schley

Just completed 2 one night stays here this past weekend on some hotel hopping. As others have said don't expect much. This is a good value IMO for it includes free breakfast, however the hotel doesn't have much luxury needless to say.

The lounge is not well stocked in my opinion, although spacious with seating and plasma and a couple computer stations. Not many refreshments available.

Pool is not bad for a rooftop pool, weight room is very small but open 24 hours.

Keyser

i only stay at this property if the rate is near aed200....if not then i go somewhere else....

schley

It was 170 this weekend.

Keyser

great rate....

bgriff

I've stayed at the LeM Dar Al Sondos (the one in Bur Dubai) a couple of times now and I have to say, as run-down and modest as the property is, the staff really makes an outsized effort, especially considering the price. As others have mentioned, they often offer juice and a cold towel when you check-in, someone is usually around in the lobby to offer to take your suitcase, they're very good about getting you a cab while you wait in the lobby (indeed, better than in one experience I had at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, which is 10x+ the price) . . . in short there are a lot of little 5-star-esque touches, which is very unusual for the price.

It's also IMO a better option than the Al Sondos Suites in Deira, where the rooms are a bit bigger but the experience generally less pleasant (no lounge/breakfast for plats there, and generally less competent service--when I was there their AmEx system was not working and refused to believe that it was their problem), although the Al Sondos Suites does have the one advantage of very convenient Metro access, if you have any use for that. Dar Al Sondos Apartments doesn't really have walkable Metro access now, though it will get better when the Green Line eventually opens.

It's also a good option for Gold SPG members--when I stayed here a couple of years ago as a Gold I got the exact same upgrade and treatment, including lounge access, as when I've stayed more recently as a Plat. Of course YMMV.

That said don't let me guide you to think it's a 5-star hotel; it's anything but. The elevators are tiny, and the rooms, while comfortable, are straight out of the 70s/80s school of hotel room design. The tiny fitness center on the top floor offers only a couple of beat-up treadmills and a few free weights, and the rooftop pool is nice but very simple, especially by Dubai standards. The location is also going to be somewhat out of the way for most people, although it's easy enough to get to and from by taxi (tell the driver you're going to the Le Meridien on Rolla Street in Bur Dubai, or you might end up at one of the several other LeMs around town). But you can't argue that the price is right.

carsonheim

looking at this for next April and the price is 1000 AED. this is significantly higher than I see in other reports here....

Keyser

april is still too far off....they probably haven't loaded the discounted rates yet....give it till the end of this year & then try again....

schley

had a disappointing stay last night here.

pros
they now have wifi (about time huh?).

cons
no lounge anymore, it is gone

do not offer breakfast as included in their rates anymore (not a great spread but it was ok). Had to use my plat amenity to get the 60 aed breakfast.

was going to use my 25 dollar plat appreciation cert but after waiting 20 minutes of the front desk calling the world he said his supervisor on the phone didn't allow it.

All in all i am going to stay elsewhere unless they have a 50 dollar rate, it is just uncomfortable. I will use them for a phantom stay during a promo only most likely.

jakpot

Just booked a couple of nights on points at this property, great deal only 3000per night and no service charges (unlike Grosvenor House).

Just noticed posted on the spg website that property is leaving SPG on July 31, 2012.

''Please note:
Leaving Starwood on July 31, 2012 ''

Too bad, great value.

Cheers

Keyser

sucks that its leaving spg....this was always a great cheap option in dubai....

holtju2

Here's a video that I shot about the unit I had recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IScyZMs6RRw

Let's face it. It was not up to any standards. The price was right, however. Using 3K SPG is absolutely foolish considering the really low rates that they offer.

jakpot

How so? 4800 c&p saved me 40 euro/night at Grosvenor House last week, 3000 saving me 44 euro/night at this property this week?

Good video...thanks.

Cheers

schley

I value spg points at 3 cpp thus your 3k used in points is 90 USD value to many of us. You can find rates here for low and your rate of 44 euros would have earned you roughly another 300 or so spg points so as well. Not a huge deal but the savy FTer runs the numbers always.

schley

Yeah but also I'm not losing much sleep over it. It will force me to enjoy my stays at other places and get me out of my cheap frame of mind when traveling for leisure. I stayed here and loved saving money and getting a stay ect for promos but when actually in the room it sucked.

Keyser

promos was the only reason i ever stayed here....a few years ago, when spg ran the 1 free weekend night for 2 stays promo, i was staying at the hilton jumeirah for a week & did 4 one night mattress runs at this property for a grand total of $200....that got me 2 free weekend nights that i used at the w times square a couple of months later....