Where to bed down in Dubai’s thriving business-meets-pleasure neighbourhood
Dubai is home to some remarkable hotels. From big-name brands like the Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental and One&Only, to smaller design-led boutique hotels, the Dubai hotel scene is leading the vanguard in hospitality and setting the standard for luxury travel experiences.
One area that is constantly evolving in the Emirate metropolis is the downtown district, Business Bay. Once a more corporate Downtown Dubai district, and now a trendy business-meets-pleasure neighbourhood, Business Bay is home to some of the city’s best restaurants (think Roka and The Maine) and slickest residential communities. A popular location for its proximity to Dubai International Airport and on the doorstep of Downtown Dubai – Business Bay also boasts some excellent places to stay. From record-breakingly tall towers to iconic brand names, here are the best hotels in Business Bay to book now. in the thriving business-meets-pleasure district.
Opening soon: Mama Shelter
Playful, French Mama Shelter is known for its cheeky outposts in Nice, Bordeaux, London, Belgrade and Rome, and the brand is finally set to open its doors in Dubai this month. Offering the city what it really needs – a cool, affordable, trendy four-star offering – Mama Shelter Dubai has 197 guest rooms complete with city views, powerful rainfall showers, quirky decor and Malin + Goetz toiletries. There’s a stunning Italian trattoria, French-style Mama Restaurant and four terraced swimming pools, plus an outdoor cinema. Some of our favourite, typically ‘un-Dubai’ touches include cartoon masks on the beds and foosball tables in restaurants – and we’re sure there will be plenty more surprises along the way…
Opens 25 December, mamashelter.com
ME Dubai
The second Dubai outpost from the Spanish hospitality group Melia, Me Dubai is quite something to behold. Occupying four floors of the striking Opus by Omniyat, this showstopping cubic hotel that appears almost to be melting in the sun is the only one on earth fully designed inside and outside by the late great Dame Zaha Hadid. ME Dubai effortlessly combines a futuristic yet natural, and organic feeling. Nods to the Spanish brand’s roots are evident throughout, from the tapas offerings to the Ibicenco rooftop pool.
The suite offering at ME Dubai is next level, particularly the four Zaha Hadid suites, and the psychedelically palatial Suite ME. When it comes to food, there are several elevated options, including the lively Central Cosmo Tapas & Bar, the sultry Sfumato Coffee Point by Michelin-awarded chef Alena Solodovichenko, the beautiful Basque restaurant Basko, and the third-party outlets The Maine, Roka and Salmon Guru (some of the city’s most popular hangouts). Unsurprisingly, Zaha Hadid’s last great work is a giant among men, architecturally speaking, in Dubai’s Business Bay.
me-dubai; @meliahtlresorts
The Lana, Dorchester Collection
The Dorchester Collection’s debut into the region, The Lana, is one of Dubai’s most exciting new hotel openings in recent memory. Joining an impressive roster of outposts, including Los Angeles’ Beverley Hills Hotel, Paris’ Hôtel Plaza Athénée, and of course London’s The Dorchester, The Lana is a beautiful, perfect city-centre base. Dripping with the Dorchester’s famed European-inspired luxury, and décor of rose, gold, and cream interiors, with a touch of The Lana’s signature burgundy, this is a special place to stay.
While here, we recommend visiting the magnificent rooftop swimming pool with uninterrupted views of the Burj Khalifa. As is true of all The Dorchester’s outposts, the afternoon teas here are some of the best you can find – and the restaurant concepts by celebrated French chef Jean Imbert and the Basque restaurant Jara by Martín Berasategui are very special too.
dorchestercollection.com; @thelanadubai
The St. Regis Downtown Dubai
The first St. Regis Hotel was built by one of America’s wealthiest men, John Jacob Astor, during New York’s Gilded Age. Standing proud at 18 storeys high – the tallest structure in the city at the time – the Fifth Avenue address was – and still is – resplendent with marble floors and crystal chandeliers. Today, guests can immerse themselves in the St. Regis experience at a several luxurious outposts across the globe, and one happens to be in Business Bay.
Every room in the centrally located St. Regis Downtown Dubai delivers the brand’s hallmark old-world charm and contemporary luxury at a fraction of the price. Beautifully designed, with a refined palette of soft grays, ivory, and natural wood, rooms here are spacious and inviting – and each one comes with the signature St. Regis butler service. During your stay, we recommend visiting the third-floor infinity pool to take in panoramic views of the city, and a pit stop at the spa for a tailored St. Regis treatment. It would also be remiss not to try the hotel’s unique riff on the Bloody Mary (a watermelon-juice-infused Marasi Mary), invented at the flagship hotel in 1934 – or spend an afternoon sampling the hotel’s wonderful afternoon tea.
marriott.com; @stregisdowntowndubai
SLS Dubai
SLS South Beach is one of the coolest hotels in Miami, and in April 2021, the brand brought this spirit to the UAE with its regional debut, SLS Dubai. Inspired by mid-century architecture, this honeycomb structured tower stands at 72 storeys high and boasts unobstructed views of the city. With 254 rooms, 43 suites, and 321 hotel apartments, SLS Dubai is also home to two incredible infinity pools – one of which is recognised by the Guiness Book of Records as the highest overflow pool in the world. There are plenty of food and drink destinations within the building, including speakeasy cocktail and cigar lounge Smoke & Mirrors Dubai, a Michelin-Guide-selected Italian and Mediterranean restaurant, Fi’lia Dubai, and legendary butcher Dario Cecchini’s contemporary steakhouse Carna. The Ciel Spa Ciel Spa, located a dizzying 69 floors above ground level, and the chic Sky Lobby Bar S Bar Dubai (on the 71st floor) are also well worth a visit at this record-breaking Downtown address.
slsdubairesidences.com; @slsdubai
Anantara Downtown Dubai
One of the chicest budget-friendly hotels in Dubai, Anantara Downtown Dubai is a soaring property from the big-name brand located in heart of Business Bay. With lower room rates than some of its sister GCC hotels, and a city centre location, this Anantara is something of an insiders’ secret. The luxurious, modern rooms are spacious and tranquil with accents of cream and wood. The Anantara Spa and outdoor pool are lovely, and the restaurant offering is very good – we recommend Anantara’s famous Dining by Design for a special occasion.
This Downtown outpost delivers many of the luxurious touches you expect from Anantara at a fraction of the price.
anantara.com; @anantaradowntowndubai
Leave a Reply
