OP are you looking to be near to the airport or in the city? Al Murooj Rotana is in the city, on the main road (Sheik Zayed road, Defense roundabout). Never stayed there but it looks pretty swank. There is also a restaurant there called More than is nice for brunch... don't order the pankcakes though -- they look like muffins with the tops cut off, quite odd!

Bur Dubai is a little closer to the airport, near to the gold souq and some other nice-to-see places, and tends to be much cheaper than places in the (newer part of the) city. I've not stayed in any of the hotels there, so not sure how nice they are, though... .

Just my 2 fils.