14 Best Hotels in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Name: Bab al Shams
Address: Al Qudra Rd., Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Telephone: 4-809--6100
Price range: $$$
Location: Burj Dubai

Dubai was built on oil and gold, and it shows. In the last decade or so, luxury and glamour have become synonymous with Dubai; it contains one of the highest ratios of five-star hotels in the world.

Although few would say that Dubai is an inexpensive place to stay, there are more budget-friendly options than ever before. Also, due to the glut of five-star hotels, it's also easier to find a great deal if you search carefully and have flexible travel dates. The deals are not always cash-based, so look for value-added packages; incentives might include complimentary meals in signature restaurants, spa treatments, and access to water parks or companion hotel beaches. Most four- and five-star hotels in Dubai have an executive floor or club. If you book a "club room," access to the club area, breakfast, evening cocktails, and canapés are often included in the rate. Considering the sky-high price of alcohol, those benefits may make it worthwhile to pay a higher rate. Note that Internet prices and rack rates might not include a 10% municipality tax and 10% service charge, so read your booking details carefully.

Peak tourist season is from November to April when the weather is mild. Prices drop as temperatures soar and also during Ramadan, but services are curtailed at this time.

Location is the prime consideration after checking your budget—what's the main reason for your visit to Dubai? If sunning and water sports are your prime objective, you'll probably want to stay in a beach resort around Jumeirah or Dubai Marina. For shopping and dining, stick to Downtown, and if you want culture and history then older areas around Bur Dubai and Deira are best. If it's just a quick overnight, there are plenty of options around the airport.

Bab al Shams

$$$ | Al Qudra Rd., Dubai, United Arab Emirates Fodor's Choice

Bab al Shams, translating as "doorway to the sun," is a five-star adobe brick oasis, a vision you'd expect to find on the edges of the Sahara desert, or perhaps as a set for a movie. The hotel is low-rise and melds with the dunes, scattering rooms and suites around courtyards with a continuous falaj system, ponds, desert gardens, and the spectacular pool area. Rooms are large, decorated in sandy tones with deep red Persian carpets, dark-wood furniture, and cool stone floors. The connecting bathrooms are cavernlike, with these sandy stone tones continued, and a bath large enough for three. On-site dining is very good, in particular, the all-out Middle-Eastern feasting venue at Al Hadheera, or the rooftop terrace and pizzeria (La Dune).

Dar Al Masyaf

$$$$ | Al Sufouh Rd., Al Sufouh, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Fodor's Choice

Like the summer houses preferred by the Arabian sheikhs, Dar Al Masyaf offers an intimate hideaway for those who want seclusion. Each two-story courtyard house, complete with barjeel (traditional wind tower), comprises a number of spacious rooms and suites that surround a private pool. Although the attractions of Madinat Jumeirah are nearby, Dar Al Masyaf can only be reached by taking a hotel abra (wooden boat) across the waterway that links the hotels with the surrounding properties. Guests can luxuriate at leisure, tucked away from the hustle and bustle while their private butlers serve cooling drinks. Some villas have direct beach access, others are in verdant gardens or surrounding inner courtyards with trickling water features. This hotel really is something out of Arabian Nights.

One and Only Royal Mirage

$$$$ | Al Sufouh Rd., Al Sufouh, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Fodor's Choice

The most romantic resort in Dubai, this hotel has four different hotels to choose from; while they differ in appearance and amenities, they are all tranquil, private, and spacious. The entire complex is fashioned like an Arabian palace, with lush palm-filled gardens, domes and arches, adobe-brick finishings, and nooks and courtyards with mosaics and tasteful water features. The sand on the beach is among the whitest available in Dubai, and views across the water lead to the other One and Only property, just a short shuttle-boat over to the edge of Palm Jumeirah. Rooms, like the entire resort, including the restaurants, are classic and understated, with exotic elements and rich, tasteful furnishings. The pool (at the Palace) is a dream; it is colossal and interspersed with palm-tree islands, which allow for plenty of private rendezvous.

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The Address Montgomerie

$$$$ | Al Tellal St., Emirates Hills, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A truly bijou property that combines country-house chic with a high level of service, this property sits on 200 acres, which also house the renowned Montgomerie golf course. The sleek decor is complemented by modern geometric art and cool neutral backgrounds. Each of the 21 rooms has a private balcony and butler service, and there is a good range of facilities considering the modest size of the resort, including a day spa, pool, and house restaurant (Nineteen). When it comes down to it, this resort is aimed mainly at golfers, so if you're not up for a round (or 10) the price may seem a little extreme.

Al Maha

$$$$ | Dubai - Al Ain Rd., Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The only rival to the Burj al Arab, if you want to go all-out, Al Maha is Dubai's most prestigious desert resort. It is at the heart of the Dubai Conservation Reserve, an area of rolling red dunes that is populated with native fauna. The complex is a gathering of individual rooms built to resemble tents (the smallest room is 75 square meters), meaning you can get that glamping experience without sacrificing luxuries like windows, a minibar, and air-conditioning. Each suite has its own private outdoor space with plunge pool and sun deck, and all the rooms are decorated with handcrafted Arabian furniture and artifacts. The focus at the resort is on privacy; many guests spend days and days without meeting anyone except the multitude of service staff---and perhaps a lost gazelle or Arabian hedgehog.

Atlantis, The Palm

$$$$ | Crescent Rd., Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Nobody thought the Burj al Arab could be surpassed for their colorful take on five-star lavishness until Atlantis came along. The whimsical decor includes primary colors, sparkles, shine and texture, and plenty of wacky glass sculptures, including a 32-foot tall homage to pig tails in the lobby. Rooms are a little more understated, comfortable, and well-sized, especially for families. In fact, you're better off having kids with you when traveling here, because built into the price are entry to Aquaventure water park, the Lost Chambers aquarium, and Dubai's best kids' club. Beware though, this place is packed, all year round. Expect to wait for absolutely everything, all the time.

Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach

$$$$ | Jumeirah Beach Rd., Jumeirah 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

At 750 square feet, these are likely the biggest standard rooms in the city; in fact everything about this hotel is big: big pools, big beach, and big smiles. Despite its size, the feel is personal and boutique. The exterior is modern Moorish, and these Arabic nuances continue throughout the public spaces, with marble, delicate fretwork, archways, and geometric designs. Rooms are simpler, with soft furnishings in seaside tones and bathrooms with glittering mosaic tiles and deep soaking tubs. Kids have water sports available and a very good on-site kids' club. While they are entertained, parents can enjoy the Pearl Spa and its aquathermal treatments. On-site dining is excellent, with Fodor's favorite Coya, two Jean Georges restaurants, Nusr-Et (home of "Salt Bae"), and a picturesque seaside bar and lounge (Sea Fu).

Grand Hyatt Dubai

$$$ | Sheikh Rashid Rd., Umm Hurair, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

As Bur Dubai's largest hotel, with a colossal 600 rooms and almost 200 serviced apartments, this property makes a real statement. The building is designed in two sweeping sensuous curves and is surrounded by 37 acres of beautifully manicured grounds on Dubai Creek. On-site amenities are extensive, including an ample choice of eateries, a nightclub, kids club, cinema, and a large sports club. Big free-form pools sit among tropical gardens. Public areas are on a grand scale, decorated with flourishes and flounces popular in the 1980s. Rooms are spacious with a classic international design, including pale stone, and tan and brown hues. The Grand Hyatt has excellent conference facilities and often holds large conventions.

Le Meridien Mina Seyahi

$$ | Al Sufuh Rd., Al Sufouh 2, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This old dame might seem a little tired, but there's still plenty of reasons to stay here. It's in prime position on a lovely quality beach just north of the Dubai Marina, and the grounds remain lush and extensive, especially now that guests can also access the newer Westin next-door. The resort is fun-packed, with plenty of water sports on offer, five pools, tennis, great kids club, and the pumping Barasti Beach bar (in itself, a Dubai institution). Despite its age, the resort still offers well-maintained rooms with classic styling and all the five-star features you'd expect to find, making it a great option for mid-budget travelers.

The Palace

$$$$ | Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd., The Old Town Island, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Aptly named, the entrance to The Palace is Taj Mahal-like, with Moorish arches, domes, and Arabesque lace reflected over its dramatic pond. The lobby is marble-lined, centered on a rose-petal filled water feature, and framed with carved teak screens for a deliciously exotic effect. Rooms are similarly themed, with silks, velvet, and cottons in cool colors, woodwork, and plush carpets. The hotel is somewhere between a city hotel and a resort---the grounds are spacious, with pools, gardens, alfresco eateries, and a luxurious day spa, it sits in the shade of the world's tallest building, next to the Dubai Mall, and close to the DIFC and other business districts.

Palazzo Versace

$$$$ | Culture Village, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

When they were constructing this hotel, there were plans to chill the sand on the beach overlooking Dubai Creek; although that plan was discarded after an environmental uproar, it's a testament to how luxurious this hotel is. Public areas are as outstanding as one would expect for a Versace property. The rooms are gorgeous, like something straight from a Venetian palace, with parquet flooring and Versace-designed furnishings and prints. There are mosaics, marble, flocked wallpaper, and a 12,900-square-foot Imperial suite. Dining on-site offers some exceptional choices, but you have to hop in a car to get just about anywhere else.

Park Hyatt Dubai

$$$$ | Dubai Creek Club St., Port Saeed, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This is the only hotel in the Deira area of Dubai that packs so much in, you'll never need to leave. Rooms are very spacious and all have views either over Dubai Creek, the sprawling pool, or palm-lined golf greens. Dining provides some exceptional options at Traiteur or the Terrace, and for diehard foodies, they also offer master classes at Thai Kitchen. The spa is one of the city's best, an exotic calm oasis, with decadent couples packages and a series of combination treatments along with the standard facials and massages.

Ritz-Carlton Dubai

$$$$ | The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The water is warm and the air is scented with frangipani at this Italianate low-rise beach-side resort, with the golden towers of Jumeirah Beach Residence hovering directly behind the sanctuary. It's a popular resort for weddings or young honeymooners; there are secluded pools and romantic restaurants aplenty, and rooms are large and plush with designer bathrooms with oval tubs. But families will also enjoy the added extras that traditionally come from Ritz Carlton hotels, including the kids' club, scavenger hunt pack and kids' pool (complete with a water slide). The resort fronts a private beach, and directly out the other side is The Walk, a vibrant restaurant and shopping strip.

Sofitel Dubai, The Palm

$$$$ | East Crescent Rd., Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Palm Jumeirah has some of the most expensive hotel real estate in Dubai, but the Sofitel offers a good balance between luxury, convenience, and price. This large, Asian-inspired resort is lush and exotic and sprawls over many zones. The 182 apartments make this an excellent choice for families. There is a kids' club, complete with water slides and waterfalls, and the main pool (one of six) is lined with a good proportion of cabanas and shaded areas, perfect for watching progeny splash while adults rest and rejuvenate. When it's time for more activity, there are a plethora of water sports on offer, and for golfers, there is an "eco golf" driving range on the beachfront---the balls fall into the Arabian gulf and disintegrate into fish food.

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