thanks! So I‘ll just leave it confirmed via MMB and looking forward to checkin :)

Does anyone know about the hotel? I already upgraded my Eco Flex+ to Business on both legs, so I‘d be eligible for business hotel, right? Any influence getting the JW Marriott Marquis?

In my experience, different agents give different answers ;-)

just wanted to update -
I got to the CD desk in DXB and requested a car to dropoff at the hotel ; and pickup the next morning.
The guy literally said he was doing me a big favor and will only assign the dropoff car. He said I will not qualify for the pickup next morning. He kind of berated me for not taking the shortest connection!!

I reached my hotel; then, used chat messaging to ask for the car pickup next morning. It took several attempts (with the same agent) for the agent to understand what I am asking. Finally, the agent did assign the car; initially said it was "waitlisted". No idea what that meant (I contacted about 18 hours before flight departure time). Within a few minutes I received my itinerary (email) with the car pickup at hotel added in.

I found this whole process very laborious and awkward.

This was a straightforward revenue ticket (not award / mileage upgrade, etc).

My wife and I have a 9.5 hour layover in DXB--it's not the shortest possible connection but we qualify for the DC. Now, the question is if it is worth doing or not. We currently are holding a reservation at the in-terminal hotel and think it might not be worth the hassle for the nicer, free room.

If we stay with our in-terminal hotel room, we could just visit the lounge before and after the nap...

Yes, during your layover you can enter / exit the lounge you qualify for (based on your question in another thread, the F lounge) as often as you wish.
Also, there are F longes in all three concourses (A, B and C) so you can go 'loungehopping' if that excites you.

How does that work then? I understood that one only qualified if the shortest connection was more than x number of hours, depending on class of ticket, or is the shortest connection still over the minimum time required? Just curious.

That’s the rule, but seems like the application of the rule is nuanced. I’ve had it offered where I don’t qualify (once I deliberately spaced out flights 18 hours or so apart, so I could go into the city, and I was offered it). I think there are other instances where people have not been offered, have asked, and it is granted.

To clarify a bit about why we might have the CD hotel access: my wife is in F and I and in J, so maybe(?) the requirements are a little looser for us.

Also, for anyone who has actually done the CD hotel, how much time do you burn with the transit to and from? I'm trying to compare with the in-terminal hotel that I would have to pay for. I just don't want to waste an extra hour or so on the free option....

i’m traveling LHR-DXB-BKK , BKK-DXB-LHR in F, connection time 7 hours at night .
I am eligible and I ordered the hotel in my reservation .
Where can I ask for the hotel closest to the airport ? , last time I wasted almost an hour in traffic to the hotel
thanks

The airline allocates your hotel. In the past for F (and J) it has normally been the Meridian, which is a few minutes drive from the airport. I have not used this service for a long time so someone who uses it more regularly might want to update / comment on this .

thanks

Its been the JW Marriott Marquis for me last 3 times when I was in F. Its about a 40 minute ride in the evening but only 20 minutes in the morning. Le Meridien typically in J. I prefer the JW Marriott over Le Meridien as the rooms look newer/ bigger? and dinner buffet has a much wider spread with more food options.

With 6 flights a day to/from LHR and 5 a day to/from BKK I'm surprised any itinerary qualified for Dubai Connect, even in First Class. Can anyone explain?

In my case, they transferred me to a later flight (most likely due to an overbooking)

Do you still get the choice of restaurants? Last time I was at Le Meridien on STPC I could use any of the on-site restaurants, and choose 3 courses from the menu that were annotated with a plane. Bad mistake having a very spicy Thai the evening before a 08:00 flight to SGN! :)