scented

You have a point. O&O has a great product, even after all these years. I especially like their suites with private pools - hard to find in Dubai. The skyline view is pretty spectacular, too. Sadly, FS Dubai's lot is so small, they cannot accommodate any villas on their premises, save for the owner's villa. Also, the beach/construction situation is difficult for another year or two. Even after completion of Bulgari, it is not sea view anymore, but rather sea view/residential view. I always recommend to opt for Skyline View at FS Dubai -- a revelation, as it capitalizes on the central location of the hotel and offers vistas from Sheikh Zayed Road to Downtown Burj Khalifa and even Marina/Internet City in a far distance. You're literally in the middle of everything.

Does anyone know why ex O&O veteran Michael R. Payne left Kerzner for ... lo and behold, Kempinski?

smartiepants

Thanks for all the quick replies. Still leaning towards the FS but on further investigation the Ritz Carlton is also looking quite good with several pools and variety of restaurants, at least one of which gets DavidO's endorsement! Club lounge also looks quite pleasant there...

MacMyDay

We did the same last year and I should warn you to prepare for heat like you've never experienced. Even during the night it did not drop below 38C. I've been in many places during peak summer, but Dubai was something else. I don't think I'd want to go again, as the humidity is so high that it was uncomfortable and inescapable, unless you're always indoors.

I love trying out different hotels, so we ended up staying in The Armani, O&O The Palm and Burj al Arab. If I was there in August, I would go back to the Armani, due to the proximity of the town and facilities within the hotel; if it was somewhere outside Summer (e.g. April), I'd likely go to The Palm, as you can enjoy the outdoors more. The Armani actually really impressed me. The service was very good, the room (Fountain Suite) was faultless and the food wasn't bad either.

Here's some pics for you:

Armani:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/132880...57660391872548

O&O The Palm:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/132880...57657817448606

offerendum

Doesn´t reflect my experience. Service was so weak and the suites are terrible. Can´t see any reason to stay here. Would avoid at all costs.

xracer

The FS is nice. Service is good, but not great. Do not let them try to 'upgrade' you from a city view room to an sea view room. They tried to do this with us, and we had to fight to get the room we booked.

The sea view rooms are really pretty terrible. Because of the layout of the resort, you will probably end up facing other rooms. And there really is no longer a sea view to speak of. All of the construction means the resort's view of actual open water has been cut down from 180 degrees to maybe 30 degrees. And I don't think this will ever change.

scented

City view looks out to the sides of the building, it's what they call "Jumeirah Residential". Fancy description of what is actually a view on either a bridge or construction.

From your description though I think they put you into one of their Partial Sea-View Rooms, which mostly face the resort and other rooms indeed. Only in distance you will have some water and a lot of construction. There are rooms that have a full-on view of the sea and those are pretty nice -- the Premier Sea-View rooms. They are not in either of the wings of the building, but pretty central.

The only rooms I like are the Premier Sea-View. For suites I would opt at least for a Jumeirah Skyline Suite. I don't like the Four Seasons Sea-View Suites as they are always just partial sea view and odd layout -- very dark bedrooms with no daylight. Take at least a Jumeirah Skyline or even better, one of their Imperial Suites. Full on sea-view is only from Jumeirah Sea View Suites upwards, but even then it might be an angled view. A perfect sea-view is rare at FS Dubai... if I'm not mistaken you will have to go up the Royal Suite to get that, or the Penthouse. Even the two Corner Presidentials don't offer that, though they afford a beautiful terrace with stunning views.

FS Dubai has a lot of room to play with in terms of upgrades and room allocation.

xracer, may I ask what your suggestion for improvement in service would be? Related to Concierge, Spa, F&B, Front Desk?

Armani is okay, it's Emaar -- I wouldn't stay but F&B is quite fun. I love Ristorante, Hashi is another favorite and Amal is constantly rated as one of Dubai's top venues for Indian food. Some of FS' F&B management transferred from Armani.

vuittonsofstyle

After opening O&O The Palm, he went to Emirates O&O Wolgan Valley to oversee the changeover. It could be that Kerzner have so few hotels and opportunities for GMs to move upwards, that he had to leave, although I agree that Kempinski is hardly a step up!

xracer

I booked a Premiere Skyline View Room and they 'upgraded' us to a room that mostly faced the other side of the building (with a little water view to the right). So, either they actually downgraded us, or their classification of what the Premier Sea View Room (which is what we should have been upgraded to) has changed.

Service was either (very) hit or miss. We encountered one person at the front desk who had no interest in helping us at all and was actually pretty rude, while another time a different person was wonderful and extremely helpful.

Same at Suq - one day the service (and the food) was wonderful, next day both were mediocre, at best.

Same thing at the pool - at least one of the people working there was absolutely wonderful, but many were just more interested in talking to other coworkers than actually helping customers.

So, pretty much typical Dubai: some really good service, but lots of very apathetic service as well. There was also no management presence while we were there.

It's not a bad resort and we had a good time. It's probably one of the best in Dubai - but that's not saying much. I would probably never return.

scented

Interesting, thank you!

There are some stars in the team (Mariana R at Concierge being one example), and many departments shine but I agree that management presence is extremely weak and mostly reserved for VIPs or Specialty Suite guests, which is a bit unusual for FS. Is it a discriminating resort? I wouldn't go as far to say that but there are many, many treats and amenities in place that not every guest gets.

Also I completely agree with your comments regarding the pool team: exceptional service is the norm here (the guy from the Philippines at the quiet pool - forgot his name unfortunately - goes above and beyond for everyone at every minute and I do hope he's on supervisor level by now), with very few problems that are, however, very apparent when they arise. Interestingly I hear whispers from the team that in-room dining is (or was?) seriously understaffed at FS Dubai, which is surprising. I hope this is sorted by now.

I too hope they will have a bit more consistency in the future. When Simon Casson takes on greater responsibilities as President now (well deserved), I wonder who will take over - Richard Raab moving up? Or a GM transfer? We shall see. Still a bit work to do, although FS Dubai opening was one of the most successful in history of FS.

offerendum

Agree with Amal and Hashi, both very nice restaurants. Can´t recommend Ristorante, not even mediocre food for high prices.

SkyTeam777

Other than the decor, what is the difference between the One & Only properties. Do they each have their own reception, spa, and restaurant facilities? or is it more like three towers with one central resort complex? Are all of the facilities shared? Can guests charge meals to their rooms from any of the properties? It's very confusing when looking at the website.

scented

They are basically independent, connected by a boat service. Mirage is bigger and more traditional in decor while The Palm is more boutique with fewer keys, contemporary rooms/ suites and more exclusive. It is sold through different channels and attracts a different clientele (read: flashy). They do not share a lobby or anything. I am a huge fan of the suites with private pools and Marina views at O&O The Palm... not much competition!

The Palm is truly high-end while Royal Mirage was created to compete with Madinat Jumeirah, Al Qasr and the likes. Not really something special but rather huge hotels for the masses.

DavidO

Yes, if you're a guest at one, you can charge to your room from any of the One&Only properties in Dubai. Exception: the dining facilities at The Residence are exclusive to guests in the Residence.

Royal Mirage has three separate resorts, each with a unique character (and its own lobby) — while The Palm is off by itself on a man-made island. You can transfer between Royal Mirage and The Palm by boat, as the previous poster indicated.

Added bonus: I believe there's a deal where a 5+ night stay gets you free dinners, and you can enjoy them at either Royal Mirage or the Palm.

ankitksinghh

Nice Beach is the best among all luxury resorts in Dubai, as it's a natural, private beach with waves .

scented

Quick update on Dubai, for those interested:

Park Hyatt Dubai

The Park Hyatt used to be a favorite of mine for many years. Few hotels epitomize 1001 nights as beautifully as this oasis by the creek. I love the suites, all spacious and many afford beautiful views of the surrounding Yacht Club and even Burj Khalifa in a distance. I grew equally fond of the beautiful pool in its garden setting between palm trees and authentic cuisine at the hotel's own Thai Kitchen (must be the best Thai outside the kingdom). While I still rave about The Thai Kitchen, the hotel operations leave a lot do be desired. I had high hopes for the new GM -- service picked up initially and the team seemed motivated. Little touches were introduced, such as more activities and themed nights at the restaurants. Now, a year later, the hotel is a shadow of its former self: accountants rule and cost cutting effects every aspect of the experience. The spirit of generosity is long gone and I do question the ability of management to deliver a rewarding experience. How is it possible that the hotel's pool and entire spa is made accessible to huge groups of Emirates staff (!) on a constant basis? This particular group indulges in excessive drinking in the pool and sun beds are almost impossible to come by (the few remaining are 'reserved' by package tourists). The hotel is deteriorating and the occasional positive input does not change this. The additional revenue from local expats and questionable deals such as the Emirates pool access cards will cut business of leisure travelers in the long run. Sadly, the Park Hyatt no longer seems an option, save for short one night stays due to its proximity to the airport.

Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach

The only Dubai resort to be featured in the current Gallivanter's Guide issue of Beach Resorts, this grande dame continues to impress... while we miss some faces there (Simon Casson promoted to President, Richard Raab promoted to GM at FS Bahrain and Mariana Rietmann switched to FS Chicago), I am glad that quality continues under new leadership. Phew! These days, seeing what's happening in Dubai, I wouldn't take any chances and FS rewards its guest with highly personalized service and invariably the best hard product. The spa was treated to some precious time of The Spa Whisperer, Nigel Franklyn, and it does show. For me, this is truly the best Dubai has to offer.

Armani Dubai

What is going on at the Emaar owned and managed flagship of Armani? Package tourists en masse and lines for the previously excellent buffet restaurant, Mediterraneo? Clearly, this is an indication of Dubai's current problem: the market is drifting in two directions, and only extremes seem to exist. While few hotels, such as the two Four Seasons, seem to be able to achieve top rates - others struggle to fill their rooms and choose to go downmarket. This seems to be the case for Armani as well, which is horrifying to visit. Aside from Ristorante and Hashi, the hotel is taken over by tour groups and huge MICE events (not of the high end sort).

While many used Dubai and its warm climate to spend a few days relaxing, minimizing jet lag and do some shopping, before heading onwards to Asia -- nowadays it is hard to get into the few remaining quality options (such as FS), and rates are higher than ever before. In high season and during peak demand, I have seen rates that are comparable to the Maldives. Other 5* options are reducing quality to control their costs that it is hard to tolerate the result. I am not sure if this is the right direction. I have heard whispers that this year, the government of Dubai is asking 10 times the fee for hotels to obtain their alcohol license. Add this to the introduction of VAT in the UAE and your Dubai experience will be much more expensive in the years to come. This is a huge gamble for Dubai and we shall see if it works out. I admire what has been accomplished there, but comparing the value (!) to other destinations makes me wonder.