It might be difficult to locate the finest hotels in Dubai in a city with over 135,000 hotel rooms. The choices are many and diverse, ranging from glistening buildings with Italian architecture to real Arabian desert resorts.
We’ve done the legwork and compiled a list of our top Dubai hotels for every kind of traveler. Here is our tried-and-true selection of Dubai’s top hotels.
How we choose Dubai’s top hotels
Our editors have personally chosen each hotel on our list, and each article was authored by a Condé Nast Traveller writer who has visited the establishment and is familiar with the area. When selecting hotels, our editors take into account both upscale establishments and smaller, less well-known boltholes that provide a genuine, insider look at a place. In addition to having excellent environmental credentials, we’re always searching for stunning design, a prime location, and friendly service. As new hotels open and current ones change, we update this list often.
Check out our comprehensive guide to Dubai.
Since it was first published, this gallery has been updated with fresh information.
The exterior of the OneOnly One Za’abeel hotel’s One Zaabeel residence
The Rupert Peace Hotel
Za’abeel, one and only one
An eye-catching addition to Dubai’s already unique skyline is One&Only One Za’abeel. The Link, a three-story boulevard-style bridge that connects two massive skyscrapers, has space for a number of restaurants run by Michelin-starred chefs. Chic couples enjoy views of the Burj Khalifa, desert, and planted greens while lounging by the white waters of a suspended infinity pool on the top. There is a lot to discover at Kerzner’s first urban “vertical resort,” including a three-story Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie, a tiered, Balinese-style swimming pool amid leafy gardens, and a graffiti-strewn tunnel that conceals StreetXO by Spanish wonder-chef Dabiz Muñoz. The deck area, which is dotted with olive trees, is well-served by the Peruvian-Japanese restaurant Tapasake. The rooms at One&Only One Za’abeel seem very roomy, with the glass curtain walls directing the viewer’s gaze to the skyline. Pale sand, taupe, and gold hues dot Jean-Michael Gathy’s interiors, while silky carpeting softens the marble flooring. Guests staying in corner suites are requested to choose between rooms with an urban, sanctuary, or creative theme. These rooms are distinguished by adorable amenities like a conference table, an en suite massage table, or expensive audio equipment, respectively. Most enduring? The horizon is revealed by the draperies’ enchanted sweep across glass and steel in my corner room; Dubai’s sparkling panorama is seen from Sphere, The Link’s ominously promising cocktail lounge; the view… the view… the view. Starting at $517 Dight, Clare