michaelr

I will be spending 6 nights in Dubai with my wife. We have a ton of Hilton and IHG points. I am thinking to spend the first three nights at the Waldorf Palm Jumeirah taking it easy to recover from jetlag and then potentially moving to another hotel somewhere else in the city to switch things up. The Habtoor Palace comes to mind but I am open to anything. Either the hotel itself should be special or the location should much better, e.g. close to walkable attractions, compared to staying on the palm. Ideally, I'd like to stay within Hilton or IHG as I have a boatload of points. I do have some Hyatt points and Marriott as well for a 2-3 night stay. We are not interested in shopping so a location close to the malls is not a real benefit. However, a walkable area with restaurants and nightlife such as the Dubai Mariner sounds like an option. I just don't know if it is worth the effort to switch. Also, we are planning to rent a car for the entire time.

Any feedback is much appreciated!

aswat300

I would probably recommend Hilton Jumeirah Beach or Hilton the Walk (both within a couple minutes walking distance of each other).

Location wise its on the beach with lots of restaurants, pubs etc close by.

Dubai Marine is also close by.

you're also a 15 to 20 minute taxi ride to burj Khalifa if you wanted to visit the dancing fountain/mall.

I just spent 3 nights at Hilton Jumeirah Beach and was good (albeit busy and full of brits incl. me).

RohanDXB

There is an Intercon in Dubai Marina which is well placed to access restaurants & nightlife. Not too far from the metro stations either.

Ro

southlondonphil

I would echo the comments above and recommend Jumeirah Beach Residences (aka JBR) or Dubai Marina, it's a short (15 minutes?) walk between the two. Hilton Jumeirah Beach is right on the beach, its sister hotel Hilton The Walk is literally just across the road. Plenty of restaurants both 'standalone' and within various hotels along The Walk but a stroll to the Marina for several more options including Pier 7 (Pier 7 - Dubai Marina's Premiere Lifestyle Dining Destination) which has 7 bar/restaurants across 8 floors and is across the water from the Intercontinental.

Quite frankly I personally wouldn't bother with a rental car, taxis and ride services (Uber and its local rival Careem) are readily available and decent VFM plus some of the local driving on the wide, fast boulevards (e.g. Sheikh Zayed Road) and knowing which of up to 8 lanes to be in for a junction can be a little stressful, but YMMV. There's a tram at JBR that connects to the Metro on the far side of the Marina if you want to venture further afield (e.g. Burj Khalifa) via public transport.

IAN-UK

And with the OP's points reservoirs for both HH and IHG, the Intercontinental certainly trumps the Hilton for Executive level/Club room stays.

But if the OP is booking standard rooms, then unless the IHG membership is at Royal Ambassador level, the IC stay will not be stellar: no lounge, no breakfast for run-of-the-mill guests or even Ambassadors.

Diamond, possibly Gold, bring you lounge and breakfast a well as room upgrade with Hilton (WA likes to be different ).

As for the "flight recovery" part of your stay, WA Palm is awkwardly located on what is essentially a spit of sand in front of Dubai: traffic can be horrible - though if you are staying put, that could impact only your arrival and transfer. But certainly don't consider this hotel for a longer stay that includes trips into and around Dubai.

If you are looking for a resort for a few days, Ras al Kaimah is worth considering. RAK has no distractions no tempt you away from the Waldorf there, and its only a little over an hour from DXB. The bonus is the WA RAK is often significantly less expensive than its Dubai sister hotel. Beware school holidays though when arranging the trip: UAE hotel price can go sky-high and unless you enjoy an excess of youngsters in the resorts ... best to avoid.


Renting a car seems a crazy idea. Uber and taxis are your well-regulated friends: Dubai's public transport works well.

royrajiv615

I would recommend staying at the Dubai Marina. There are some excellent hotels in Dubai Marina where you could enjoy a 6-day stay at. Rove Hotels (Rove Dubai Marina) is the perfect location to begin an adventure. Great beaches, beautiful skylines, and lots of leisure, entertainment, and dining options are all within easy reach from the hotel.

raymondduke

I booked at Hilton The Walk based on a recommendation on this forum. That was a bad decision. Maybe it's because I came from Park Hyatt which has exceptional service, ambiance, and attention to detail, but I'm unhappy here so far.

Several things I don't like:

• Dated design. The carpet is a faded lime green and yellow that looks like it hasn't been changed in years.
• Broken appliances. From the faucets to no outline in the bathroom, the place feels cheap.
• Minor upgrade for Diamond. I got bumped to a King Deluxe, which is not much better than a Standard room.
• Long lifts. Expect a 3-5 minute wait every time you want to go up and down the floors. I understand there are multiple lifts, but there in different areas and you have to walk around a small maze to find them. And, there's no guarantee that they'll be available once you make it there.

Overall, the place feels like it was quickly build and only meant to churn guests. Check in was annoying. No one helped with bags and nothing was explained other than breakfast times.

I can't imagine why anyone would recommend this place.