A lot can happen in a space of a few years but never more so than in Dubai; it's currently a massive construction site but in the nicest sort of way! The last time I visited Dubai in 2002, I stayed at Oasis Beach Hotel in Jumeirah. At that time the Oasis Beach hotel was the last hotel on the beach strip apart from the Hilton Hotel; the surrounding land was just barren desert. However, after my present visit in 2006 I was surprised to see there were about 200 buildings being constructed behind the Hilton Hotel! If you've read this far and are thinking it's a big no, no you'll be surprised at how much the construction doesn't really bother you.

Why did I choose the Hilton?
Having previously stayed along Jumeirah beach in the 4 star Oasis Beach Hotel, we were keen to keep the relaxing beach location and thought we'd try the well-established Hilton, which is 5 star. The Hilton also currently costs about the same as Oasis Beach Hotel. A sea view double room; Deluxe Plus costs 950 AED plus 20% service charge and tax per night (~£150 for the room which is £75 per person). We wanted to avoid land view rooms (due to the construction). Land view rooms however are cheaper and may be worthwhile if you will be out most of the time. The Hilton is a much bigger hotel than Oasis Beach Hotel having 389 rooms, a variety of restaurants, etc and kids activities. The location of the hotel however is a bit far out from the airport and shopping areas like Gold Souk etc, but a 40-45 minute taxi ride will take you there. You are closer to newer shopping malls like Mall of Emirates that has the artificial ski slopes. It's worth noting that the whole of Jumeirah is affected by the construction, so booking any hotel along the strip you will see or possibly hear the construction going on when outside.

I'd booked the room about a month in advance directly through the Hilton website so was confident of speedy check-in. Upon arrival which was after 2p.m, we were greeted with chilled cocktails and our young child was given some colouring books. However, whilst at the reception we were rather disappointed to learn that the non-smoking sea view room we had requested was not available immediately and we would have to wait. We were asked to wait in the lobby area with a supply of free soft drinks. No offer of upgrade or temporary room was offered. As our stay was so short and we were tired, this was not a good start to end a long holiday. In about an hour a room was available and ready.

The room that awaited us was situated on the 6th floor. We had requested a High Floor when the booking was made; I guess we were expecting more like the 9th floor but never mind. Once inside the room was clean, well presented with large King size bed, reading lamps, writing area, satellite tv, internet access, mini-bar area with complimentary bottle of mineral water and fresh fruit. The room had everything you'd expect in a 5 star hotel, including a full size ironing board and iron. One thing I was really impressed with was the full size professional Swiss-made hairdryer, which was an absolute delight to use; as it was so quiet! There were also tea and coffee making facilities, so you won't miss that traditional english cup of tea! The only minor gripe was there was only a single seater sofa when the room was a double room, a double settee would have been better.

The Bathroom

Room Service

Breakfast

Pictures of Hilton Dubai Jumeirah

Photo of Double room (Deluxe Plus)

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More Eating

Other facilities

Leisure Experiences..
One area I did get to thoroughly use is the Gym and Spa area. The gym opens from early morning till 10p.m at night, so it gave me plenty of time to use it. The hotel has an exclusive lift that takes you straight to the floor where entrance of the gym is. After signing in you are given a headset, towel, and locker key if you wish to use the Spa later. The usual set of treadmills, cross trainers, steppers, and free weights were available. The gym was average size with full-length glass windows on one side offering views over the Arabian Gulf. Overall, it was pleasant to use, not crowded, very clean and air-conditioned. After a workout in the gym, I was looking forward to investigating the Spa! Luckily, there was nobody else there so I had the place to myself! It comprised of 2 small steam rooms, a sauna, two large shower cubicles stocked with Molton Brown shampoo and shower gel. There was a relaxation room, which consisted of a dark room with a reclined lounger, the only problem with the room, was its location; it was too near to the entrance to the Spa. This meant that every 10 minutes or so you would hear someone (usually the staff) coming in/out to check the Spa is ok. There is health Club that offers mainly massages. I chose a 30-minute treatment called the Bali Touch, which is head massage using oil. You are suggested to leave the oil on and use the steam room afterwards. The end result after washing my hair it was luxuriously soft and silky. The cost was 100AED (~£15), which is not too bad for a 5 star hotel.