Hotels

We have just returned from a holiday in Dubai where we celebrated the New Year at the Observatory Restuarant at the top of the Marriott Harbour Hotel. The fact that you can walk all around the... more

We have just returned from a holiday in Dubai where we celebrated the New Year at the Observatory Restuarant at the top of the Marriott Harbour Hotel. The fact that you can walk all around the Restuarant looking at the magnificent views of Dubai makes it a worthwhile visit itself. However the food was the best we have ever experienced. (for the last few years we have cruised and we thought the food was special on the Cruise Liners). The quality and variety of the dishes is second to none and the staff were so friendly. We also eat in the AZUR Restuarant in the Hotel which was also excellent. If you are ever in Dubai the Marriott Harbour Hotel is well worth a visit Close

I booked this hotel very last minute, and got a great bargain. We travelled 2 adults 2 teenagers and a 5 yr old. Our apartment was vast three bedroomed with stunning views over the marina and... more

I booked this hotel very last minute, and got a great bargain. We travelled 2 adults 2 teenagers and a 5 yr old. Our apartment was vast three bedroomed with stunning views over the marina and beach. The facilities in hotel are good, albeit the pool (as stated earlier) is a big let down. The staff very helpful and nothing too much trouble. We visisted the Habtor Grand one day and used their facilities , superb !!!! Dubai is great for the "wow" factor, visit Atlantic a must.... The weather was not to good, but there was plenty to do.... You can visit the beach either by the provided bus in Jumeriah beach, or you can walk to a nearby beach which is great., just remember to take your towels plenty of places to eat in the marina, but be aware that you need to dress appropriately, no shoulders should be baring, nor should legs )much to the annoyance of my teenage daughter!!!) The shopping Mall emirates is ok, but if you have done the trafford centre I wouldnt bother!!1 Great base for seeing dubai!!! Close

There is a lot to like about this quite new hotel. We had a roomy, three-bedroom suite which included ensuite bathrooms to all bedrooms, a "maid's room" with bathroom, full laundry, huge kitchen and... more

There is a lot to like about this quite new hotel. We had a roomy, three-bedroom suite which included ensuite bathrooms to all bedrooms, a "maid's room" with bathroom, full laundry, huge kitchen and pleasant lounge/dining room with a balcony. Each of the bedrooms was large and well equipped with comfortable beds, nice heavy curtains, good quality linen and tasteful decoration. We were on the 36th floor and the views were absolutely spectacular, looking across the whole of the Palm Jumeira and up the coast to the Burj Al Arab. The kitchen was lovely and big, and very well-equipped with lots of cutlery, crockery and cooking utensils. We self-catered for our two nights and had everything we needed, except a supply of dishwasher tablets. However, when requested, these were provided promptly. The bathrooms were clean and well-equipped, although a fan would have been a useful addition as the mirrors fogged up badly with even a brief shower. The air-conditioning was quiet but the temperature controls were contrary - one room was set on 22 degrees, but it ran at 18 degrees all night; while another was set on 18 and ran at 21.5! The lifts were quick, the lobby was functional but hardly 5-star, and the carpark was adequate but a bit squeezy for the obligatory 4WDs. The downside was the large and intrusive amount of construction going on around the hotel. This meant that it was stressful getting in and out of the road which ran around the hotel, as it was always blocked by construction vehicles and drivers (rude, white expats mostly) were extemerly discourteous and insisted on trying to make 2 lanes where there was only room for one. A little traffic control by the construction firm would have been welcome. This was the only place we had any trouble with the traffic in Dubai. In addition, the construction continued throughout the night, so there was constant banging. However, the hotel windows were double-glazed, and the drapes heavy, so we didn't find noise to be a problem in our suite. One other complaint; we had been "guaranteed" a non-smoking room but were given a room which reeked of smoke. Apparently there was no non-smoking suite available until that night and rather than going to the inconvenience of moving our extended family after a long day, we opted to stay where we were and threw open all the doors and windows. The hotel sent someone up to spray room freshener, so it was tolerable (just). All-up, good value for money and (once you got past the construction traffic) quite convenient to everything in the Marina area of Dubai and only a few km from the Mall of the Emirates. The big pluses were the size of the suite and the fab view. I would recommend this to families and people looking for a longer stay. No beach facilities, so it would not suit the fun-in-the-sun crowd. Close

My family and I stayed at the Marriott Hotel for a week at the beginning of December, the size of the apartment is totally amazing, we couldn't fault it, very pleased with the apartment, massive... more

My family and I stayed at the Marriott Hotel for a week at the beginning of December, the size of the apartment is totally amazing, we couldn't fault it, very pleased with the apartment, massive living areas, kitchen, washing / dryer, everything you could need. We had a two bed apartment, both rooms with ensuite it suited us perfectly as we have a one year old and also my Mum was with us, so this worked really well. The staff in this hotel are excellent, nothing is too much trouble, very friendly, really helpful with the pushchair and made a big fuss of our little girl. Really enjoyed the breakfast, the breads and muffins are delicious. The eggs were a bit hit and miss, my poached or boiled eggs were always perfectly cooked, but my husband's weren't, they were under cooked. Loved the snow display though made out of icing with the train in the cafe on the ground floor. We booked this holiday quite a way in advance on the understanding that we could use the facilities at the Royal Meridian, the hotel no longer offer this facility but they did honor this in our case and provided transport. We arrived in Dubai early in the morning, at the hotel check in we were advised that our room wouldn't be ready until later on in the afternoon as we hadn't booked an extra night (the previous night), then five minutes later we were told that our room was ready, so we didn't have to wait at all, which was excellent. I had a pedicure and facial at the spa in the hotel which was excellent, would definitely recommend. The location of the hotel is right next to the marina and a quick walk round to Spinney's supermarket which sells everything you need, Waitrose products. On our first night we had a chinese takeway delivered from I think it was Blue Orchid at the Marina which was lovely. The pool at the hotel I think is it's biggest let down, it's small, very cold and mostly in the shade. The building work that goes on all around didn't bother us at all, if you come to Dubai that's what you expect, it's a work in progress. I would definitely recommend this hotel, but would not stay here again unless you were able to use the facilities at the Royal Meridian, as this is what made the holiday for us. Observatory bar lovely and very lively on a Thursday night, great views. Close

Just returned from a 5 night stay at this property with my wife and 2 year old son. The location is about 16 miles south of Dubai Airport. The journey to the hotel at 1:00 am took about 20-25... more

Just returned from a 5 night stay at this property with my wife and 2 year old son. The location is about 16 miles south of Dubai Airport. The journey to the hotel at 1:00 am took about 20-25 minutes. It is in the Marina area next to Marina Walk and the Jumeriah Beach Residences. "Jumeriah" seems to stretch a long way down the coast. Positives The 2 bedroom suites are huge. In reality they are not conventional suites but 2 bedroom apartments. The one we were in had a smaller, windowless, third bedroom with a foldaway bed that would be classed as the Maids Room. The kitchen is a kitchen, not a kitchenette, and is fully equipped. There is also a washing machine and dryer in a cupboard in the hall. We were travelling with our 2 year old and having the kitchen facilities was ideal. There is a Waitrose a 3 minute cab ride from the hotel and we were able to stock up on baby essentials so he could eat as near to a normal diet as possible. We found out after that there is a Spinneys 5 mins walk from the hotel selling a very similar product range. The apartments are nicely furnished with plenty of storage space. I'll post some photos. ADSL cable internet is currently free in-room and free WiFi is available in the public rooms. This seems to be a hang-over from the days when the hotel was the Emirates Harbour Hotel and Residence and according to the front desk it is likely to be chargeable shortly. The hotel is about 5 minutes walk from Marina Walk where there are plenty of restaurants. None are attached to hotels so all are booze-free. There is a medium sized pool along with a small children’s pool. Negatives Breakfast was nothing to write home about. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. It is difficult to say what was wrong but there was definitely something not right. Service in the restaurant is friendly but a bit hit or miss. The hotel is in the middle of a huge construction site. All around there are more skyscrapers going up. The noise is a bit off-putting when lying by the pool. It starts quite early and goes on late. Some sites seem to be working 24 hours although we were not disturbed by the noise from them. The pool area suffers from neighbouring buildings blocking the sun and with more being built the problem will get worse. The pool area is also a little stark and lacks ?something.? Getting pool service was hard and had to be requested rather waiters making regular patrols. This hotel is not on the beach and the only way to get to the beach is either (a) use the hotel shuttle or a taxi to the public beach at Jumeriah Park (we did not like it) or (b) pay to use the facilities of a neighbouring beach hotel. The hotel has an arrangement with the Le Meridien. It costs around Dh160 per adult. The public beach is 20 minutes away and in my view not worth it. Summary The hotel is a bit of a paradox. In terms of accommodation it is ideal for families, especially if the children are young. However, its location and lack of facilities for children are disappointing. Would I stay here again? Highly likely. The staff were super friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Close