great location from which to explore Dubai . complimentary bus service .
Disadvantages:
beach is a bus ride away .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
We stayed at this 5 star deluxe hotel for a week in October. We have stayed in a Shangri-La hotel before (in Penang, Malaysia) so knew beforehand it was going to be an excellent hotel. The hotel opened in July 2003 – so everything inside was brand new. It is about 200 metres tall and has 43 storeys. we booked this hotel as part of a package. It cost £100 a night for a premier room. We dont normally spend so much, however it was our first year wedding anniversary .
Sheikh Zayed Road is the business, commercial and financial area of Dubai. It is 15 minutes away from Dubai International Airport and five minutes from the World Trade Centre.
Upon arrival we were shown to our room, which was on the 37th floor. We had a premier room – the full selection is deluxe, executive, premier, one bedroom suite and presidential suite.
The view from the room was amazing. It was decorated in a very modern and contemporary fashion – lots of creams, beiges and browns. The total area is about 45m2. There was fresh fruit (which was topped up everyday) and a really funky looking alarm clock, which also functioned as the light switch and air conditioning control.
There was a very well stocked mini fridge with tea making facilities and a great mirrored mini bar area. The bathroom was equally impressive. The shower was great. It had an overhead shower that pours like rainfall, as well as your regular showerhead on the wall.
Near the door there is a panel on which you can indicate, on your way out, that the room is free to be made up. Another button illuminates the ‘Do not disturb’ sign outside your room.
The outdoor swimming pool and spa are on the 4th floor. The hotel has a sauna and steam room, 9 spa treatment rooms, gymnasium , juice bar, hair salon, barber and a spa shop.. We did not try out any of these facilities, except for the outdoor pool.
You walk over a bridge to the pool area, where you give your room number and get a towel. You are then shown to a free sunbed (there was always plenty free). The pool area is very nice. You get plenty of sun considering there are lots of skyscrapers on this road ( for some reason I was worried there would be too many building blocking our sun ! ). There is a cold pool and a hot Jacuzzi pool. I preferred the main pool, which was just the right temperature.
The swim up pool bar has a variety of food and beverages. I had lots of mango smoothies, at £4 each.
For those of you who don’t want to sit by the pool and would prefer the beach, there is a complimentary bus service to Jebel Ali. Near to this is the famous Jebel Ali Palm Island, similar to the other famous Jumeriah Palm Island, where Beckham and a few other England football Players have bougth a villa.
You get a voucher from the concierge desk. It is a 20 minute drive and you get towels when you get there and can use any of Jebel Ali’s facilities. The beach is amazing – white sand, blue sea. Just make sure you get on the bus back. I think the last bus was about 6pm.
We had complimentary breakfast every morning in the dunes café. There is plenty of choice - a buffet of fresh fruit, continental cooked breakfast. There is a chef who makes your eggs just how you like them. Since this is a Muslim country and they do not eat pork, the sausages are made of chicken and the bacon made of veal.
Room Service is available 24 hours and offers menu option from all of the hotel's restaurants. We ordered room service a couple of times and were very impressed with the speed with which it arrived and the presentation.
The Shangri-La has 9 restaurants in the building, offering a great variety of international cuisines. From seafood to Vietnamese and Moroccan to Cantonese, you will be spoilt for choice.
Restaurants and bars:
Lobby Lounge (cocktails, coffee, tea, snacks and desserts), Dunes Cafe (international cuisine), Shang Palace – Shangri La’s signature restaurant (dim sum, traditional Cantonese), Hoi An (Vietnamese cuisine with a French influence), Balcony Bar (fine liqueurs, wines and cigars), Marrakech (authentic Moroccan cuisine), Amwaj (trendy spot with local dishes and fresh seafood).
However, we ate out most days, as we preferred to venture out in the evening and check the rest of the city out, but if room service is anything to go by, I would recommend any of these restaurants.
The hotel has a complement bus service which, as well as going to Jebel Ali, goes to Wafi City Complex (Shopping, Planet Hollywood, many restaurants and bars.) and Deira Shopping Centre.
On the whole I was very impressed with this hotel. It is definitely worth its 5 star deluxe rating, the service and facilities were excellent and the staff were friendly. The hotel is in a great location from which to explore Dubai city.
Shangri-la Hotel Dubai
Resorts\' first vent ure in the United Arab Emirates and, since opening in July 2003,
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the hotel has set newstandards in service, hospitality and value for mone y. The 200 metre tall, 43 storey hotel is situated on Sheikh Zayed Ro ad close to Dubai\'...
(+) Beautiful beach hotel in the most buzzing area of Dubai! (-) There is still construction surrounding the hotel, but everywhere has to start somewhere.
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