The Best Hotels In Dubai

Hidden in the alleys within the Al Fahidi Historical District, the boutique XVA Art Hotel has something its flashier rivals can never match: a 100-year-old building for a home. Its 15 rooms are individually designed and sympathetically updated. As the name promises, art is a key feature throughout the interiors – there’s even an art gallery showcasing work by local artists. There’s no alcohol on the property, but the veggie café does an excellent Arabian breakfast.

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The vintage stylings of the Al Seef Heritage transport guests to an imagined mid-century Dubai. The commitment to the theme is impressive: safes, fridges, TVs and coffee machines are hidden away in stripped-back rooms with plaster walls and stone floors. The backward-looking design is a good match for the surrounding neighbourhood, which runs along the southern bank of Dubai Creek into the Al Fahidi Historic District. The hotel’s sole restaurant serves traditional Arabic fare from morning to night. Guests are also offered access to the pools and gyms at more contemporary Hilton properties close by.

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There are three Vocos in Dubai – this is the newest, slotting into the run of hotels now lining Palm West Beach. The four-star property has toned down its interiors to focus on giving its guests value for money. You won’t notice anything being scrimped on elsewhere: there’s still a rooftop pool with skyline views, a gym, a spa and a restaurant doing a nice line in western staples. 

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Offering five-star facilities at affordable prices, this unflashy resort is loved by families for its kids’ club, green spaces and Jungle Bay waterpark. On spotless Jumeirah Beach, it has great views of the Palm Islands where you can watch superyachts bob in the bay. From spacious doubles to full family suites, rooms are light and bright with excellent views on every floor. There’s enough variety in the wider offering to easily pass a few days without leaving the property – check out the watersports centre amid the multiple pools and restaurants. The spa is a possible escape route for adults, while a sundowner at al fresco Bussola offers alternative respite.

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25hours hotels are all about bold interiors, buzzy restaurants and early hours partying. Its Dubai outpost regularly hosts all-night raves in its courtyard. Amid playful design elements like rainfall showers in the middle of the rooms, typewriters on desks and quirky artwork, you also have everything you need for a bit of R&R. The rooftop pool’s good for that too – order Mexican dishes and spicy margaritas direct to your lounger. On-site Indian restaurant Tandoor Tina and Monkey Bar overlooks the landmark Museum of the Future. The hotel will also lend you an e-bike to explore the city beyond.

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The Waldorf Astoria doesn’t just take the name of the landmark hotel in New York. It brings a touch of mid-century Manhattan to Dubai’s buzzy financial district. Mad Men was the brief for the design team, and they’ve delivered something Don Draper would approve of. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and prominent drinks cabinets. There’s a smart gym, a rooftop pool and – something Don wouldn’t recognise – the spa has a flotation tank. The Bull & Bear restaurant majors in American and international classics, including an array of grilled meats. Michelin-starred Indian Carnival by Tresind is in the same building and makes for a fun alternative.

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A ‘forest of lights’ lines the lobby at Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Beach, which continues to dazzle with its five pools and five-star service. Set aside at least a couple of hours to enjoy them both from a private cabana. The oceanfront setting is pristine, the spa – with separate facilities for men and women – is outstanding and the breakfast menu all-encompassing. Its plush rooms tend to have a terrace or balcony looking out to the city skyline or across the Arabian Gulf. Multi-Michelin-starred Portuguese chef José Avillez oversees the menus at Tasca, or there’s Netsu for Japanese dishes cooked over a straw-fired grill.

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The Four Seasons Resort is closer to Dubai’s downtown than many of Jumeirah Beach’s oceanfront hotels – and a match for most in terms of its facilities. You’ll find a 24-hour fitness centre, tennis courts, a beauty salon and a spa here. One of its two pools is adults only. Even standard rooms are spacious and have private balconies with views. Eleven restaurants include an outpost of Coya and one of Salt Bae’s Nusr-Et luxe steakhouses. The top-floor Mercury Lounge is the place for sunset cocktails.

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The Park Hyatt has a quieter take on luxury than many of its rivals in Dubai. There’s an art gallery in a courtyard, treatment rooms have their own tranquillity gardens, the pool is surrounded by palm trees, and its elegantly understated rooms have balconies or terraces pointed at Dubai Creek. Your dining options include a French-style brasserie and Noépe, which turns out Japanese cuisine in a Cape Cod-inspired setting – try the swing seats on its terrace. Retro bar Seventyseventy is the place to cut loose with imaginative cocktails. The adults-only ‘infinity lagoon’ can be fun too.

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A short drive outside the city, Bab Al Shams offers the best of two worlds: downtown Dubai remains on tap, but there’s a splendid seclusion to be enjoyed among the sand dunes. Entering the resort through a set of tall wooden arches, it’s clear that traditional Arabian culture is the key influence – Persian rugs and tasteful neutrals define the comfortable rooms. But there’s some 21st-century luxury on display here too. Three large swimming pools come with desert views, and you can get out into the desert itself for driving tours, horse riding, camel trekking, falconry and hot air balloon rides. An open-air Middle Eastern restaurant lays on regular belly dancers.

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In a place with many dramatic panoramas, Address Sky View deserves its moniker and has become an Insta favourite. The Dubai cityscape can be enjoyed in-room from a balcony, from the spa, from the lobby terrace or – most spectacularly – from the 54th-floor infinity pool that spans the property’s twin towers. The well-appointed spa is on the same level. The hotel’s location is good too, with the buzzy Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) restaurant scene on its doorstep – though you may want to eat in-house at lively Asian fusion spot Cé La Vi.

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This stylish property sits within the Madinat Jumeirah resort, which has more than 30 restaurants, bars and boutiques spread across its 100 acres – as well as a traditional-style souk with market stalls. There’s a long stretch of sandy beach nearby or five pools to swim in, as well as tennis courts, a fitness centre and spa dotted around some sister properties. The vibe is friendly and laidback – you’ll be offered a golf buggy to move around, or you can hitch a lift on an old-school abra water taxi. Jumeirah Al Naseem is good for kids, who might also appreciate the turtle rehab lagoon. Adults seeking an escape should try the Summersalt Beach Club.

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There are in fact four parts to this 65-acre One&Only resort: the Arabian Court, the Palace, the Residence & Spa and, next to its private beachfront, a garden villa. The properties share a maximalist approach to interior design – mosaics, painted ceilings and golden accents all vie for attention. On Jumeirah Beach, close to the Dubai Marina, the Royal Mirage a short boat trip away from its sister property on the Palm. Guests can spend days at the beach club, take sundowners at the Jetty Lounge, try Indian restaurant Nina for dinner, then retire to rooms looking out to the Arabian Gulf.

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After an eight-year build, Atlantis The Royal opened its doors in 2023, when a string of A-listers descended on the mega resort to watch Beyoncé perform. Now open to all, this 800-room ultra-luxe property is considered by some to be the most lavish hotel in Dubai, and it certainly offers a level of glitz and glamour you won’t find at most other resorts. Heston Blumenthal and Nobu both have restaurants here, while the spa caters to every need and want. The private beach is well over a mile long and you’ll lose count of the number of pools. Most remarkable of all, perhaps, is the attention to detail that’s on display throughout.

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Among the dozen hotels and residences this group has dotted around Dubai, we like Jumeirah Beach for a family trip. A 2023 refurb gave it state-of-the-art facilities and elegantly understated décor. Its private white-sand beach looks out to the Arabian Gulf, while the property’s wave-like design gives all rooms a view onto the Burj Al Arab. There are no fewer than 21 restaurants and bars around and about, as well as an impressive spa – simply drop children off at the kids’ club, which has a huge range of fully supervised activities for all ages. Guests also get access to the Wild Wadi water park, which has more than 30 rides, as well as activities like kite surfing, kayaking, sailing and water skiing.

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One&Only One Za’abeel Dubai opened in December 2023. Occupying two skyscrapers that are joined by The Link cantilever, it bills itself as a vertical urban resort. Rooms and suites are among the largest in the city. Soothing neutrals and sculptural lighting reflect the property’s name, which means ‘white sand’ in local dialect. The two towers also house a spa, a fitness hub, a kids’ club and some luxury retail spaces, while The Link features restaurants from the likes of Anne-Sophie Pic and its beach club has the UAE’s longest infinity pool.

Visit OneZaabeel.com