oxtailsoup

Hi,

I've booked the Burj for a couple of nights later this month. We normally stay at JBH or Madinat which have fantastic views of the Burj but I thought I'd surprise my wife as we have often wondered what the rooms are like. I am fully expecting it to be a little bit brash and gaudy but what the hell... It will be a fun experience hopefully!

I had a few questions which someone who has been before may be able to answer.

1. Can you take a penknife to scrape off the gold leaf and take it to be weighed in at the Souk? Just joking

2. Have the rooms been refurbished recently? I read a review from 2012 saying the furnishings were showing their age.

3. My wife loves the Hermes Kelly brand which I understand are the complimentary full size amenities in the suite. The hotel website says the Hermes amenity is a gift. I'm wondering if that means you use them and then take them home half empty, or whether they give you one gift set to take home and they provide other Hermes amenities in the room to use during the stay?

tom139

We have stayed at the Burj many times, mostly for Christmas and New Year. You will never stay anywhere quite like it - it is very OTT but nevertheless definitely worth a stay.

I'm not sure we will now return to be honest because of the following points:

- service has definitely declined
- the rooms have not been refurbished except for putting iMacs in every suite. I wouldn't say furnishings are tired but they are dated

In terms of the Hermès stuff, if you 'use' a bottle of each every day, or even twice a day, it will be replenished every time someone from housekeeping visits. You can certainly get your value with the Hermès stuff. However, you will only get 1 moisturiser and 1 perfume per person. The bath amenities though are replenished as often as you need.

oxtailsoup

Thanks.

If you use the toiletries, do the room service staff replace them for new and take the lightly used product away? Or do they leave the lightly used products and leave the new ones?

I know from staying in the other Jumeirah hotels it is the latter and you can end up with a lot of nice toiletries to take home if you wish. I'm just curious if they are as generous with Hermes

offerendum

Woudn`t call it tired but indeed it`s not most modern. I would say it`s OK. It`s not the biggest Suite I ever had, it`s not the best bathroom, it`s not the best living room and not the best bedroom. But over all it`s a nice experience, so go for it.

I don`t really remember, because it wasn`t important for us.

oxtailsoup

We have just returned from our stay at the Burj for three days. Mixed review really.

Positives
Amazing architecture and engineering inside and out. Wow factor.
Suite was excellent. Not dated, very nice.
Suite 'gifts' were nice. The full size Hermes amenities. Shaving kit was a proper Mach 3 razor (metal one, not plastic). Bottle of Louis Roederer champagne, chocolates etc etc.

Negatives (our opinion)
The facilities were better across the bridge at Madinat. Better and more choice of restaurants.
The pools were better at Madinat.
There is no executive lounge whilst there is at each of the Madinat hotels.
Felt a little claustrophobic.
Cup of coffee was £10 in the restaurants which is excessive we felt.

All in all we enjoyed the 'experience' but in future will be happier sticking with the Madinat hotel options.

hukdu

One of the best hotels in the world.

offerendum

How often did you stay?

TRAVELSIG

This is a very fair review IMHO. Good place to check out once to fulfill curiosity of what surely is one of the more photographed buildings around.

I am interested to see what the new Four Seasons will be like.

offerendum

Not like the Burj

malioil

I've stayed in the Burj and would attest it is more of an experience than a hotel. It's something that is fun to experience once for a night or two but I personally wouldn't want it for more than that. It is very OTT and although the service was good, the 'entertainment interior design' (for want of better word) got tiresome after a while. It felt a tad like Vegas.

Also, very blingy, a bit like EK F (and a lot of things Dubai).

vuittonsofstyle

Thankfully, the new FS Dubai looks nothing like the Burj, which I loathe. Should be interesting, as I am staying there as it opens.

Forrest Bump

Agree. Kinda of Singapore's MBS; been there done that. That wow factor never comes cheap.

Mickidon

I am always amazed at the mileage the Burj gets by providing full size Hermes product. Yes, it's a nice treat, but the cost to them is a rounding era of the room charge. Well played.

I agree with posters above who find the Burj a one time experience. It isn't very convenient and the luxury feels almost gauche. As well, the contrast to the supposed high end feel does not in any way square with the busloads of picture taking tourists milling around the lobby.

NYBanker

We stayed in the villas at Madinat (the complex that the Burj is in). Very nice...low key but very comfortable. No bling.

Raffles

I am in one now, in a suite. They have had a soft refurb since we were here at Easter and look a lot better albeit less Arabian!

Truly amazing redemption - Sirius is an Amex ICC partner and you can redeem for any room. These suites sell for £1,500 per night at peak times like this week (UK October school holiday week/ s).