DUBAI’S GLITTERING, glitzy lure is undeniable for travelers who appreciate luxe, over-the-top vacations. As tourism to the United Arab Emirates and Dubai has expanded over the last 20 years, its reputation for grandiose lavishness has given it a Vegas reputation—sans the debaucherous drinking and gambling, of course. Modern Dubai’s highlights include endless upscale shopping and delectable cuisine (in fact, it’s home base to 12 Michelin-starred restaurants), plus day clubs, attractions, and an infusion of art and culture by way of Alserkal Avenue and the Jameel Arts Center.
Along with tourism and the allure of good weather, Dubai is a global hub for business and investment, with an extravagant hotel scene for discerning travelers. From sleek, high-rise rooms with mesmerizing views to romantic resorts and ultra-luxe palace accommodations, it’s no surprise that Dubai ranks #1 globally for its 76% hotel occupancy rate. These are some of the best hotels Dubai has to offer, each with unique experiences and easy access to the city.
BEST DUBAI HOTELS OF 2022
Editor’s Pick: Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Why We Chose It
Considered by many to be Dubai’s most iconic hotel (and an unmistakable piece of the city’s skyline), Burj Al Arab weds spectacular views with unparalleled Arabian elegance in the heart of the city.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$$
Notable Amenities
Exclusive Hermès amenities, Rolls-Royce available for guest transfers and transportation, expansive pillow menu, unlimited access to Wild Wadi Waterpark, rare eiderdown duvets, onsite “Leg School”–a world-renowned leg-shaping program, two-level spa
Hotel Description
Sitting on a man-made island off the shores of Dubai, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is an iconic hotel renowned for its exquisite views of the Arabian Gulf from floor-to-ceiling windows. Visitors can soak up the sun with access to the temperature-controlled infinity pool on The Terrace, or at the Summersalt Beach Club at sister hotel Jumeirah Al Naseem. All suites at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah are duplexes, making them feel palatial in size, with traditional Middle Eastern rooms outfitted in beautiful art, fabrics, and textiles. Many rooms also have mirrors over the bed, which are meant to reflect Dubai’s gorgeous light.
Every suite features a rain shower and jacuzzi.If you’re willing to splurge, consider booking the opulent, two-story Presidential Suite, which boasts a private living room, dining room, library, and in-suite bar. Book an “Inside Burj Al Arab” guided tour to get a unique look behind the heritage, architecture, and design of the property.
Dedicated butlers offer some of the highest caliber of service in the world, and they’re available to all guests, regardless of suite type. Stop by the Sahn Eddar lounge and treat yourself to a 24k gold cappuccino and a selection of scrumptious dining options, including a French/Italian restaurant concept and a popup of Capri’s celebrated and Michelin-awarded restaurant L’Olivo.
www.jumeirah.com/en/stay/dubai/burj-al-arab-jumeirah
W Dubai – Mina Seyahi
Why We Chose It
This is one of Dubai’s buzziest openings, featuring chic rooms and a high-energy atmosphere.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$
Notable Amenities
Intricately-patterned infinity pool with views, trendy rooftop lounge, beautiful Studio spaces for gatherings, 1Rebel fitness studio
Hotel Description
Be one of the first to check-in at W’s brand-new and second luxury property in Dubai, W Dubai – Mina Seyahi. The property features 318 ultra-contemporary rooms and 27 suites. The polished hotel’s design blends contemporary style with traditional Middle Eastern elements and shapes, textures, and fabrics, including guest accommodations with long, curved headboards, Moroccan pendant lighting, and a handsome bronze mixbar. Many rooms have excellent sea views, private balconies, and bathrooms filled with stacked vertical tiles in a vibrant bluish-green color.
The hotel’s nature-inspired restaurant, Ginger Moon, has a charming indoor-outdoor atmosphere and scrumptious, beautifully-presented cuisine with edible flowers. While the rooftop lounge and Beach Club are set to open later in 2022 and 2023, respectively, you can currently enjoy the on-site beauty bar and relaxation area BAR-B Spa, which is home to an incredible menu of facial services.
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/dxbmw-w-dubai-mina-seyahi
SLS Dubai
Why We Chose It
Close to Dubai Fountain, Dubai Mall, and the Dubai Design District, this hotel’s strategic position in the Burj Khalifa District makes it coveted among time-strapped travelers. Excellent dining options and wonderful views round out the stylish, apartment-style accommodations.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$
Notable Amenities
Two rooftop infinity pools, onsite spa
Hotel Description
A sparkling new addition to Dubai as of April 2021, SLS’s first outpost in the Middle East is a sleek representation of an already-sleek hotel brand. Oversized standard rooms and apartment accommodations offer travelers a range of room types, from studios to palatial three-bedroom suites. Aptly describing their rooms as “theatrical,” guests will find posh, chrome-lined contemporary furnishings, modern art, porcelain tiles, handsome timber-doored wardrobes, and smart technology integrated throughout.
Housed in a 75-story skyscraper, this is a hotel for those who appreciate being up high, and a rare treat awaits guests on the 71st Floor Sky Lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic views of Dubai. The ground floor is home to a vibrant stained glass window, and the property is rife with upscale dining options, from steakhouses and an intimate caviar bar to a skyfront pool lounge and coffee bar. You won’t leave hungry at the gorgeous, copper-hued Fi’lia, an award-winning Italian restaurant that’s a standout favorite for locals and travelers alike.
www.sbe.com/hotels/sls-hotels/dubai
Atlantis, The Palm
Why We Chose It
Atlantis, The Palm is a luxe entertainment destination sitting on the crescent of Palm Islands with a gigantic waterpark.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$$
Notable Amenities
Access to water circuit at ShuiQi Spa, world-class shopping mall, return transfers to and from Dubai Airports
Hotel Description
Inspired by the fantastical kingdom of Atlantis in both decor and service, you’ll experience royal treatment worthy of Poseidon himself. Book one of Atlantis, The Palm’s mesmerizing underwater suites and doze off to aquarium views of sting rays floating past your bed. Or, if you’re looking for a thrill, ride the Leap of Faith and drop 90 feet through a shark-filled water tank. With transformative suite renovations completed in 2019, this resort’s Arabesque exterior architecture is as photo-worthy as its enchanting suites decorated in coral, abstract oceanic carpets, and sea-inspired tones.
Families will love exploring the Lost Chambers Aquarium (the largest aquatic center in the Middle East), gazing through floor-to-ceiling windows that look directly into Ambassador Lagoon, and receiving a complimentary photo shoot to remember their breathtaking visit in the most enduring way.
www.atlantis.com/dubai
One&Only The Palm
Why We Chose It
One&Only The Palm is an elegant beachfront oasis located on the crescent of Palm Islands, boasting Michelin-star cuisine.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$$
Notable Amenities
Private, air-conditioned pool cabanas, mani-pedis by celebrity beautician Bastien Gonzalez, complimentary KidsOnly club
Hotel Description
With just 64 rooms in three spacious styles, including executive, premiere, and beach-front suites, One&Only The Palm feels more like renting a villa or mansion than staying in a hotel. As the most exclusive resort on the Palm, and a favorite among canoodling couples, rooms are outfitted in cooling neutral tones, floral rugs, and plush bedding and pillows. The romantic setting also includes shaded courtyards, cascading fountains, and candlelit pools, making it a dreamy place to wine and dine with that special someone—or even say, “I do.”
www.oneandonlyresorts.com/the-palm
Ritz-Carlton, Dubai
Why We Chose It
Pampering in every way, Ritz-Carlton, Dubai is a Mediterranean-style hotel with a private beach located five minutes from The Walk at JBR.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$
Notable Amenities
A Club lounge offering free chocolates, free shuttle that whisks guests to the Mall of the Emirates, luxe spa treatments utilizing fan-favorite ESPA products
Hotel Description
Ritz-Carlton properties are celebrated all over the world, but in Dubai, guests are truly in for a treat. Located just one mile from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), this serene, Spanish-Moorish style hotel is the ideal intersection of business and pleasure.
Professional travelers will enjoy the spacious accommodations which can be interconnected, creating larger, family-friendly suites that have a warm yet refined ambiance with regal furniture and soothing sea green palettes. The gorgeous, spa-like marble bathrooms feature double vanities and spacious rain showers. And the cleaning staff will go above and beyond to put a smile on your child’s face with charming surprises, like towels elaborately folded to look like animals.
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/dubai/dubai-beach
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm
Why We Chose It
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm is a tranquil getaway with prize-worthy sea views and recreational activities on the east crescent of the Palm Jumeirah.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$
Notable Amenities
Excellent fitness center with personal trainers available, kids’ play areas, lovely tree-lined tennis courts
Hotel Description
Spacious rooms pair modern European charm with turquoise accents for a calming beachside grandeur, making the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm one of the best places to unwind. The hotel features a pillow menu, offering optional heating and anti-aging vitamin E treatment selections. There’s also an on-site Kids Club that gives three complimentary hours of babysitting services per day, plus a ritzy hotel jetty for guests who wish to arrive by yacht. Meanwhile, social butterflies will enjoy the relaxed, communal vibe at the resort’s Pearl Club lounge, where they can have a drink and meet up with other guests from around the world.
www.hilton.com/en/hotels/dxbpdwa-waldorf-astoria-dubai-palm-jumeirah
Sofitel Dubai The Palm
Why We Chose It
This French-Polynesian style hotel is convenient to Dubai International Airport with 24-hour butler service.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$
Notable Amenities
Lanvin toiletries, chilled tropical cocktails delivered straight to your sun lounger, Sofitel’s comfy signature bedding for a night of restful sleep
Hotel Description
In Dubai, Sofitel operates five astounding resorts, including the crowd-pleasing Sofitel Dubai The Palm. Here, a tropical escape awaits, with azure pools, thatched-roof sun shades that overlook downtown Dubai, and lush gardens flanked by palm trees. The private, 150-square-meter stretch of beach is one of Dubai’s finest, as is the gleaming pool lined with giant rock formations.
Inside the hotel, bright violet and turquoise rooms are embedded with dark wood balconies overlooking the Arabian Gulf to induce serenity and bliss. You can also take in the views by opening the accordion-style doors that lead into oversized bathrooms, where you’ll find a handsome and very large soaking tub.
www.sofitel-dubai-thepalm.com
Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai
Why We Chose It
Shangri-La Dubai is a chic, Asian-themed resort in downtown Dubai, as close as you can get to the iconic Burj Khalifa.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$
Notable Amenities
Large outdoor swimming pool with a swim-up bar, top-tier spa with a menu of treatments infused with local ingredients, free shoe-shining service
Hotel Description
A city staple since 2003, the sophisticated Shangri-La Dubai was redesigned in 2018 to better reflect its location where traditional souk markets blend with contemporary architecture. Guests are encouraged to come hungry so they can enjoy the sophisticated, authentic dining experiences prepared by native Emirati, Vietnamese, and Chinese chefs.
Later, you can retire comfortably into a suite with fashionable decor that blends Shangri-La’s dazzling Asian heritage with the rich glamor Dubai is known for. Guests opting for upgraded Horizon Club rooms or the Presidential Suite gain access to one of Dubai’s best vantage points for photos, Level 42.
www.shangri-la.com/en/dubai/shangrila
JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai
Why We Chose It
JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai is the world’s tallest five-star hotel, located beside the Dubai Water Canal with a world-class spa.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $
Notable Amenities
Stylish banquet spaces, mouthwatering steakhouse, Prime 69, with jaw dropping views, onsite spa, state of the art fitness center
Hotel Description
Towering 1,165 feet in the air and featuring floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, this remarkable skyscraper complex provides first-rate accommodations at Dubai’s most dizzying heights. Rooms with elegant wood-paneled bed frames, bathroom soaking tubs, and contemporary artwork wow guests, as does the Vault bar, where you can order your favorite cocktail and enjoy stunning views of the Dubai city skyline.
Other highlights of JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai include eight on-site boutiques for guests to get their retail therapy, and the Arabian-inspired Saray Spa, which has 17 treatment rooms, two private hammams (or steam baths), and a soothing variety of hydro-facilities.
www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/dxbjw-jw-marriott-marquis-hotel-dubai
Raffles The Palm Dubai
Why We Chose It
Raffles The Palm Dubai is an ultra-luxury hotel on the west crescent of Palm Jumeirah with an award-winning spa.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$$
Notable Amenities
Itameshi (Japanese/Italian fusion) restaurant on-site, fresh classic French and Italian pastries from Raffles Pastries, afternoon tea experience
Hotel Description
This exquisite resort features an impressive 6,000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers, as well as 70,000 opulent, hand-crafted furniture pieces. Guests can stay in villas with up to four bedrooms for maximum privacy and a built-in spa, or book standard rooms decorated with chic furniture by Italian designer Francesco Molon and featuring mind-blowing views of the Palm and city skyline.
Right outside your door, the finest of Dubai hospitality is available via your dedicated 24-hour butler who doubles as a resident expert. After adventures in Dubai, unwind Sola Jazz Lounge with food, drinks, and live music. Providing a deeper level of repose, the property’s Parisian Cinq Mondes Spa hosts top-tier beauty treatments, massages, and hammam steam baths.
www.raffles.com/thepalm-dubai
Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai
Why We Chose It
Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai offers a royal hotel experience beside Ain Dubai with celebrity chef restaurants.
Key Specs
- Free WiFi: Yes
- Resort fee: None
- Room rate: $$
Notable Amenities
Five outdoor pools, private beach and beach club, free breakfast buffet, multiple dining options including celebrity-driven restaurant
Hotel Description
Popular for its affordability, this friendly hotel is home to Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen, a guest favorite especially on Fridays, when Hellacious Brunch delivers live entertainment in the form of the celebrity chef’s signature culinary challenge.
Posh rooms fuse modish design with Romanesque accents, welcoming guests with wondrous views of the Arabian sea—some of which are even witnessed from the bathtub. Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai gets high marks for its access to the glamorous waterside club Cove Beach, an art collection curated by New York-based designer Jonathan Adler, as well as The Rotunda, an intimate venue that puts on everything from theater and aerial acts to concerts, stand-up comedy, and Las Vegas headliners.
www.caesars.com/dubai/caesars-palace-dubai
Final Verdict
Dubai ranks ninth globally for the number of hotel rooms available to travelers, with an astonishing 500+ hotels already operating in the city. And, while many hotels in Dubai offer a more elevated experience than other popular destinations around the world, most travelers can’t go wrong if they decide to rest their head at our Editor’s Choice, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. Beyond being an exemplary example of the glitz and glamor that make up Dubai, the hotel is lauded for its service, spellbindingly beautiful architecture, iconic shape, and posh, intimate guest suites with a sense of local flair.
Know Before You Go
- In Dubai, public displays of affection (PDA) are generally frowned upon, regardless of whether you’re a married couple or not. Despite following the religious legal system of Sharia Law, unmarried foreigners can generally get away with staying in hotel rooms together (if they’re registered and check in together), but bringing a “stranger” up to your room is not advisable. LGBTQ+ travelers should take further precaution in the country, as homosexuality is punishable by death or life in prison.
- Gambling is forbidden in Dubai, and drinking in public places is a punishable offense, although tourists can enjoy a glass of wine or their preferred libation as long as they’re consuming it in a hotel’s restaurant or bar.
- Research the local rules and customs before your trip to Dubai to avoid strange looks—or worse, trouble with the law.
How We Chose These Dubai Hotels
We evaluated more than three dozen hotels in Dubai before choosing the options on this list, which we vetted with our local contacts. We considered various elements like the property’s reputation and quality of service, its decor and architecture, location within the city, and notable amenities (e.g., extravagant infinity pools, butler services, upscale spas, activities for kids, etc.).
We also assessed each property’s unique dining options and the types of experiences available to all types of guests, from solo and business travelers to families, couples, and more. In determining this list, we evaluated numerous customer reviews and colleague recommendations, and considered whether the property has gone through recent renovations or collected any awards or accolades in recent years.
By Dan Koday
