RandomBaritone

Well, the "fairly" bit was self-referential. My waistline has expanded from 30" in college to 32" now, though I can still wedge into a middle seat in Y when required.

You look like you're in great shape. Don't the L pajama bottoms assume a waist size somewhere on the far side of 40"?

m0hamed

With QF I always ask for a S/M (they don't make S). Crew will always give you a bigger size of you ask if they don't fit.

Jermyn

Ha! If you can manage to maintain a 32" waist, whilst flying on anything resembling a frequent basis, you're doing well!

The bottoms tend to be ok because they have drawstrings, I'd rather have the legs fit well and have the waist kind of 'pinched in', than wearing something resembling yoga pants. Besides that extra room in the waist comes in prety useful with some of the meals you get in international F cabins

True, I've never found this to be a problem. I usually find some mixing and matching of tops and bottoms is required but most planes load enough PJs to make this possible.

Jermyn

Part 3: Park Hyatt Dubai

Stepping off the plane, we emerged into a deserted EK terminal. Given that F is given something of a head start disembarking, it truly felt like we had this enormous airport to ourselves.

The terminal is very large, very new and absolutely bathed in marble. Pretty much exactly what I was expecting. I've got to say I was particularly astonished to see this hologramatic projection man though :


We were at the baggage carousels in under 10 minutes and thankfully our bags were first off. My snowboard bag drew some incredulous stares from a few people... but more on that later.

As a result of the QF tie in with EK, not only do QF planes land at the EK terminal, QF passengers are also permitted to use the EK chauffeur drive service. The chauffeur drive check-in area was somewhat utilitarian but I guess that's fine, there looked to be so many cars prepared that you would never actually need to sit and wait there.


We were assigned a car and immediately walked outside to be met by our driver. This is when it hit us, that incredible sensation that you get, stepping off a long-haul flight, that first moment when the difference in heat, humidity and smell of a new country bombard you all at once. Really, there's nothing quite like it.

The car was a top of the range Mercedes, very comfortable for the short ride to the Park Hyatt.

Location wise the hotel is probably the closest decent hotel to the airport. The location has both advantages and drawbacks.

The plot of land that the PH Dubai is on, is absolutely enormous. It is part of a larger, gated yacht club. The drive from the front gate to the actual hotel building is a good couple of minutes, the gardens and privately owned homes are all immaculately presented.

Upon arrival we were immediately met by staff who took care of our bags for us. This gave us a chance to look around and really enjoy the design of the hotel. The lobby of the main building is spectacular.


Something that really impresses me about the PH Dubai is how it is unmistakeably a Park Hyatt: beige tones, dark wood, glass and stone abound yet it is also undoubtedly Arabic in its design - with geometry and archways dominating the flow of the hotel.

Since it was only 8am we were prepared to have to wait a while to get the room. However at check-in, firstly I was told "happy birthday" and secondly I was told that we had been upgraded to a terrace suite that was just being cleaned, however if we wanted to have breakfast in the restaurant the room would be ready once we finished. Given that we only had tea and coffee for breakfast on the plane, this sounded like a great idea.

We were escorted down a beautiful marble corridor which led to the restaurant.


The staff were unbelievably friendly and welcoming, offering us newspapers and talking us through the various buffet offerings as well as taking drinks orders and asking if they could help us with any information on the hotel or Dubai in general.

The buffet at the PH is not enormously extensive but the food is of an exceptionally high quality, to my mind that is the best situation to be in. I'd rather eat a few amazing things than lots of average ones!


As soon as you set foot in a Park Hyatt, everything has that heavy, solid feel of quality to it. I always love to hear the sound of a heavy chair being moved a couple of inches across the floor, or the sound of a solid knife knocking against a fine china plate.


After breakfast we were asked if we needed an escort to the room. We declined, saying we'd be happy to make our own way (more than anything because we wanted to snap loads of pics!).

The hotel is comprised of a series of different building so getting around isn't enormously straightforward, still we were very happy with the location of our room. It was far from the lobby but very close to the pool (which in my mind is a better place to spend one's time!).



The more eagle eyed of you may have noticed something suspicious in the top right corner of the picture. This was a surprise arranged by the hotel. A few minutes after we arrived in the room there was a knock on the door; in came two members of staff with a birthday cake!


There was one small terrace with a table and chairs, leading off the front of the living room. This was a nice place to sit and have the first coffee each morning (along with a slice of cake).


The view from the terrace is phenomenal. You really feel like you are in a privileged location, away from all the noise and bustle of the city. I particularly enjoyed seeing the seaplane take-off and land a couple of times each day.


Hearing the propeller rev into action in an otherwise totally quiet surrounding was quite evocative of summers at home as a child. I could close my eyes and imagine myself transported back to the garden at home, feeling the sunshine on my skin, hearing my dad punctuate the silence with the roar of the lawnmower.

Also, from an aviation geek perspective, I had not expected a runway view at this hotel!


The rest of the room was superbly appointed. I love free standing baths and really liked the way you could open panels to let light through from the bedroom into the bathroom.


The toiletries at the PH Dubai are Le Labo Bergamote. One of my favourites. Also they are one size larger than at any other hotel I've been to. Around double the size of regular shower gels etc. found in other Park Hyatts.


Whilst at the hotel, we spent the majority of our time at the pool. I mean, just look at it.


The pool staff were remarkably attentive, always eager to bring you towels or water, or help you to move the sun-loungers should you wish to get more shade.


Of course, we couldn't just lie around the pool all the time, eating and drinking like savages. Otherwise the plane home would have had trouble taking off, given our increased body mass. So we decided to investigate the gym facilities, located around a magnificent Arabic courtyard.

The gym is very extensive. Easily in the top 5% of hotel gyms I've been to in terms of equipment. There were no attendants around but there were plenty of fresh towels and bottled water that you could help yourself to and the facilities were kept clean with no machines damaged or malfunctioning in any way.

So far, with the exception of the lobby picture, all the shots I've shown were taken during the day. However, the hotel really becomes magical at night when the hallways are quiet and the lanterns are lit. The views across the creek, as the skyscrapers all light up, are magnificent as well.



Before we reach the conclusion of this review, I feel I must point out a couple of negatives we experienced during our stay.

1. I was emailed post stay asking me to pay extra for our breakfast on the last day because we had eaten breakfast on the first day, pre check-in.

Given that no charge was mentioned when we were directed to breakfast on day one, I would have been annoyed to be ask to pay retroactively but would probably have done so. However, given that we skipped breakfast on one day and paid for the (fantastic) Friday Brunch on another, I felt that we were well within our limits having eaten breakfast only 2 times for a 3 night stay.

I raised this in my email reply, the hotel apologised and left it at that.


2. The cleaning staff were very friendly but obviously a little overstretched, understandable given the size of the hotel. They would knock loudly several times and generally entered the room without waiting for a response. K always had to have a dressing gown at the ready in case a group of them came bursting into the room whilst she was in the shower or sunbathing outside!


Some people are concerned about the location being too far from the action. However, taxis are cheap in Dubai and even better, the Park Hyatt has a fleet of luxury sedans which can take you on single journeys or even be hired for the day. We always used these and ended up signing them to the room. The charge was only around $120 for 3 days of extensive use including airport transfers. The best part? We earned HGP points for the rides too!


Overall, this was a superb stay. The hotel really went the extra mile with the upgrades and amenities, particularly given that I was back to Platinum at the time of my stay. The grounds are meticulously maintained and there were no signs of wear and tear on anything at all.

Given how close Dubai is to London I have a feeling we'll be making trips here something of a regular occurrence.

m0hamed

Ha! I've flown EK F and QF F that arrive at 5AM and was also first off the plane, the only pax at immigration and first to the luggage carousel. Quite an eerie experience. Only ever happened to me at AKL once before.

Great review of the PH DXB. I adore this hotel as it's an oasis of calm in the bustle of DXB.

You were lucky to check in early, we always prebooked the night before.

Digital01

Continues to be an excellent report with great pictures. Look forward to the return journey!

bmrisko

Jermyn,

Thanks so much for the amazing pictures and detailed review. We can hardly wait for our stay at the PH. I also appreciate you mentioning the hotel's fleet of taxis. I have heard they are more expensive than street taxis, but the cost you mentioned doesn't seem too unreasonable and we will likely just utilize the in-house services to get around the city.

If you get a moment, can you touch on a couple activities around the city which you would call most memorable? As of now we have a desert safari tour booked with Heritage, a Frying Pan Middle Eastern foodie tour and High Tea at the Burj Khalifa all scheduled. With 5 days, I'm sure we'll have time to get in some shopping and other activities as well.

EDIT: I see that you will be posting your thoughts on Dubai later on in the TR. Please ignore my previous request then...I'll sit tight.

m0hamed

Platinum Heritage Falconry Experience is, without doubt, the best activity I have ever experienced on vacation. I love G Classes and we had an great driver and were with another young couple in the vehicle. It was such a memorable day.

Jermyn

I quite enjoy those kinds of eerie experiences.

Although I think I prefer the calm in the PH Dubai to the calm of an empty airport

I asked the FHR agent to request early check-in, given the minimal time difference we were fine to just head out for a few hours, should the room not have been ready. I guess this sort of thing can be more of a problem if you need to freshen up before a meeting or the jet lag is more of a concern.


Thanks! I'm off on a ridiculous RTW across *A and OW in less than two weeks so will definitely get this whole thing finished by then!

Thanks! The next thing I'm doing after this reply is posting the Dubai segment.

Jermyn

Part 4: Eating and drinking our way around Dubai

With only 3 days in Dubai and a lot of unwinding to do, we veered away from the more adventurous activities involving desert trips and decided to just relax at various bars and restaurants.

I always spend an inordinate amount of time on Tripadvisor, as well as scouring through TRs, for ideas before trips. Dubai was no different. I picked a few top places to visit and pinned them to a Google map.

There were 3 main zones that formed:

1. Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa

2. Dubai Marina and the Palm

3. The Palm and Mall of the Emirates

...as well as Dubai Creek of course, home to the Park Hyatt.


I was looking for as much culinary variety as possible: Chinese, Indian, French. As well as different bar styles: Rooftop, Creekside, Beach and Tallest on Earth !


Here are my recommendations for each area:

1. Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa

You can't come to Dubai for the first time and miss seeing the Dubai Mall, a seemingly infinite expanse of shops and entertainment. It is the biggest mall on the planet, houses the World's largest fish tank and sits next to the tallest building on Earth. The Emiratis don't do things by halves.

The shops aren't particularly reasonably priced, especially if you are looking for luxury brands. However, it is worth going just to see the architecture and take in the atmosphere.


As well as the modern areas of the mall, there are parts made to look like traditional souks... well, ridiculously kitschy interpretations of souks replete with camel statues.

In addition to the mini-souk area within the main mall, there is an entirely separate souk-mall by the fountains.


Although to be fair, not many people are looking in that direction when they step outside the Dubai Mall. The process goes something like this.

1. Step outside and get hit with a wall of heat
2. Put sunglasses on
3. Remove sunglasses to wipe the absurd quantity of condensation, formed by taking them from freezing aircon to scorching heat
4. Catch sight of the Burj Khalifa, stand motionless, jaw-open, hand over eyes to block the sunlight
5. Take pictures. Lots of pictures.


I'm a sucker for skyscrapers, my favourite skyline in the World is Shanghai. I have to say though, Dubai comes very close.

Seeing the Burj Khalifa for the first time is an astonishing experience. Until you are there, looking around comparing it to 'regular' skyscrapers, you can't quite fathom how monolithically outrageous this building is. If the weather had been terrible and McDonalds the only restaurant, the trip would have still been worth it to see this achievement of human endeavour.

Speaking of achievements of human endeavour, we walked past this on our way back to our car.


Emirates has a huge A380 simulator set up in a far corner of the mall. Has anybody on here ever tried it? I've already vowed to sign up for a lesson, well in advance, before our next trip to Dubai.


Katsuya

If you go to a regular mall for sushi, outside of Japan, you are lucky if you get something along the lines of yo-sushi. Of course Dubai Mall is no regular mall. When we asked the information desk for a good sushi place we were directed to the amazing Katsuya.


The restaurant has been designed by Phillipe Starck and it shows.
Upon entering, we were immediately greeted in the traditional Japanese way by the sushi chefs in the central bar counter: "irrashaimase!", always a good sign.

The room has a really open and bright quality, very clean and minimal, the perfect place to have a light lunch after a long haul flight.
The service was definitely 'American' super friendly, lots of information given about the dishes, lots of suggestions, "you'll love this", "this is my favourite", etc. Very different to what you get in England. I don't always prefer the American style but for this type of restaurant it works really well. I felt like the whole experience of eating there was fun and friendly, if a little expensive.

The sushi dishes were genuinely interesting though and I was glad to see sashimi being given some love.

Eating in the mall, I began to get a feel for the life of the Emiratis, who, let's face it, have a pretty sweet deal. it was interesting to see large groups of women in hijabs or other forms of Muslim dress, chatting away over their lunches.

Given the previous night's consumption of VC Grande Dame I was pleased to see such an extensive election of non-alcoholic beverages (something we found in all the drinking and dining establishments we visited in Dubai).

K had some sort of raspberry soda and I went for a mixed fruit drink with fresh jalapeno. Both were amazing.


Armani Hotel - Amal restaurant

In addition to being an architectural marvel, the Burj Khalifa also houses a number of bars and dining establishments, the majority of which are linked in some way to the Armani hotel.

Given that you can't use miles and points there, there aren't too many TRs on the hotel round these parts. Arriving in our luxury sedan, we definitely felt like movie stars; the approach is lined with supercars and limousines. As soon as you arrive, your car doors are promptly opened and you are ushered out of the heat into the icy cold of the sleek, black lobby.


The Armani restaurants are quite varied: Italian, Indian and Japanese cuisines are represented.

We decided to try Amal, the Indian restaurant. In England, Indian food has a reputation for being something cheap, heavy and fattening because there is such a proliferation of takeaway curry houses throughout the country. However, just as Hakkasan showed that not all Chinese food is greasy and cheap, Amal disproves the haters of Indian food.

Firstly, the room is stunning.
Upon entering we were seated at some sofa chairs near the bar and given a welcome drink.


Secondly, the service was faultless. We were informed that the PH concierge had ensured that our table would face the fountains, as it was our first visit to Dubai (a very nice touch). Our server explained the timings and said that we may wish to remain indoors, given the heat, but were free to view the fountain show from the private balcony, should we wish to do so.

Of course we leapt at the chance. The view up was probably even more amazing than the view down.


If you've ever seen the show at the Bellagio then you know... what a water pistol looks like in comparison to a military water cannon. Seriously, the Dubai fountains crank things up a notch.
Having dinner at Amal, from the moment we drove up to the entrance of the Armani hotel, felt like an experience. For the entire evening we were transported away from reality.

Another moment of excellent service, when K stepped away to use the rest room, the server immediately came over with cloches to cover our plates. He also engaged me in conversation to ensure that I remained entertained until K returned, stepping aside and uncovering our plates as she returned. The best restaurants in London don't serve you this well.

At this point I should probably mention the food. Excellent. Light, fragrant, tender and utterly delicious. None of the thick sauces and over-reliance on curry powder that you may be used to. This is food that absolutely belongs in a room of this level.


At.mosphere - Burj Khalifa

If you want to go to the top of the tallest building on earth you have two options, you can pay for a ticket to get in line, ride the elevator and walk through a viewing gallery, rife with tourists. An experience which you have to reserve weeks in advance, should you want to experience the sunset.

Alternatively, you can book a table at At.mosphere, the tallest bar on Earth, via your hotel concierge two days beforehand. No prizes for guessing what we did.

The ground floor entrance is a grand and cavernous space, very bright and open. It actually has quite a strong Scandinavian feel to it, with all the glass and light wood.


After a brief wait we were escorted to the elevators.


As soon as you exit the elevators you experience a view like no other. You genuinely feel like you are in the heavens looking down on the Earth.

Given the location and the resulting captive audience, you would expect three things: terrible service, low quality drinks and sky high prices.

I am glad to report that none of those things are the case. The staff were as elegant and demure as the decor; the cocktails not only perfect renderings of classics but also a diverse list of genuinely interesting and well executed originals. The prices? Similar to what you pay in any half decent cocktail bar in London. And if you're going somewhere like Artesian at the Langham or the Connaught bar... actually a little cheaper than London!


Once again, the PH concierge secured us a fantastic table; we were seated with a view of the fountains, this time with a very different perspective of course.



When it came to watching the sunset, we walked all the way around to the far edge of the bar, drinks in hand, to a very private area at the end. This gave a fantastic view of the sunset but was not an area you'd otherwise want to be seated in, given how far it is from the "action" of the main room.

Watching the sun set into the sea, on a clear day, drinking an old fashioned at the top of the tallest building on Earth... easily in the top 5 experiences of my life. The is serious bucket list material.



Once we returned to our seats, we really didn't want to leave; the energy of the place was palpable, the transition from day to night now in full swing. We whiled away a couple of hours talking, eating and drinking, watching the bright lights of Dubai come to life.






2. Dubai Marina and the Palm

Dubai Marina is a secluded and charming alcove of hotels and restaurants very near to the Palm. It has a unique feel to it, more like an Asian city like Singapore or Hong Kong. Fittingly enough, on our visit there we stopped at the Ritz Carlton hotel for dinner at their Pan Asian restaurant, Blue Jade.


Ritz Carlton - Blue Jade Restaurant

This restaurant is consistently ranked near the top on trip advisor and it is easy to see why. The decor is beautiful, with just the right mix of ancient looking artifacts and sleek glass and lighting.


As with everywhere else in Dubai, the service was impeccable. Our server at Blue Jade was a warm and bubbly Malaysian. What better nationality to represent Pan Asian food?

We ordered a variety of hot and cold dishes.The sashimi was super fresh. The black cod wrapped in lotus leaf was out of this world.


Because the entire Palm and Marina area is filled with hotels, all vying for customers' attention, there is a complimentary buggy service to shuttle you between them. K absolutely loved this as it reminded her of growing up in a part of HK that had no cars, where only golf carts were allowed!

After finishing our meal we hopped on a buggy for a nightcap at the Sheraton Bliss Bar.


Sheraton - Bliss Bar

We were there on Saturday night, which is the Dubai equivalent of Sunday, so we basically had the place to ourselves.


The drinks were very good, with a pretty diverse and inventive cocktail list.

It was nice to just see the lights of the palm in the distance and enjoy the feeling of sand between our toes as a way to round off the evening.

As an added bonus we got 15% off for being SPG gold holders as well as as earning a few SPG points!






3. Mall of The Emirates and the Burj Al Arab

Not too far from the Palm is the Mall of The Emirates. Not as large or opulent as its newer sibling, it does have one World famous feature which K and I really wanted to check out. An indoor "ski resort". That's right, not just a slope but a resort, complete with a slope-side restaurant, two pistes, a nursery area and a luge area.


K had never snowboarded before so I left her in the beginner class whilst I spent an hour going the slopes.

It was an incredible feeling to strap on a board and feel the cold, having spent the morning sunbathing by the pool at the Park Hyatt.

Having said that, an hour was enough. Part of the fun of boarding is exploring and seeing the amazing mountain views. Although this was a fun experience, I definitely wouldn't plan on spending a whole day here.

The Mall of The Emirates area's main draw is the Burj al Arab. Home to a self-designated 7 star hotel.

We didn't really have much interest in seeing the inside but thought that the outside of the building is quite iconic and worth viewing whilst it was lit up at night.

I'd read that there was one bar that had great views of the Burj, the Bahri bar at Madinat Jumeirah.


Madinat Jumeirah - Bahri Bar

The Madinat Jumeirah is a typical Disney/Vegas style resort hotel. More the idea that people have in mind when they imagine Dubai. Seriously, when I tell people about the Park Hyatt they look at me like I'm making things up.

The bar was rammed with expats and absolutely stank of stale beer and cigarette smoke. The view was pretty cool though:


We sat on the balcony for a few minutes debating whether or not to line up at the bar and brave the masses... and thought better of it.

At the ripe old age of 30 I though it was about time I began complaining about the kids and their noisy bars.

We headed to the lobby and spent a few minutes listening to an awesome duo of local musicians.


We then grabbed a buggy to take us to the rooftop bar at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.


We were driven along a series of winding paths until all of a sudden we turned a corner and saw an amazing view of the Burj. At this point the buggy driver stopped and offered to take our picture.


Sometimes you just have to suck it up and take a good old fashioned tourist shot.


Jumeirah Beach Hotel - Uptown Bar

At this point in the holiday we were so full of food and drink that we just went for a couple of non-alcoholic cocktails and soaked in the view.


Uptown has a very chilled out feel and is a place that you could easily while away a few hours with friends. Bear in mind though that not all table have a view and even the best ones will require you to get up or turn around if you want to take in the whole city.




BONUS: Friday Brunch at the Park Hyatt - Traiteur

Friday Brunch is a huge deal in Dubai. The weekend runs from Friday to Saturday so for a lot of people the weekend starts with a full day of heavy drinking. I've even heard stories of Friday brunches ending with people dancing on tables and hosing each other down in champagne. Not really my scene but would probably be funny to see.

However, Traiteur at the Park Hyatt promised all the indulgence with a little more refinement.

The walk to the restaurant takes you along the creek and past row after row of yachts.



We were seated in a quiet pavilion, conveniently adjacent to a spread of seafood.


It was a good as a starter but the main room is where the real action was!



I don't have much of a sweet tooth but even I was tempted by a few choice treats in the dessert room.



The service was great, the food remarkably good and the location exuded class. Bravo PH Dubai, bravo.

stargold

Enjoying the great report so far - and looking forward to the QR segment. And I will definitely try Traiteur brunch at the next opportunity - sounds like my definition of heaven.

As an aside, I believe you have the Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates the wrong way round - DM is the one next to Burj Khalifa, and MoE is the one with the ski slope

Jermyn

Thanks stargold!
Traiteur is absolutely one of the best ways I can imagine to spend a day.

Fixed, two Malls and two Burjes. It is pretty easy to get them mixed up!

stargold

Malls and oversized skyscrapers - you've just described 90% of the UAE! And yes, they can all become something of a blur after a while. There's only so much hotel and mall hopping you can do before it becomes pretty dull (although the women in my household would correct me regarding the latter )

Carq

Thatīs a really nice report and a good guide for eating and drinking in style in Dubai. As this is a good one, Iīm going to read your two older TRs.

JamieABZ

Oh. My. Word!
Stunning report - you out-do yourself every time!
I'm sitting here in awe trying to pick my chin off the floor!