al-ManZil hoTel h oTel $$
Map p216 (%04-428 5888; http://www.southernsun
.com; burj khalifa blvd, Downtown Dubai; r from
Dh759; iWs) Arabesque meets mid-century
modern at Al-Manzil, where rooms whip
vanilla, chocolate and orange hues into a
sophisticated style sorbet. The open-plan
rooms may not be for the ultramodest, but
the giant rainfall showerheads and free-
standing tubs are tempting, nonetheless.
Dubai Mall is close by, and if you’re jet-
ting in on a late flight, the 24-hour pool
and business centre might come in handy.
Guests also have free access to the nearby
Hayya gym.dusiT Thani dubai h oTel $$
Map p216 (%04-343 3333; http://www.dusit.com;
Sheikh Zayed rd, next to interchange no 1; r from
Dh795; iWs) Shaped like an upside-down
tuning fork, this is one of Dubai’s most ar-
chitecturally dramatic towers. A Thai chain
whose target market is the business trav-
eller, the Dusit Thani has rooms with big
desks and oversized leather chairs, and the
usual high-end amenities, such as feather-
light down pillows. Upper-floor views are
stellar. The rooftop pool is good for laps
(though overhead trusses partially block
the sun).4 Jumeirah
oal-qasr,
MadinaT JuMeirah luXury hoTel $$$
Map p218 (%04-366 8888; http://www.madinatjumei
rah.com; al-Sufouh rd, umm Suqeim 3; d from
Dh3050; iWs) If cookie-cutter hotels don’t
do it for you, this is your kind of place. Sis-
ter to Mina A’ Salam, the 292-room Al-Qasr
was styled after an Arabian summer pal-
ace. Details are extraordinary, such as the
lobby’s Austrian-crystal chandeliers reflect-
ing rainbows on to mirror-polished inlaid-marble floors. Rooms sport heavy ara-
besque flourishes, rich colours and cushy
furnishings, including sumptuous beds
and his-and-hers bathroom amenities. The
side-by-side balconies overlook the grand
display of Madinat Jumeirah. Excellent
service, great beach.burJ al-arab luXury hoTel $$$
Map p218 (%04-301 7777; http://www.burj-al-arab.com;
Jumeirah rd, umm Suqeim 3; ste from Dh6500;
iWs) This sail-shaped hotel is one of the
iconic landmarks in Dubai. Decorated in
Sheikh Mohammed’s favourite colours –
gold, royal blue and carmine red – it regu-
larly hosts pop stars, royalty, billionaire
Russians and the merely moneyed. Be-
yond the striking lobby with its attention-
grabbing fountain lie 202 suites with more
trimmings than a Christmas turkey. Even
the smallest measure 170 sq metres and
spread over two floors, making them bigger
than most apartments. The decor is l-u-s-h,
with moiré silk walls, mirrored ceilings
over the beds, curlicue high-backed velvet
chairs, and inlaid bathroom tiles displaying
scenes of Venice. And all that gold? Yes, it’s
the real thing, covering a boggling 1590 sq
metres of 25-carat gold leaf. Staying here
means being whisked through customs at
the airport and travelling to the hotel by
Rolls Royce or helicopter.JuMeirah beach hoTel reSorT $$$
Map p218 (%04-348 0000; http://www.jumeirah.com;
Jumeirah rd, umm Suqeim 3; r from Dh2000;
iWsc) The most family-friendly Jumei-
rah Group hotel is shaped like a giant wave
and many rooms have stellar Burj al-Arab
views. The beach is huge (nearly 1km long),
but the decor looks very dated. Thankfully,
at the time of research, the rooms were
gradually being refurbished. It’s a great
resort for active types, with plenty of wa-
ter sports, a superb health club, a climbing
wall and tennis and squash courts. Little
ones can make new friends in Sinbad’s
Kids Club; admission to the adjoining
Wild Wadi Waterpark (p102) is also free for
guests.Mina a’ salaM,
MadinaT JuMeirah reSorT $$$
Map p218 (%04-366 8888; http://www.jumeirah.com;
al-Sufouh rd, umm Suqeim 3; r from Dh2500;
iWsc) Meaning ‘harbour of peace’, the
Mina A’ Salam has few false notes. The
striking lobby is a mere overture to the fullbaby sharKsA lone zebra shark that lives in the
Burj al-Arab’s aquarium prompted
scientific interest in January 2012
after laying eggs for the fourth year
in a row� Zebedee has never had ac-
cess to a male shark but that has not
stopped her producing numerous live
offspring...s
lee
P
ing
(^) Ju
M
ei
rah