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Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and SpavsJumeirah Zabeel Saray
Both Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa and Jumeirah Zabeel Saray are highly recommended by professional reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa ranks significantly higher than Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa ranks #17 in Dubai with endorsements from 9 reviews like Travel + Leisure, Fodor's and Rough Guide.
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
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
Concierge Condé Nast Traveler Time Out Travel + Leisure Oyster Lonely Planet
Michelin Guide
The Palm Jumeirah, Crescent Road West, PO Box 27722, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
From $191/night
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Shuttle Bus
- Laundry Service
Concierge "The richly brocaded suites and private villas have huge marble tubs in the bathrooms."
Condé Nast Traveler "The opulent decor—think Delacroix meets Vanity Fair photo shoot—is especially evident in the men’s Turkish bath, where paintings of sheet-draped harem girls adorn the walls." Full review
Time Out "Opulence pours from every wall and it feels grand, but slightly overwhelming, too – you wouldn’t want to walk into this place in scruffy shorts and flip flops." Full review
Travel + Leisure "With its ten restaurants, lavish on-site Turkish hammam, and stretch of private beach, guests can live like a sultan during their stay here." Full review
Oyster Kid-Friendly
"In many ways the 405-room Jumeirah Zabeel Saray is the epitome of the lavish hotels for which Dubai is famed." Full review
Lonely Planet "With its domed ceiling, golden pillars and jewel-like lamps, Zabeel Saray’s lobby is as lavish and majestic as an Ottoman palace." Full review
Michelin Guide "The look is Turkish, inspired by the Ottoman Empire...ten restaurants, ten tennis courts, a gym, spa, pool and hammam, and it’s clear there’s no physical need that could possibly go unmet here." Full review
