Hotels in Dubai: rooms with a view

It's a bad move for those who, seeing the real estate storm, were a little quick to dismiss the frenzy of luxury and star-studded hotels that has gripped Dubai since the mid-90s: the Emirati metropolis is still the world leader in terms of crazy projects. At a rate of 6,000 new rooms a year, the aim is to reach the 80,000 mark by 2020. But this insane growth hasn't dampened the spirits of hoteliers, who, despite a constantly renewed offer, continue to enjoy occupancy rates of 85 %. Some of the newcomers have made quite a splash. The JW Marriott Marquis, inaugurated with great fanfare last February in two towers in the shape of giant date palms - 72 storeys and 355 metres each - has become the world's tallest hotel building. "This is the Group's biggest opening outside North America.says Rupprecht QueitschGeneral Manager of the hotel. Initially, we only opened one tower, but the second will be ready by the end of 2014, for a total of 1,610 rooms, nine restaurants and five bars." In the cathedral-high lobby, a ribbed alabaster wall is hidden behind a moucharabieh, like a face beneath a veil. The same splendour, the same astonishment at the Fairmont The Palm, opened in January 2012 on the famous Palm Island. This ultra-luxurious 381-key hotel with its half-kilometre-long beach, numerous bars and restaurants and 3,000 m2 of meeting space combines relaxation and business, between the Arabian Sea and the business districts of Media City and Internet City. Another major opening, the Oberoi Dubai, one of the few properties of the chic Indian chain outside the sub-continent, was also a surprise, offering beautiful views of the Burj Khalifa.

In Dubai, one surprise always leads to another, and the list of forthcoming establishments is growing. Admittedly, there has been some procrastination. Some of them are being put off, no doubt in order to attract more interest. The Starwood group has long been announcing the arrival of a St Regis, due to open in 2017, and the probable arrival of a W. A Palazzo Versace, the sumptuous creation of the Italian fashion brand, is also expected soon in the Dubai Creek district, while a Taj resort, in addition to the Downtown establishment, is being developed on the island of Palm Jumeirah. Already, 2013 and 2014 should be good years. By the end of the year, a 559-room Conrad should be on the scene, located on the famous Sheikh Zayed Road, not far from the recent Millennium Plaza, an establishment with a hallucinating theatre decor. Warwick will also be opening a 357-room hotel in Dubai, close to the Financial Centre. Finally, Four Seasons will be extending its property of over four hectares along the white sandy beaches of Jumeirah. But Dubai is not just banking on new openings; the city-state is already reinventing its past. One example is the brand-new Pullman, which has moved into the Deira district to replace Softel, which has moved to the seafront to create a hotel with an ultra-chic, Polynesian feel. The Pullman Deira City Centre opened its doors at the end of 2012 in the old building, which has been completely renovated and given a new look. The effect is remarkable: a large marble lobby, openwork panels for more private space, brightness, beige, caramel and an atrium furnished with metal sculptures around which springs the tender green of wild grasses. This brand-new 317-room hotel also boasts 112 flats and majestic suites with views over Downtown Dubai.

A bit of the French touch

"The hotel is located midway between the airport and the new Burj Khalifa centre and is directly connected to the metro via the Mall Deira City Centreexplains Jean-Philippe Bittencourthotel manager. As it attracts a particularly business clientele, we are planning to renovate the meeting areas for autumn 2013, and to install the latest generation of technological equipment." The Pullman brand, with its cosmopolitan and stylish ambience, offers top-of-the-range service: reception staff navigate through the lobby, the beautiful Executive Lounge on the 11th floor, the splendid swimming pool and bar on the roof... For the 'French touch', as required by the Accor group, there is a Clarins spa, Roger & Gallet welcome products and a host of attentive French-speaking staff.

Despite the buzz created by each new opening, some establishments have succeeded in forging a soul for themselves and becoming legendary. Such is the case of the Armani Hotel, opened in 2010 on the first floors of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower. "Giorgio Armani chose to open his very first hotel in an exceptional, iconic location," notes Vivian Renders, spokesperson for the hotel. You enter a subdued world of vaulted metal structures, alabaster, marble, silk, leather and wood. Each space is gently perfumed, the lines are pure, Art Deco, and the number of rooms, 160 in all, shows a desire for exclusivity and distinction.

Head for the stars

Opposite, The Address Downtown, although opened in 2008, remains 'the place to be' in Dubai. And for good reason: it is the only hotel with uninterrupted views of the Burj Khalifa. What's more, it offers just 196 rooms, compared with 626 flats, which goes to show just how coveted it is. Let's face it: the hotel has become a veritable icon, and its suites with balconies from which you can admire the tower disappearing into the sky and, further down, fountains that are far more spectacular than in Las Vegas. So it's hard to get out of your unostentatiously luxurious room, adorned with delicate moucharabiehs and perfectly soundproofed. When you take the lift for a magical climb to the 63rd and penultimate floor, to Bar Neos, where you can sip creative cocktails on a magical night and contemplate the Tower of Babel, a glass rod hurtling towards the inferno, you can't help but marvel. At night, you could almost touch it with your finger. By day, it's best to opt for the Club Lounge, on the 7th floor, whose vast terrace seems to extend as close as possible to the Burj Khalifa. Or take a break at the spa, which has "won several awards and is recognised as one of the best in the city", says Rosemarie Tacorda, Communications Director. Then there's the swimming pool: a must! For the pleasure, the atmosphere and the absolutely unique view, in a lush garden in the middle of the urban jungle. An Arab dream? No, Dubai.