Five Star Traveller

Planning a stay in Dubai this winter and have narrowed the list to FS Jumeirah Beach or O&O The Palm. I see both are favorites here and often listed as the best in the city. I am content just staying on-site, so the seclusion of the Palm is not an issue.

How do the two properties currently compare? I'm currently leaning towards O&O Palm, as it seems much more intimate (less than half the number of rooms).

BESVISOR

Having visited and booked clients, I'd say that there's no bad choice here. However, I tend to feel that the service is a bit better/consistent at the FS. especial if you're booking through a FSPP Advisor vs. booking O&O under Virtuoso. FSPP clients are really well looked after these days vs. Virtuoso or Amex FHR, IMHO. Some of my clients have provided me the same feedback.

The room designs at FS isn't super interesting but it isn't bad either...just nothing worth noting. And I tend to sleep better in FS beds

Enjoy!

Michael82

both overrated.
sea view in both can no w be translated to construction view.
just returned from oberoi al zorah - amazing property.
or try the bulgari... opening soon...

Raffles

Just back from another 8 nights in a DAM villa (actually, 2 connecting rooms) at Madinat. Must have done well over 100 nights there over the years.

If you've got kids, you really can't beat the Madinat complex. I'd go so far to say that is possibly is the most impressive hotel achievement, globally, this century. I'm not saying you never have problems, because you will, but it's amazing how quickly you forget them.

I also toured Al Naseem. What is clever about this is that Jumeirah has used it to fill gaps not offered by the other Madinat hotels. For example:

* kids club has no pool (Madinat and Jumeirah Beach kids clubs have pools) as they built an outdoor football / basketball etc activity area instead which the other hotels don't have

* there is a huge adults only area, with a very large pool and huge amounts of seating. It is one floor above the family pool area so you can't even see the families below.

All of Madinat remained very quiet even though it was half term in the UK for many schools. The resort is huge but you will never struggle for a sun lounger even when it is full. We spent 2 days at Nasseem (you can cross charge and use any of the kids clubs) and got 4 sun loungers together even when turning up at lunchtime.

And, of course, if you don't want the main pool then you have the DAM private villa pools. Whilst these are technically shared across 2-3 villas (16-24 rooms) you will have it to yourself half the time. And they are life guarded 12 hours per day. I was told Jumeirah employs 500 lifeguards in Dubai, which is easy to believe - Wild Wadi must have 50 on duty at a time, Madinat the same.

If you don't have kids then FS, O&O etc may work better but what they have achieved with the four Madinat hotels is exceptional in terms of design, quality of upkeep and (90% of the time) the staff.

Michael82

while the madinat complex is very nice, the service and food is downright bad.
i wouldn't even give it 5 stars.

Raffles

The food is very good, surprisingly so. The Thai and Chinese are excellent. Service can be bad but, in general, they do a very good given the sheer scale of the place.

They seem to keep their staff too, which is always a good sign.

If you've not got kids I would perhaps point you to the FS or O&O, purely to have fewer kids around, but you'd be foolish to go anywhere else with a family.

scented

FS and O&O The Palm are my favorites in Dubai. I particularly love a Jumeirah Skyline Suite or Imperial Suite at the FS and a corner suite with private pool at O&O The Palm (hard to beat)...

Anything Madinat (or Jumeirah for that matter) just feels way to commercial for me. I've been to the Madinat Talise Spa quite frequently when they used to have Sodashi and before FS arrived in Dubai. Always felt it was too Disney for my taste. But I can relate why some might like it, especially with the opening of Al Naseem.

If you are looking for something intimate and private, look no further than O&O. FS might be too big in this case.

Kagehitokiri

bulgarihotels.com/en_US/dubai
says december, not seeing rates

101 rooms suites
20 (=16.5%) hotel villas
175m2 1BR beach
250m2 2BR beach / 2BR skyline
315m2 3BR skyline
540m2 bvlgari
(seems m2 is interior)

unclear re residences in hotel inventory and marina
165 condos $1m > $4m
8 penthouses up to $16m 1,333m2
15 mansions $5m 3BR 976m2 > $14m 6BR 2,705m2
marina 50 berths 10 > 40 meters

vuittonsofstyle

I would be interested to know if you noticed the large petroleum plant just up the coast from The Oberoi Al Zorah. Were you aware of it?

scented

Ah, thanks Kage! Seems they finally have a proper website.

Will likely postpone Dubai trip until Bulgari opens to give it a try!

MacMyDay

Five Star Traveller

Thank you all for the suggestions. Oberoi Al Zorah and Bulgari look great but too modern for me. I like the Arabic style that gives me a sense of being in Dubai, even if it's in tasteful moderation like FS Jumeirah Beach and O&O Palm.

I agree that Madinat is a special experience but more for the architectural wonder than true luxury (I have a similar approach to those billion dollar megaresorts). It's magical for kids, but even adults can marvel at the scale of what has been accomplished. I stayed at Al Qasr some years back and while it was a great stay, I definitely prefer someplace smaller like O&O Palm.

scented

Rates are online...

Around 3,000 AED for entry-level for most dates, during times of higher demand around 5,000 AED.

Suites are priced in line with FS DJB and O&O Palm. Not much of a difference.

I suspect rates will fall over time, especially in summer. As usual. January is traditionally high season in Dubai, so no surprise they want a piece of the cake. But "the highest rates in the market" these are not. The times of Dubai being the ultimate destination for the highest end travelers are over.

I am inclined to stay in January, to get a better feeling. If service is bad I can just swim over to FS, where I will likely end up.

stargold

http://gulfbusiness.com/exclusive-bu...pensive-hotel/

Not sure whether they included Burj Al Arab in their count. If scented's post is correct, perhaps the comparison would be between 1BR suites at the Bvlgari vs. base category at BAA (which are also 1BR suites).

Also, isn't it a bit weird for the hotel to be saying that themselves?

Kagehitokiri

odd no rates for any date when i looked, maybe work in progress

average includes villas and that there are few rooms total

20 villas, 3 nt min
7800 - 13000
10800 - 16000
16800 - 22000
18800 - 28000
75000 - 95000

bvlgari is 16.5% villas (nothing similar in dubai) with only 101 additional rooms & suites

biggest question is counts per category at bulgari
"average room rates" may also include occupancy

burj 100% occupancy low season 1,214,000 / 198 rooms = 6,131
excluding 4 club. top 3 categories 'only' 12,500 ; 27,000 ; 33,000