Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
An older but well-kept 500-room resort flanks a gorgeous beach and counts extensive gardens, three pools, a Roman-themed spa and an excellent kids' club…
Must-see hotels in United Arab Emirates
Yas Island
There may be few stylish bells and whistles, and the wall-mounted TVs seem a bit lost floating alone in all that empty wall space, but these good-sized,…
Fujairah City
Central and well run, the Novotel is your best bet if you're planning to bed down in Fujairah City. The bright, comfortable rooms have a funky teal-and…
Grand Millennium Al Wahda Hotel
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
Popular with the business crowd, this always-busy big hotel has large, modern rooms in beige and navy blue. Porters Pub is downstairs, there's a pool, gym…
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
The loft-like rooms, landscaped pool and high-tech gadgetry in this hotel scream urban chic but compared to many other hotels in this price range (and…
Deira
Dubai’s only Hostelling International–affiliated hostel is just north of the airport, far from most Dubai attractions but only 300m from a metro station…
Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
Dubai
Linked to the Mall of the Emirates, the Kempinski exudes modern European sophistication and is a perfect launch pad for a shopping immersion. The…
Al Ain
Set within flowery gardens, this resort has a kid-focused pool area set up with slides and a separate one for swimming laps. Although furniture and…
Bur Dubai
Opened in mid-2018, this new building was designed to emulate local traditional architecture with sand-coloured rough-hewn walls and rooms set on two…
Al Ain
This behemoth of a hotel is Al Ain's most central lodging, with a big outdoor pool area and soaring atrium complete with fake palm trees. Spacious rooms…
Umm Al Quwain
The lush gardens and big, inviting pool area, leading down to a well-maintained strip of sand, are the nicest points of this old-school resort where…
Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort
United Arab Emirates
This hotel put Fujairah on the beach-holiday map. Today, with its dimly lit lobby home to classic cars and throne-like velveteen chairs, it's looking old…
United Arab Emirates
It's a bit long in the tooth, and the room furnishings are very 1980s-esque, but if the staff learned to vacuum in the corners, this property, sitting…
Al Ain
Al Ain's sentimental favourite has a marble-clad foyer with mirrored ceiling and an arched atrium with stained-glass dome. Although the rooms aren't as…
United Arab Emirates
This old-fashioned, salmon-pink resort sits on a stretch of sand facing Dibba Rock, a popular diving and snorkelling site thanks to its shallow coral…
Abu Dhabi
Showing its age a bit, the Crowne Plaza's rooms are big, bland and a tad old-fashioned. On the plus side though there are plenty of excellent reasons to…
Deira
Just off Baniyas Sq, this is one of the better hotels in a hyper-busy business district near the Gold Souq. Rooms have laminate flooring, warm colours and…
Bur Dubai
This traditionally run hotel is a hop, skip and jump from BurJuman mall and metro station, and has well-kept, modern studios and one- or two-bedroom…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Not your classic hostel, this place in a Marina high-rise consists of dorms in apartments, with men and women on different floors. It's a hop, skip and…
Yas Island
A little less glossy than neighbouring hotels, Centro's neat-as-a-pin, compact rooms offer Yas Island's most budget-conscious choice. As long as you're…
Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa
United Arab Emirates
This Khor Fakkan landmark, with its distinctive rooftop rotunda, is still going strong thanks to package-tour deals. Yes, it's a bit (well, a lot) dated,…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
This old-timer pulls in the punters thanks to decent-sized rooms (filled with a surfeit of 1980's orange-wood furniture) and bags of cheap and cheerful…
Sharjah
Mere steps from Al Qasba and Al Majaz Waterfront, the Golden Tulip has mostly good-sized rooms – some with lagoon views – with rather frumpy, bland…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
Always busy with regional travellers, the Dana has big studio-style rooms with old but well-kept furnishings and shiny, spotless bathrooms. Slight…
Abu Dhabi
With some of the cheapest rates in town, this friendly little 55-room hotel opposite the gold souq largely caters for Indian and Asian business clientele…
Ras Al Khaimah
The heyday of RAK's first hotel is long gone, but this hilltop orange block is still a reliable standby if you're looking for a cheap sleep. Sure,…
Savoy Central Hotel Apartments
Bur Dubai
These roomy studios with kitchenettes and big purple sofa beds put you within steps of fabulous budget eats and the Al Fahidi metro station, and are a…
Deira
In a convenient location near some of Deira's best budget eats, the good-value Coral hides considerable comforts behind its business demeanour. The tone…
Dubai
In the heart of polyethnic Satwa, the Chelsea has traditionally furnished rooms with patterned carpets, shiny-dark furniture and floor-to-ceiling windows…
Dubai
Although the lobby exudes buttoned-up business flair, this mid-size hotel actually has plenty in store for leisure travellers, including a superb location…
United Arab Emirates
This hotel tower doesn't get any 'wow' style-points, but rooms are all super clean and comfortable if a bit dowdy. Cheaper rooms don't have sea views…
Downtown Dubai
The functional but comfortable Novotel adjoins the convention centre and has generic if well-thought-out rooms with a sofa that pulls out in case you've…
Al Ain
The cornerstone of the new Al Ain Square development, Aloft has quickly become the buzziest place to stay in town with its on-site bars, two of the city's…
Sharjah
This basic but super-clean hostel occupies a nicely restored historic courtyard building on the edge of the Heritage Area. Carved wooden doors lead to…
La Villa Najd Hotel Apartments
Dubai
One of the older hotel apartments near the Mall of the Emirates, Najd has 64 tiled-floor apartments that make maximum use of space, packing a living room,…
Deira
Everything works like a well-oiled machine at this business hotel handily situated about 1.4km from the airport. Rooms are classically elegant, and there…
Bur Dubai
With their white-tiled floors and heavy curtains, the Rainbow's 40 rooms exude a retro charm and, for a small hotel, there are good facilities, including…
United Arab Emirates
With its modest entrance and generic lobby, the Radisson may not wow instantly, but it's an immaculately kept, full-service resort with five swimming…
Al Ain
In summer, this mountaintop hotel overlooking the town of Al Ain offers a cool retreat. Depending on your taste, the rooms may seem heavily dated or retro…
Downtown Dubai
Of the several Dubai branches of this good-value chain, this one behind the World Trade Centre is the most central. After the airy feel and modern design…
