This is without a doubt the most beautiful place in all of Dubai. Don’t be nervous when you approach from the airport, which is only five minutes away. The driveway may be right off a main road, but the hotel itself is set in acres of mature gardens, right next to a stretch of Dubai Creek, and directly across the street from a park. It doesn’t look so much like a Greek island resort, with low-rise, domed white buildings, blue roofs, and tiled floors.
Huge windows overlook date palms, and a glass-walled corridor leads from the spacious reception through leafy courtyards to the elegant Arabic-style tea room.
Down a wide staircase is the elegant French restaurant spread over two levels with wine walls, parquet floors and show kitchens.
On Fridays, it does one of the best all-you-can-eat lunches in the city, with Dom Perignon free-flowing throughout the day. The Thai Kitchen, just off Dubai Creek, is also famous for its a la carte brunch on weekends. Cafe Arabesque is an all-day Arabic restaurant where breakfast is served, and later in the day it produces piping hot breads and grills; and there’s the open-air Terrace Bar, lined with soft sofas.
Rooms, all with water views and balconies, have a decidedly feminine touch, decorated in cream and white, and each room has a freestanding marble tub and walk-in shower. The bathroom products are all scented with a perfume specially created for the hotel. If you like the particular artwork (all images are black and white shots of Dubai’s maritime history), they are available to purchase. All standard rooms sleep two adults and one child, and the largest suites have screens separating the living and sleeping areas so business meetings can be held in the room.
A large on-site conference center is a favorite with local fashion shows and charity events for ladies who dine. In addition to the proximity to the affiliated Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, where the hotel can arrange tee times, yachts can be hired at the marina. However, the jewel in the resort’s crown is the multi-award winning Amara Spa.
Each spa suite, including two designed especially for couples, has its own leafy outdoor patio with a rain shower for post-treatment tea and dates. Spend a minimum of AED 450 on a treatment and you’ll also get all-day access to the palm-shaded pool, with its four hot tubs and soft white cushioned loungers. Golf widows will also be pleased to know that the hotel is minutes from Bur Dubai’s souks and the Wafi Mall and Festival Centre.