Ubai evokes a wide range of feelings in tourists. There is no doubting that the emirate is home to some of the greatest luxury hotels in the Middle East, if not the entire world, regardless of whether you are lured to its carefree attitude of having fun in the sun or cringe at the idea of its extravagance. Dubai’s 130,000 hotel rooms take vacations to a whole new level, from modern skyscrapers with rooftop pools and breathtaking vistas to visions of the sea.

Do you want a triple king-sized bed for your sleep? No issue. Would you like to sleep in a century-old former trader’s house or a piece of maritime history? All of this and more can be found in Dubai.

Address Beach Resort, Jumeirah Beach Residence is the primary image.

There are affiliate links in this post that could bring in money.

The Burj Al Arab

1. The Burj Al Arab in Umm Suqeim

For maximum impact and unrestrained luxury
The Burj Al Arab, one of the first projects that made the emirate famous worldwide, has been a symbol of Dubai’s ambition since it first opened its doors in 1999. Situated on a separate island encircled by the Arabian Gulf, its architecture is instantly recognizable, and whether or not its striking interior design appeals to you, it is undeniably an exceptional hotel. Naturally the tallest in the world, the soaring atrium is brilliant when viewed from above and dizzying when viewed from below. The suites are all double-height and adorned with silks, gold, and ceiling mirrors. It’s hardly subtle, but that’s the goal; you’re here for richness, not subtle luxury, and the Burj delivers in spades.

Price B&B doubles from £860 for Spa Y Pool Y

Promotion

Make a reservation; read our thorough assessment of the Burj Al Arab; and discover Dubai’s top spa hotels.

Jumeira Mandarin Oriental
Jumeira Mandarin Oriental

2. Mandarin Oriental Jumeira and Jumeirah

For privacy’s sakeThe Mandarin Oriental, which is situated in the upscale, low-rise Jumeirah neighborhood, boasts a beachfront location that offers two breathtaking views: one over the Arabian Gulf and another back over Dubai’s striking skyline, which is centered on the Burj Khalifa. There are two large pools to sprawl around, one on the ground floor and one on the sixth floor next to the Portuguese restaurant Tasca. Despite sharing its length of the seafront with the Jumeirah public beach and jogging track, the hotel nevertheless feels secluded enough. As one might anticipate from a Mandarin Oriental, the spa is first-rate, as is the Mandarin Cake Shop, where a predominantly local clientele gathers to indulge in mille-feuille and Saint Honoré.

Room-only doubles at Spa Y Pool Y start at £457.

Reserve a room at Atlantis. The Palm

3. Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah

The best for sure-fire family fun
Perched atop the Palm Jumeirah, the 1,500-room Atlantis is so expansive over a stretch of beach and gardens teeming with palm trees that it is initially hard to appreciate its size. This is how an Arabian-aquatic theme park may have appeared if it had been designed by Walt Disney. From the lobby’s Chihuly glass sculptures to the elaborate ceiling paintings, rooftop marlin sculptures, and fish scale-covered columns, almost every surface is decorated in marine patterns. The nearby Aquaventure Waterpark has 105 slides and attractions, some mild, some scary, and an aquarium with 65,000 marine life. You can even reserve a sub-aquatic suite that faces the aquarium.

Spa Y Pool Y Doubles at B&B starting at £342

Promotion

Make a reservation and read our thorough Atlantis The Palm review.

4. Twenty-five hours Just One Central Best for urban nomads is Dubai, DIFC

The “come as you are” tenet of the 25hours brand is very much alive and well in Dubai, where both locals and visitors are welcomed by a lobby filled with oddball artwork, antiques, and a café that doubles as a co-working space and coffee shop. Everything about it exudes pleasure, from the enormous swinging seats to the Sony Walkman wheel and Analogue Station vinyl bar. The Museum of the Future, a silver oval with a void in the center, is spectacularly visible from the rooftop pool. As you sip a cocktail at Monkey Bar, the museum shimmers in the sunset. With whimsical features like in-room hammocks and adjacent rain showers, the rooms and suites are intended to be tranquil havens for city dwellers. The hotel’s largest suite, the Hakawati Suite, has a dance floor, a triple king-sized bed, and is connected to two other rooms by a hidden staircase for those who like to live large.

Spa Y Pool Y Room-only doubles start at £99.

Reserve a room at Address Beach Resort.
Address Beach Resort

5. Address Jumeirah Beach Residence, Beach Resort

Ideal for viewing
The Address Beach Resort, which towers over Dubai Marina, has two Guinness World Records: the highest outdoor infinity pool and the highest skybridge with rooms. While staying here, you may swim 294 meters above the ground in the hotel’s exclusive pool, which offers expansive views of the Palm Jumeirah, Bluewaters Island, and Ain Dubai, the tallest observation wheel in the world. The rooftop is the main attraction, although the rooms are modern and light. Zeta Seventy Seven, a poolside restaurant with the same breathtaking views, is only open to adults. There is a very high minimum spend if you want to eat at one of the prized sunken tables that are right in the pool.

Room-only doubles at Spa Y Pool Y start at £244.