Umm Al Quwain
The roomy chalets (both studios and suites) here have had a contemporary revamp in cool modernist style, with massive walk-in showers in the chic, grey…
Must-see hotels in United Arab Emirates
Dubai
About 500m from the Mall of the Emirates, Centro Barsha is the Rotana brand's entry into the budget-design-hotel category. Rooms are compact but stylish…
Deira
The Riviera was the first hotel to open in Dubai, in 1964, and the decor and ambience remain old-fashioned. However, it gets bonus points for its Creek…
Marina Breakwater
Entrances don't get much grander than the St Regis' regal twin grand staircases which sweep down into the lobby. The elegance continues into rooms replete…
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
From the grand marble and gold-hued foyer, you'll be whisked up to classically styled rooms with dizzying views of the city sprawl. Dusit Thani is a…
Sheikh Zayed Mosque Area
Conveniently located near the Grand Mosque and the exhibition centre, the business-brisk rooms at this events-focused hotel are brightened by abstract art…
Deira
In a building designed by Bastille Opera architect Carlos Ott, this glass-and-chrome hotel offers a smart alternative to the usual white-marble opulence…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Next to a metro station, the popular Gloria actually flaunts numerous assets that'll make you want to stay put, including a top-notch gym, a 25m rooftop…
Dubai
It's a Holiday Inn Express, so you know you're not getting the Ritz. Still, the overall look at this well-run property is clean and contemporary, starting…
United Arab Emirates
This resort fronts a long, white, soft sandy beach with all of its spacious, neutrally toned rooms facing the sea (upgrade for a balcony). Doze in a…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This place has the sophistication of a city hotel, but its location on the Marina Walk with direct access to the Marina Mall also pulls in a solid crowd…
Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas
Abu Dhabi
There's a beach vibe from the moment you walk into the bright, contemporary foyer with its decor-nods to the desert scattered throughout and floor-to…
Ras Al Khaimah
You'll know the Waldorf Astoria has no time for the minimalism trend from the moment you step into the foyer, with its peacock-tail screens and…
Hilton Al Hamra Beach & Golf Resort
Ras Al Khaimah
This sprawling resort keeps kids busy (and parents happy) with two pools, a 400m-long immaculately kept white-sand beach, tennis courts and water sports…
United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Zayed's old guest house – an atmospheric mix of art deco and mid-20th-century glamour with common areas home to much of the original furnishings –…
Ras Al Khaimah
Look beyond the kitsch gold paint and chubby pillars in the lobby, and you'll find generously proportioned rooms with tasteful muted colours and hints of…
Downtown Dubai
Shaped like an upside-down tuning fork, one of Dubai’s most architecturally dramatic towers hides traditional Thai decor behind its futuristic facade…
Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers
Deira
Make sure you score a Creek-facing room for maximum enjoyment of the sparkling views through floor-to-ceiling windows. The angularity of the oversized…
United Arab Emirates
We love the modern vibes of this hotel with wall-length beachy pictures hung above beds, sea-green furnishings adding pops of colour, and slick, curvy…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Despite the corporate feeling, this tower is a top-value pick thanks to fall-over-backwards friendly staff and generously sized studios and apartments…
Premier Inn Dubai International Airport
Deira
If your plane lands late or leaves early, the Dubai airport outpost of this UK-based budget chain is a convenient place to check in. It delivers modern if…
Deira
This Creekside stalwart was Dubai's first five-star hotel when it opened in 1975 and still fits as comfortably as your favourite jeans. The recently…
Downtown Dubai
Close to Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) and the Dubai Metro, this hotel tower is a value-priced crash pad for urban explorers, with several…
Abu Dhabi
Slap on the Corniche and packed full of facilities, you can't really go wrong staying in the Sofitel's large, light-filled rooms. The two rooftop pools …
United Arab Emirates
This sprawling, low-slung resort, with its palm-tree gardens and well-maintained beach, has a tranquil, family-friendly vibe. Classically furnished rooms,…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
Sure, the furnishings are a bit ho-hum beige but you get a lot of bang for your buck in these spacious hotel studios and apartments, all with well-kitted…
Deira
Behind the shiny dark-glass facade awaits an updated city hotel close to the airport and thus handy on stopovers. The carpeted rooms won't win style…
Dubai
About 500m from the Mall of the Emirates, this modern hotel is a great base for power shoppers. Stow away your loot in stylish, carpeted rooms with…
Liwa Oasis
This comfortable hilltop contender set amid gardens offers dust-free respite after a day in the desert. Enjoy a sunset beer on your balcony facing a…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Set bang on the beach, this super-stylish hotel has rooms decorated in gold and silver tones with pops of colour and floor-to-ceiling windows (book a room…
Sharjah
This 72-unit hotel has snazzy modern rooms decked out in tones of grey and lime-green accents. You'll probably want to spend a bit extra for a room with…
Sharjah
This family-friendly beach hotel is a cab ride from the sights but hits the mark for resort relaxation. Kids love the pool slides and playground; active…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Match your mood to the room: Hip, Cool, Calm or Chill-Out. This lifestyle hotel loads up on all the zeitgeist essentials that global nomads crave coupled…
Downtown Dubai
Shangri-La is the mythical paradise first described in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. In Dubai, it’s a business hotel imbued with an understated…
Deira
Rooms outfitted with Persian carpets on white-tiled floors, rich drapes and cosy beds (some of them four-poster) make you feel like you've dropped into a…
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai
Bur Dubai
An excellent value-for-money pick, this outpost has rooms spacious enough for a small family beyond its chrome-and-marble lobby with adjacent coffee shop…
Dubai
Classic Ibis: a good deal with low-frill but sparkling-clean rooms. If you’d rather drop your cash in the adjacent mall than loll by the pool or nosh on…
Abu Dhabi
Always popular, this big tower has a cracking central position in Downtown and friendly staff, making it a solid option. Rooms are spacious, comfortable…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Tucked into the far end of the Dubai Marina, the Pearl may not be as flashy as its high-rise neighbours, but who cares? The price tag is only a fraction…
JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai
Downtown Dubai
Standing 355m tall, the mammoth Marriott has 1600 rooms split across two jagged towers inspired by the trunk of a date palm tree. Cathedral-like loftiness…
