Between its gravity-defying skyscrapers and stunning desert landscape, Dubai is a dazzling metropolis, blending past and present to electrifying effect and offering something for everyone. You can splurge on a shopping spree at Dubai Mall, the world’s second largest shopping mall, encompassing an aquarium, ice rink, and the Dubai Fountain, or bargain for gold in the Gold Souk, a traditional market composed of over 300 gold merchants. You can gaze over the city’s skyline from the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on earth, and explore Palm Jumeirah, an artificial archipelago featuring a waterpark and dolphin habitat. Or you can escape the heat at Ski Dubai indoor ski resort or bask in the sunshine on Dubai’s beaches. Synonymous with world-class hotels and resorts, this must-visit city is also a luxury traveler’s dream. Here’s my round-up of the 10 best luxury hotels in Dubai.
5. ATLANTIS THE PALM DUBAI
This dynamic property is rising in Dubai from the coastline of the largest man-made island in the world, the Palm Island. Positioned as the flagship property it is, Atlantis The Palm is situated at the apex of the Palm Island’s outer crescent, surrounded by the beautifully tranquil sea of the Arabian Gulf. The palatial hotel is one of Dubai’s most impressive resorts, part blockbuster luxury hotel (more than 1,500 rooms and suites!), part aquatic wonderland. The resort has some of the most elegant hotel rooms in Dubai, designed to immerse guests in absolute comfort and unparalleled luxury. The hotel’s underwater suites have breathtaking underwater views, including the “ancient” ruins of the mythical lost city of Atlantis and its 65,000 marine inhabitants. Families will love the hotel’s Aquaventure Waterpark, where they can discover an underwater world at The Lost Chambers Aquarium or meet the incredible marine mammals at Dolphin Bay and Sea Lion Point.
4. JUMEIRAH AL QASR
Al Qasr means ‘The Palace’ – and this hotel truly is the jewel in the crown of Madinat Jumeirah (or ‘city of Jumeirah’). Designed in the style of a Sheikh’s summer residence, the hotel replicates traditional royal architecture, coupled with luxurious modernity throughout. Approached along a tree-lined avenue, adorned with beautifully sculpted Arabian horses, the hotel itself will take your breath away. The design of 292 rooms is a tribute to the age-old architectural styles of Arabia. As part of the magnificent Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Al Qasr offers all the facilities and activities of the wider resort, with traditional wooden abra boats transporting guests to more than 40 world-class restaurants and bars. The resort boasts a re-creation of an ancient market, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, with 70-plus boutiques and galleries, a mile-long private stretch of beach, watersports, 19 indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and complimentary access to Wild Wadi Water Park.
3. ARMANI HOTEL DUBAI
The Armani Hotel Dubai is located within Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower, and part of a mixed use development consisting of 160 rooms and 144 residences. The downtown hotel is up to the 8th floor and then 38th and 39th floors, and the residences occupy levels 9 to 16 of the Burj Khalifa Tower. The property is suave and understated, with each design detail personally chosen by Giorgio Armani himself. Behind guestroom doors, understated elegance reigns: walls are adorned with handmade leather from Florence, floors covered with Japanese tatami, and bathrooms clad in gray stones from Alicante, Spain, all blending seamlessly with the clean, curved lines of the tower’s architecture. The elegant Armani/SPA tailors every experience to each guest and features a lovely outdoor pool wrapping around one of Burj Khalifa’s corners. The hotel’s dining venues serve Italian, Mediterranean, Japanese and Indian cuisine.
2. THE BVLGARI RESORT DUBAI
Situated on the exclusive, manmade Jumeira Bay, an island carved into the shape of a seahorse and adjoined by a 300 m (980 ft) bridge to central Dubai coastline, the Bvlgari Resort Dubai is a true ‘urban oasis’, for visitors and residents alike. Designed entirely by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, the renowned Italian architectural firm that has created all the Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts, the sunny property comprises 101 rooms and suites, as well as 20 Bvlgari villas with pool, garden and sea-view. A full range of amenities are on offer, such as world-class restaurants, a ultraluxe spa with hammam, Dubai’s most exclusive beach club with private beach, and a unique mosaic-design outdoor swimming pool. To add relish to the guest’s stay, the complex comprises a private Marina featuring 50 boat berths and the first world’s Bvlgari Yacht Club with peerless views over the sea.
1. FOUR SEASONS DUBAI AT JUMEIRAH BEACH
Bringing fresh, sophisticated style to dynamic Dubai, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach captures the city’s energy and excitement in a glamorous beach resort. Boasting a palatial lobby, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows looking out onto the beautiful gardens and Arabian Gulf, the property is an oasis nestled into the heart of the exclusive Jumeirah area. With polished marble and custom Murano chandeliers, it exudes luxury with understated elegance. The 237 spacious accommodations – including 49 suites – offer views of the Arabian Gulf on one side and Burj Khalifa and the downtown skyline on the other. Three pools, watersports and many shopping and dining outlets provide plenty of activities to occupy all.