Must-see hotels in United Arab Emirates

  • Al Sahel Villa Resort

    United Arab Emirates

    Offering laid-back luxury with gazelles and peacocks grazing on the lawn out front, Al Sahel resort sits on the island's west, surrounded by the scrubland…

  • Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa

    Dubai

    It may only be 65km southeast of Dubai, but Al Maha feels like an entirely different universe. Gone are the skyscrapers, traffic and go-go attitude. At…

  • Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas

    Abu Dhabi

    From the expansive bronze-toned foyer with its silver sand-rose sculptures to the 50-sq-metre rooms with daybed-strewn balconies and bathtubs made for…

  • Hatta Fort Hotel

    United Arab Emirates

    It's the only hotel option in town, and it's a goodie. The stone-walled, red-tile-roofed chalets are surrounded by manicured lawns sprinkled with palm…

  • Zabeel Mini

    Bur Dubai

    As the name suggests, the rooms are smaller here than at the adjacent Zabeel House, 23 sq metres to be exact. That said, they seriously pack a punch with…

  • Al Qasr Hotel

    Dubai

    If cookie-cutter hotels don’t cut it, try this polished pad styled after a Middle Eastern summer palace. Details are extraordinary, from the lobby’s…

  • Rove Downtown

    Downtown Dubai

    Tailor-made for wallet-watching globetrotters, Rove is a hip launch pad with sassy, contemporary decor and such millennial must-haves as an outdoor pool…

  • Intercontinental Fujairah

    United Arab Emirates

    The Intercontinental swaggered onto the Al Aqah scene in 2017 and has been wowing beachgoers ever since. Fujairah hasn't seen sophistication like this…

  • Renaissance Downtown Hotel

    Downtown Dubai

    This is a hotel that truly evokes its surroundings with its black-and-gold colour scheme and a dramatic bronze lobby sculpture reminiscent of undulating…

  • Fairmont Ajman

    United Arab Emirates

    This is easygoing luxury, from the soaring foyer, with a striking net-sculpture (nodding to Ajman's fishing heritage) hung from the dome, to the rooms,…

  • XVA Hotel

    Bur Dubai

    This riad-style boutique hotel occupies a century-old wind-tower house smack dab in the Al Fahidi Historic District, off Al Fahidi St. Its 15 compact…

  • Palace Downtown

    Downtown Dubai

    City explorers with a romantic streak will be utterly enchanted by this low-lying, luxe lakefront contender with its winning alchemy of old-world class…

  • Raffles Dubai

    Bur Dubai

    Built in the shape of a pyramid, Raffles is a stylish hotspot with magnificent oversized rooms (with balconies) blending Asian and Middle Eastern design…

  • The Act

    Sharjah

    Shaking up the Sharjah accommodation scene, The Act is all sleek modern minimalism with huge rooms in mauve and grey, floor-to-ceiling windows, strip…

  • Ibis Styles

    Sharjah

    You definitely can't miss this purple building. Rooms may be smallish, but they're bright and modern with stencil drawings of Sharjah's cityscape on the…

  • Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa

    Dubai

    Resembling a fort and blending into the desertscape, Bab Al Shams is a tonic for escapists seeking to indulge their Arabian Nights fantasies. Its…

  • Ajman Saray

    United Arab Emirates

    The manicured strip of white-sand beach framed by palms and the big pool area make the Saray a sand-in-the-toes getaway. Rooms, all with balconies, exude…

  • Atlantis The Palm

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    One of Dubai’s most iconic hotels, this pink-hued resort commands attention, sitting atop the Palm Jumeirah looking every bit like a Disney princess…

  • FIVE Palm Jumeirah

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    One of Dubai's latest top-end hotels. The architecture is pure grandeur, with an entrance flanked by luminous glass cubes opening up to a sublime view of…

  • One&Only Royal Mirage

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Not the newest resort but still a class act all around, the Royal Mirage consists of the Moorish-style Palace, the romantic Arabian Court and the ultra…

  • One&Only The Palm

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    The stunning Dubai skyline looms across the Gulf, yet this romantic and megaposh gem offers a complete retreat from the city. Exuding the feel of an…

  • Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    This beachfront hotel is a sentimental favourite and nirvana for active types with water sports, tennis courts and an enormous state-of-the-art gym. The…

  • Al Seef by Jumeirah

    Bur Dubai

    Located in the heart of Al Seef's meandering walkways, this gracious spot opened its first phase in September 2018 with 39 rooms; there will eventually be…

  • Mina A’Salam Hotel

    Dubai

    The striking lobby is an overture to the full symphony of relaxed luxury awaiting in huge, amenity-laden rooms with arabesque design flourishes and a…

  • Jumeirah Beach Hotel

    Dubai

    Shaped like a giant wave, this family-oriented resort on a 1km-long private beach is tailor-made for active types, with four pools, plenty of water sports…

  • Orient Guest House

    Bur Dubai

    This romantic B&B in a former private home beautifully captures the feeling of Old Dubai. The 11 smallish rooms are entered via heavy wooden doors and…

  • Al Yamm Villa Resort

    United Arab Emirates

    With barasti (palm-leaf) detailing and private terraces opening onto the sand (many with private plunge-pool), this cluster of villas overlooking the sea…

  • Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa

    Bur Dubai

    Opposite the Dubai Museum, this hotel is an excellent hub for city explorers. The Arabian theme extends from the turbaned lobby staff to the design…

  • Manzil Downtown

    Downtown Dubai

    Middle Eastern meets mid-century modern at this lifestyle hotel that draws global hipsters with high-tech touches, design cachet and thoughtful services…

  • Vida Downtown Dubai

    Downtown Dubai

    This crash pad for next-gen creatives and entrepreneurs has upbeat public areas with cool lamps and other urban accents that smoothly segue to white,…

  • Arabian Nights Village

    Abu Dhabi

    This oasis in the desert loses some of its charm in high season when big overnight tour groups can dominate, but the surroundings are so lovely you might…

  • Al Bait Sharjah

    Sharjah

    Nestled into the traditional architecture of the Heart of Sharjah heritage area, the low-rise luxury suites of Al Bait rest on the foundations of old…

  • Zaya Nurai Island Resort

    Abu Dhabi

    Opened in 2015, this idyllic getaway has 32 massive one- and two-bedroom villas that you'll need to be pried from at checkout. The modern villas, dressed…

  • Burj Al Arab

    Dubai

    This sail-shaped landmark regularly hosts pop stars, royalty, billionaires and the merely moneyed. The lobby with its eye-catching waterfall and opulent…

  • Gevora Hotel

    Downtown Dubai

    Opened in 2018, this 75-storey hotel looms like a golden beacon, and at 356m high, claims to be the world's tallest hotel (this is Dubai, after all!)…

  • Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    With its domed ceiling, golden pillars and jewel-like lamps, Zabeel Saray’s lobby is as lavish and majestic as an Ottoman palace. The rich decor transfers…

  • Fairmont Dubai

    Downtown Dubai

    This city slicker wows, especially at night when its four-poster towers are dipped in coloured lights. With a direct link to the Financial Centre, it…

  • Desert Palm Resort & Hotel

    Dubai

    Feel the stress nibbling at your psyche evaporate the moment you step inside this luxe boutique retreat, just a short drive outside Dubai and set on a…

  • Address Dubai Mall

    Downtown Dubai

    A modern interpretation of Middle Eastern design traditions, this fashionable hotel is directly connected to the Dubai Mall. Lug your bags back to…

  • Barjeel Heritage Guest House

    Bur Dubai

    Right on the historic Shindagha waterfront, where Dubai's royal family used to live, this charismatic retreat lets you connect with Dubai's past in a…

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