Stylish throughout with excellent restaurants and bars as well as a very cool pool, the Address is a chic haven in Dubai’s vibrant Marina area.

I stayed in an apartment-style premier suite on the 13th floor with magnificent views of the Marina and the hotel’s pool from the private balcony. The suite had a small sitting room with couch and TV although I preferred to laze on the very comfortable bed in front of the second TV or listening to music played from the radio/iPod dock which had excellent sound quality.

The desk in the room was cramped in a corner and in somewhat of an awkward position but came with the room’s own iPad providing hotel information and free internet access in addition to the hotel-wide free wifi.

The bathroom was generously stocked and replenished twice daily and one of the highlights of the suite was soaking in the bath tub looking out at the twinkling lights of Dubai Marina at night.

Down at the infinity pool, surrounded by the towering buildings of the Marina, you’ll find the wifi still works if you want to surf but the loungers are so comfortable you might just doze off in the warm sun. The pool gets busy and it can be a challenge to find an available lounger if you’re not there early.

The club lounge provides breakfast, drinks and nibbles throughout the day. During cocktail hour in the evening, good quality and tasty snacks are also available along with the alcoholic drinks.

The Address is an excellent choice if you want to stay in Dubai Marina while avoiding the traffic congestion closer to the beach area.

 
It’s been a while since I approached a hotel and felt a real ‘Wow’ factor. At Waldorf Astoria I made up for lost time with ‘wows’ at the imposing entrance and again as I gazed around the lobby and adjacent Peacock Alley lounge area with its grand staircase and trickling fountain.

More ‘wows’ followed as we entered our superb king deluxe room with balcony and sea view. It was large and comfortable with a separate sleeping and sitting areas. There was a spacious walk-in closet with two open wardrobes and vanity mirror, as well as a beautiful black marble bathroom with separate toilet.

The grounds are extensive and include a huge main pool, popular with families, and a large adult-only pool as well as a 350m private beach which is regularly serviced by staff handing out chilled bottles of water.

Back in the suite, our personal concierge arrives to provide the ‘fragrance master’ service. In a box, on a bed of red rose petals, are four fragrances from which guests choose the one they want used around the room after the turndown service. A unique touch that we appreciated.

By the time night has fallen the candle lanterns on our private balcony have been lit and we are sinking to the comfortable chairs having pre-dinner drinks by candlelight in the warm night air, gazing out towards the Arabian Gulf. Blissfully relaxing and romantic.

The hotel is inspired by the palaces of Arabia but still has touches which nod to the historic Waldorf Astoria New York and its art deco style. Simply put it is stunning.

 
Traders Hotel is located in bustling Deira, the old heart of Dubai. Within easy reach of the airport, it’s popular for overnights but worth staying a little while longer to meet the very friendly and helpful staff and experience life in one of the less touristy parts of Dubai. Not far away is the historic Dubai Creek, a must-do on every visitors’ list with its fragrant spice souk and glittering gold souk.

We stayed in a superior room which was comfortable but compact, so when in the hotel we spent a lot of time in the club lounge. The lounge had complimentary soft drinks and snacks available throughout the day and a two hour cocktail hour in the evening. Even though lounge staff were slow to replace empty bottles of wine, it’s nice to be able to have some snacks and drinks, given the high cost of alcohol in Dubai. Breakfast in the club lounge was small but adequate and included made to order eggs. Breakfast downstairs in the Junction Restaurant was very good. With all the benefits, including breakfast, newspaper, suit pressing and daily fruit basket, club access is a good deal.

There is a small gym, handily open 24 hours for jet-lagged guests, and also a small indoor pool.

Overall, the hotel provides good service at low cost for Dubai and we look forward to seeing the friendly faces of staff again.

 
You could almost forget you are in the desert as you gaze out at the 150 verdant acres surrounding the Desert Palm boutique resort. Set amidst four championship polo fields on the edge of Dubai the resort provides a quiet refuge from the city.

Our Palm Suite overlooking a polo field was large with a private bar and entertainment system including TV/DVD and Bang and Olufsen sound system (though sadly no instructions) and had an impressive, partially open bathroom with stand alone bath tub. Also available are Pool Villas surrounded by high walls for complete privacy but, lacking any greenery, the pool area feels quite bare.

The main building is well designed with some driftwood-style furniture and equine touches. Horse lovers will enjoy taking the a la carte breakfast by the infinity pool which overlooks a polo field where you may see some of the ponies taking early morning exercise. There is also a riding stable within the complex as well as a fully equipped gym, offering the chance to work up a sweat while enjoying a polo field view.

We ate dinner at Rare restaurant which was pricey but had fine food. However, we did not take to eating in near darkness on the outdoor terrace, barely able to see the costly items on our plate.

Overall we had a pleasant stay in this oasis despite some shortcomings.