Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa, Dubai (UAE) ****
08-06-10
Very nicely located hotel - within easy walking distance of the south side of The Creek. The front is right across from the old Dubai Fort (which is now a museum). The street it is on is busy, but not annoyingly so.
I had a business room, which was - at least at the time I stayed (seasonal pricing) quite inexpensive for Dubai, and the room was indeed spectacular. In line with the general furnishings of the hotel, it had dark oak (?) paneling, a huge wooden bed and even a separate room with a couch + television, with a door separating the bedroom and the “living” room.
The view from the window - which was quite soundproof - was quite nice, see above.
I had some food in the English Pub in the hotel which was commendable - all in all a hotel I can recommend to visitors and business people alike.
I had a business room, which was - at least at the time I stayed (seasonal pricing) quite inexpensive for Dubai, and the room was indeed spectacular. In line with the general furnishings of the hotel, it had dark oak (?) paneling, a huge wooden bed and even a separate room with a couch + television, with a door separating the bedroom and the “living” room.
The view from the window - which was quite soundproof - was quite nice, see above.
I had some food in the English Pub in the hotel which was commendable - all in all a hotel I can recommend to visitors and business people alike.
Comments
Novotel Deira City Center, Dubai (UAE) ***
08-08-09
Probably due to booking off-season, I was able to get a room at the Novotel for a really reasonable rate of 459 AED (€89) including breakfast. The hotel seems to be quite new and is really quite nice. It has a very nice outside pool and a pleasant gym. Breakfast is okay, the food is good but the buffet isn’t amongst the larger ones I’ve seen.
What was incredibly annoying was the fact that despite the modern and spacious bathroom, I was unable to get any hot water. Being a frequent Sauna visitor, the cold shower on the first evening didn’t phase me very much - unfortunately, they were unable to fix this problem during the entirety of my 3-day stay. I would have changed rooms, but every evening, I was told that the problem had been fixed when it actually hadn’t but I didn’t find this out until the next morning.
The location of the hotel is okay, it is right across the road from Deira City Center Mall but not really close to anything else of interest, so taking a cab is - especially in August - a must. I found this out the hard way when, stubborn dude I am, I decided to walk to the Creek from the hotel. My light green Polo was getting distinct splotches of dark within minutes. The positive side: within half an hour, it was completely dark so no-one noticed (for the unknowing: Dubai in August will sport 45 degrees centigrade with about 90% humidity).
Assuming the hot water problem was a localized issue, I would recommend this hotel if you get a good deal.
What was incredibly annoying was the fact that despite the modern and spacious bathroom, I was unable to get any hot water. Being a frequent Sauna visitor, the cold shower on the first evening didn’t phase me very much - unfortunately, they were unable to fix this problem during the entirety of my 3-day stay. I would have changed rooms, but every evening, I was told that the problem had been fixed when it actually hadn’t but I didn’t find this out until the next morning.
The location of the hotel is okay, it is right across the road from Deira City Center Mall but not really close to anything else of interest, so taking a cab is - especially in August - a must. I found this out the hard way when, stubborn dude I am, I decided to walk to the Creek from the hotel. My light green Polo was getting distinct splotches of dark within minutes. The positive side: within half an hour, it was completely dark so no-one noticed (for the unknowing: Dubai in August will sport 45 degrees centigrade with about 90% humidity).
Assuming the hot water problem was a localized issue, I would recommend this hotel if you get a good deal.