souk area.
Renaissance Hotel - Deira. Famous for the Spice Island buffet deal.
Regent Palace Hotel - in Bur Dubai opposite the Bur Juman Shopping Center, home of the infamous Rock Bottom bar and nightclub.
Regent Beach Resort - good value for money beach (almost) hotel near Open Beach in Jumeirah.
Riviera Hotel
Rotana Al Barsha - expected to open by October 2009
Rotana Jumeirah Beach Residence - expected to open by October 2009
Royal Mirage Hotel - on the beach near Dubai Marina, one of the nicest places to stay in Dubai.
Rydges Plaza
Samaya Hotel Deira - open November 2007, overlooking Dubai Creek on Baniyas Road, Perisan restaurant, 5 star. Facilities include meeting rooms, rooftop swimming pool, health and fitness center.
Shangri La Hotel - high class hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road just before Defense Roundabout.
Seashell Hotel - one of the older hotels in Dubai, near Bur Dubai souk area.
Sheraton Deira - on the Deira side of Dubai Creek.
Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach - open September 2009, 438 rooms
Sofitel Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa - opening date unknown
Sofitel Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road - open 2012, near The Dubai Mall, 435 rooms, 147 servicede apartments, ballroom, meeting rooms, spa, and so on.
Souk Madinat - next to the Burj Al Arab. A complex of shops, restaurants, bars, hotel rooms with a traditional souk theme and canals with electric gondolas. Magnificent, a place worth visiting.
St George Hotel - in the Bur Dubai souk area, seems to have been there forever.
The Address Hotel - first one opened in Downtown Burj Dubai in October 2008, next to The Dubai Mall, 196 rooms. A new luxury hotel brand from Emaar Hospitality Group. EHG plan to open another 10-15 "The Address" hotels and villa resorts (one in Morocco at least) around the world between 2009 and 2011.
The Address Dubai Mall - open 15 August 2009? 244 rooms, not the same as The Address Downtown Burj Dubai which is also next to The Dubai Mall.
The Address Dubai Marina - open 03 October 2009 with 200 rooms and private beach, third "The Address" hotel to open in Dubai, will have a direct link to Dubai Marina Mall, rooms will have beach or marina view, facilities include free wifi, spa, iPod docking stations.
The Palace Hotel, Old Town Dubai, 5 stars, 242 rooms, and Emaar Hospitality Group hotel.
York International Hotel - near the Bur Dubai souk area on Bank Street. Somewhat infamous due to the hospitable nature of the female patrons in the bar.
Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina - open 03 January 2008, a beachfront resort.

Serviced Apartments in Dubai

Better Homes
Nuran Serviced Residences - launched by Emaar Properties Sep 2007 with 90 serviced apartments available in Nuran Al Majara Residences in Dubai Marina. Sizes from studio to 3 bedroom, fully furnished including hairdryer, satellite TV, & safe. Building has conference room, pool, gym, jacuzzi. Rates are 650 dhs to 2700 dhs per night (depending on room type and length of stay) as of Sep 2007. Tel +971-4-4223666, email reservations@nuran.com, web www.nuran.com.
Rahat Service - launched by Jamal Al Habtoor Real Estate Sep 2007 with 15 one, two & three bedroom apartments available in Dubai Marina for short term lets. Fully furnished, internet, cable TV, telephone, housekeeping, 24 hr security. Tel +971-4-3639800, web www.habtoorhomes.com.

Abu Dhabi Hotels

See the Abu Dhabi hotel list.

Ajman Hotels

Kempinski Ajman, tel +971-6-7451555, Summer rates 2008 from AED 1000 per night (double room), winter rates from AED 1300 per room. Website www.kempinski-ajman.com.

Millenium and Copthorne Hotels

3 new hotels planned in Abu Dhabi and Dubai with opening dates scheduled for 2010 H1.
1 new hotel in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, expected opening date by end 2011.
6 hotels already in the UAE - in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah. There are two more hotels in Qatar and Kuwait.

Information from Emirates Business report 19 October 2009 based on comments by Rey Alcocer, Vice President of Operations for Middle East and North Africa region who said "Three of the five new hotels will be opened in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the first half of next year, while the other two hotels, in ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, will be inaugurated within two years"

Movenpick Hotels in Dubai, UAE, Middle East

Movenpick operates 18 hotels in the Middle East as of March 2009, and plan to open another 19 hotels by 2012, including 12 in the UAE, and 7 of them in Dubai (24 March 2009 press release). Movenpick Dubai is part of Seven Tides, a Dubai based holding company.
Bur Dubai Movenpick Hotel - near Lamcy Plaza and American Hospital
Deira Movenpick Hotel - planned
Ibn Battuta Gate Movenpick Hotel, part of the Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall in Dubai - planned
Jumeirah Beach Movenpick Hotel, Dubai Marina - planned
Laguna Movenpick Hotel, Dubai Marina - planned
Royal Amwaj Resort & Spa on the Jumeirah Palm outer crescent - planned, 293 rooms, water villas, Club Amwaj with free food and drink deals
Oceana Hotel & Spa on the Jumeirah Palm trunk - planned

Rotana Hotels scheduled to open in the UAE

These dates from a press release dated August 2006. It would be prudent to confirm opening dates, or assume that there is a 6 month delay. Rotana Hotels are also opening some "Centro by Rotana" budget hotels in the UAE, during 2008.

Khalidiya Palace Rotana Resort, Abu Dhabi - early 2008
Park Rotana Hotel & Suites, Abu Dhabi - mid 2008
Amwaj Rotana Resort, Jumeira Beach, Dubai - end 2007
BurJuman Rotana Suites, Dubai - end 2006
Media Rotana Hotel, Dubai - mid 2007
Rose Rotana Suites, Dubai - mid 2007
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Fujairah - January 2007
Fujairah Rotana Suites, Fujairah - mid 2008
The Cove Rotana Resort & Spa, Ras Al Khaimah - mid 2008

Last update Monday 16-Nov-2009

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