1-bedroom Fairmont Gold suite with full club lounge access USD$380; Standard king bedroom USD$145
– Excellent spa with high quality treatments
– Service at breakfast could have been a little more attentive and special requests were not well accommodated
Being greeted by name on arrival at any hotel is a perfect start and so it was at the Fairmont Dubai’s Gold Club lounge. Immaculately attired staff welcomed us and offered drinks during our short check-in procedure before showing us to our suite.
The bright and airy Fairmont Gold one-bedroom suite felt more like an apartment than a mere hotel room. Despite including a dining table for four, a well-situated desk with extremely comfortable high backed leather chair, tea/coffee making area and a full-size sofa opposite the wide-screen TV, the sitting room felt very spacious. The hotel had asked our preferences in advance and there was also a beautiful spread of cut fruit, mineral water and the most delicious macarons imaginable.
The bedroom had a wonderfully snug king bed, ample storage space and a chaise longue, ideal for lazing on to watch the bedroom TV or to browse a magazine.
At the lofty height of the 33rd floor, the large Gold Club lounge affords fantastic views and attentive service and includes all-day soft beverages, afternoon tea and a generous 3-hour serving of evening cocktails, as well as 24-hour access. It’s a perfect spot to escape your room (if you really want to!) and work, or relax in between outings exploring Dubai.
Breakfast is taken in Cascades restaurant on the ground floor which offers an appetising array of international and Arabic dishes and subdued mood lighting that make for a relaxing start to the day. Our dinner was at the ‘Best Steakhouse in Dubai’ according to Time Out magazine, The Exchange Grill. Everything about the meal was perfect, from the sublime ribeye steak to the very knowledgeable staff, excellent wine list and funky décor. The restaurant also has a well-thought-out and high-quality vegetarian selection; unusually, the vegetarian options here are much more than a mere afterthought.
The hotel has a unique and striking architectural design, inspired by the traditional wind towers of the region. It’s essentially two towers connected through a soaring central atrium and the glass elevators provide stunning views as they race up the interior of the building. The design allows for a one-of-a-kind pool experience too. The Fairmont Dubai has ‘sunrise’ and ‘sunset’ pools, one on either side of the hotel, allowing for one to be completely in shade while the other has full sunshine — guests can take their pick of toasting in the strong sun or relaxing in the shade.
The Fairmont Dubai is a long standing icon of the city, positioned at the beginning of the famous Sheikh Zayed Road. It’s a stone’s throw from the financial district and the convention centre while being only ten minutes from three of the city’s biggest tourist attractions, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the Dubai Fountain. It’s also within easy reach of the local beaches and of Dubai Creek, in the heart of fascinating old Dubai and only 15 minutes from the airport so perfect for stopovers. There’s also a metro station right outside the front entrance. We had wanted to stay at this hotel for many years; it was well worth waiting for.
