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Old Aug 24, 2014, 10:47 am
  #1  
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Luxury suggestions for Dubai

Looking for advice from experts
Planning my trip to Dubai for 9-10 days in mid March 2015 and currently zeroing on 4 places
1.One and Only, Palm
2. One and Only Mirage Residence and Spa
3. 4S will be open 12/1/2014
4. Dar al Masyaf
for 6 nights and then move to downtown area to experience modern luxury, like
1. Address
2. Oberoi
3.Grosvenor
4. Raffles
Priorities: service, quality of the rooms/beach, food and all the usual aspects of luxury vacation
Thanks Alex
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Old Aug 24, 2014, 12:50 pm
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What will you do so many days in Dubai? You find many advice via the search.
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Old Aug 24, 2014, 1:26 pm
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16 days is excessive given that you can drive across Dubai in about 30 minutes!

The key issue is probably who you are with. Madinat is a major family resort, the others less so.

O&O on the Palm is a 15 min taxi ride just to the entrance to the Palm, so if you intend to be out and about each day you may want to avoid it (hotel has excellent reputation though).

If you want to try a city property, bookend your trip with them. Beach resorts cost 3x as much at peak times. Your flight will likely land late and leave early so spending those first and last nights in a resort is inefficient.
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Old Aug 24, 2014, 2:10 pm
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9-10 nights total/ 6 on a beach+3 in downtown area/
Flying from US/ long flight/ i was under impression that 9-10 days is sufficient to relax, see Dubai,Abu-Dhabi.....
Am i wrong? Celebrating my wife birthday and trying to do something different vs usual Caribbean/ Hawaii style vacation? Time traveling mid- March?
Alex
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Old Aug 24, 2014, 3:10 pm
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What`s about Al Maha Desert Resort? Problem with Dubai is, that beach isn`t something to write home about. Although I would stay in Abu Dhabi, not only do a day trip. I stayed 3 nights at Armani and found it beginning with the second day boring. Better was my 2 night stay at Burj Al Arab with some things to do. In the end I thought it would be a different between City and beach hotel. Yes, but as taxis are inexpensive it`s absolutely no problem to reach every Point from every hotel/ resort.
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Old Aug 25, 2014, 1:17 am
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Agree that 9-10 days seems like an awful long time, we just finished planning a 10 day trip that includes both Dubai and Seychelles. Our 3 days in Dubai will be split between the Conrad in points and the Burj Al Arab.

To answer your original question, other properties that were top of my list were One and Only Palm and Al Maha.
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Old Aug 25, 2014, 12:38 pm
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With all the due respect i disagree that 9/10 days is such an extreme long time in Dubai....especially considering that OP will spend most of it on a beach vacation. Plenty of things to do/see here. Maybe not of the likes of everybody but for sure enough to entertain fully those who enjoy such a vibe.

That said I have been in some of the hotel you mention and visited most of the rest.

I am not clear what you mean when you said that you want to move to a downtown hotel and then mention Grosvenor. As far as i know there is one Grosvenor hotel in Dubai and it is located in Jumeirah, way far from, as an example, The Address Downtown (but relatively close to The Address Marina).
I have been staying in both. To me Grosvenor is one of the best hotel as far as service in Dubai (and not only Dubai) that has been topped in town only by (believe it or not) Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort, located front sea just opposite to the Grosvenor and under the same management. I will not hesitate to recommend any of them even if I suspect many on this forum might disagree.
If you choose a beach resort in Jumeirah I don't think it will make lot of sense to move to the Grosvenor that is actually considered by many a beach hotel considering the fact that guest here can enjoy Le Royal Meridien facilities.


The Address Downton is located in an iconic location downtown overlooking Burji Kalifa with a funny designed pool but with consistent issue about service that has maybe improved since my last stay. Great location if you plan to spend time over the mall and the Burji Kalifa area. Note you have an Armani Hotel (the first to open worldwide) here as well.
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Old Aug 25, 2014, 1:33 pm
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Originally Posted by The_Daddy
Note you have an Armani Hotel (the first to open worldwide) here as well.
Can`t recommend it, see my Review here. Can`t see any reason to stay at Armani with excemption of shopping.
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Old Aug 25, 2014, 2:22 pm
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Originally Posted by offerendum
Can`t recommend it, see my Review here. Can`t see any reason to stay at Armani with excemption of shopping.
True, not the best place to stay, but do go to Armani/Ristorante for dinner. In terms of F&B Armani delivers. Haven't had a bad meal or drink there. Afterwards you can take the tunnel to Dubai Mall for a little post-meal shopping.
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Old Aug 25, 2014, 6:02 pm
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Originally Posted by The_Daddy
With all the due respect i disagree that 9/10 days is such an extreme long time in Dubai....especially considering that OP will spend most of it on a beach vacation. Plenty of things to do/see here. Maybe not of the likes of everybody but for sure enough to entertain fully those who enjoy such a vibe.

That said I have been in some of the hotel you mention and visited most of the rest.

I am not clear what you mean when you said that you want to move to a downtown hotel and then mention Grosvenor. As far as i know there is one Grosvenor hotel in Dubai and it is located in Jumeirah, way far from, as an example, The Address Downtown (but relatively close to The Address Marina).
I have been staying in both. To me Grosvenor is one of the best hotel as far as service in Dubai (and not only Dubai) that has been topped in town only by (believe it or not) Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort, located front sea just opposite to the Grosvenor and under the same management. I will not hesitate to recommend any of them even if I suspect many on this forum might disagree.
If you choose a beach resort in Jumeirah I don't think it will make lot of sense to move to the Grosvenor that is actually considered by many a beach hotel considering the fact that guest here can enjoy Le Royal Meridien facilities.


The Address Downton is located in an iconic location downtown overlooking Burji Kalifa with a funny designed pool but with consistent issue about service that has maybe improved since my last stay. Great location if you plan to spend time over the mall and the Burji Kalifa area. Note you have an Armani Hotel (the first to open worldwide) here as well.
Thank you for your suggestions. Ithink Grosvenor will be a good choice, may split between Burj and Grosvenor/3/5-6/. Looking forward to my trip, long flight from US, but always was amazed by Dubai and finally cause of my wife B-day have an excuse to go.
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Old Aug 25, 2014, 6:19 pm
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In my opinion 9-10 days is a vastly excessive time to spend in Dubai, but to suggest something a bit different why not head out to Qasr al Sarab in the desert for a few days? The location is pretty stunning and the hotel is not bad either.
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Old Aug 26, 2014, 1:52 am
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Originally Posted by scented
but do go to Armani/Ristorante for dinner. In terms of F&B Armani delivers.
I also can`t recommend Ristorante. Food was medicore (not even able to cook propper fish) at best, courses were very small, but it was very expensive. I liked Amal and Hashi, both good restaurants.
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Old Aug 26, 2014, 2:53 am
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dar al masyaf- disneyland- no luxury at all except in the rooms. No pool service- no dedicated pools, breakfast in a feeding scrum - not dedicated for that part of the resort(can go to lounge)

Al Maha- my favourite. Rooms not luxurious in decor but individual pool is good and activities are included. Food is included and is ok.

Grosvenor house- best service of the 3- especially at the beach at the sister hotel Royal Meridien- showed up how poor it was at dar al masyaf. I would put Grosvenor house way above dar al masyaf for luxury.

Go to Oman and the Chedi- much better all round.

For me Dubai is a one trip only- 5 days max- kind of place. IF I went back I would go to Al Maha for 3 nights and maybe 2 nights at Grosvenor and then go to Oman.

Do you like bling? Gold fittings important etc? That could well determine choice.
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Old Aug 26, 2014, 4:35 am
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My two dirhams; If you are going to "see and experience Dubai", then it is a 3 day trip max. But if you are going for a general beach vacation, sure, go for however long you like, although there are far better beach vacation destinations. My suggestion would be to actually do the beach part of the vacation next door in Abu Dhabi; it is usually a lot cheaper (e.g. often a third of the price or less) for more or less comparable five star hotels.
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Old Sep 10, 2014, 3:21 am
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Mandarin Oriental Dubai

Previously mentioned by the developer but now confirmed by MO. 2017 opening, 200 rooms + 12 overwater villas.

Location is stated as Jumeirah 3 - not 100% sure but expect that this will be the beachfront plot at the opposite end of Jumeirah Beach Park to the upcoming Four Seasons (same owner).

http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/21...ebut-in-dubai/
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