,url-https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripexpert.com%2Fimages%2Fmarker-fade%402x.png(55.23129,24.81682)/55.20831752568483,24.979175454295767,8.42484504892655/1280x214@2x?access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoidHJpcGV4cGVydHdlYiIsImEiOiJja2Fud3l2MDcwbXZ0MndyeGF3eGI3ZWhzIn0.zLqNa1RECyZZadF8zfQM5w)
Burj Al ArabvsBab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa and Burj Al Arab Jumeirah are both praised by experts. Overall, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is preferred by most reviewers compared to Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah comes in at #5 in Dubai with praise from 15 publications including Travel + Leisure, Fodor's and Time Out.
Burj Al Arab
Frommer's
Concierge
Insight Guides
Travel + Leisure
DK Eyewitness
Rough Guide
Time Out
Condé Nast Traveler
Oyster
Afar Magazine Show All Reviews
Jumeirah Beach Rd, P.O Box 74147, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
From $1,470/night
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Concierge
Frommer's "The Burj is among the world's tallest... and most expensive hotels, certainly in first place for sheer over-the-top appeal." Full review
i
A "pillow menu" lets you choose from 17 pillows and quilts to make for a decadent night's sleep.
Concierge "Low-key it is not, with Rolls-Royce pickups at the airport, a rooftop helipad, and an entrance that denies mere plebeians the right to gawk."
Insight Guides "A stay in this iconic ‘seven-star’ hotel offers the last word in opulence, with every mod-con and indulgence you could imagine... ranging from remote-control curtains to ‘pillow menus'."
Travel + Leisure "This iconic, sail-shaped hotel—which soars 1,053 feet over the Persian Gulf, on an artificial island off Jumeirah Beach—literally epitomizes Dubai’s over-the-topness." Full review
DK Eyewitness "The interior is gaudy but the spectacular coastal views, especially from the Skyview Bar, make up for it."
Rough Guide "A stay in this staggering hotel is the ultimate Dubaian luxury."
Time Out "Welcome to the only seven-star hotel in the world. Okay, it’s officially a five-star hotel, but if there ever was a seven-star rating, the Burj Al Arab or ‘Tower of the Arabs’ would probably get it." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler ""Feel like a sheikh in your own palace" at this sail-shaped Dubai landmark, where interiors are embellished with 24-karat gold and the atrium lobby rises some 600 feet." Full review
Oyster Luxury
"Billing itself as the “world’s mostluxurious hotel,” Burj Al Arab is a destination unto itself." Full review
Afar Magazine "Sets the bar for outsized luxury with Rolls Royce airport pickups, gold-plated iPads, and butler-serviced duplex suites equipped with beds with mirrored ceilings." Full review
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa Frommer's Rough Guide Time Out Oyster Afar Magazine Travel + Leisure
Fodor's Condé Nast Traveler
Independent
Lonely Planet Show All Reviews
International Endurance City, 308th Rd, P.O Box 8168, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
From $220/night
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Shuttle Bus
- Laundry Service
Frommer's "Relaxation defines this enchanted desert resort, located 45 minutes outside Dubai near Endurance City." Full review
Rough Guide "Hidden out in the desert a 45-minute drive from the airport, this gorgeous resort occupies a wonderfully atmospheric replica Arabian fort."
Time Out "For a touch of old-style Arabia, without losing any modern comforts, desert resort Bab Al Shams is one of a kind." Full review
Oyster Luxury
"A popular, family-friendly resort and attracts a range of guests, including business travelers looking for something a bit different." Full review
Afar Magazine "The family-friendly Bab al Shams Desert Resort & Spa wraps around an oasis and looks out over gently rolling sand dunes that guests explore by 4x4, horse, camel, and mountain bike." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Meaning gateway to the sun, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa is located in the desert outside of the city." Full review
Fodor's "Bab al Shams, translating as "doorway to the sun," is a five-star adobe brick oasis, a vision you'd expect to find on the edges of the Sahara desert, or perhaps as a set for a movie." Full review
Condé Nast Traveler "Escape big-city Dubai with a stay at Bab Al Shams, a low-slung desert resort modeled after an Arabian fort." Full review
Independent "There are desert adventures such as camel rides, falconry exhibitions and nature walks to enjoy...each of the rooms reflects the Middle East in its design, and provides guests with desert views"
Best hotels in Dubai 2023: Where to stay for a luxurious break
February 17, 2023
Lonely Planet "Resembling a fort and blending into the desertscape, Bab Al Shams is a tonic for escapists seeking to indulge their Arabian Nights fantasies" Full review
