Review: 5* Grosvenor House Dubai

 

I see SCOTT in bold letters on a white iPad, held by a man dressed impeccably in a dark suit. I wave my hand in recognition and he smiles wide, greeting us and whisking our bags away.  I’m amazed at how many he can carry.

“Good morning Mrs Scott, welcome to Dubai”. I’m just off a 6-hour overnight flight from London, a small price to pay for a week of guaranteed sunshine. I’m on a press trip to check out the Luxury Collection’s 5* Grosvenor House Hotel and its sister hotel Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa. It’s our first trip to Dubai and I’m not quite sure what to expect.

He directs us outside to a large tan-coloured Ford Expedition and introduces us to our driver. Grosvenor House is just a short 25 minutes away in the Marina area. As we drive down the motorway, I start to get a feel for the newness of Dubai, which has earned the reputation in the last few decades for being the “biggest” “tallest” and “fastest”. The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, suddenly appears in view. It sticks out above the rest of the downtown area like a tall thin icicle.

But it would melt in a second if it were an icicle. It’s 35 C outside, which this October day is relatively cool compared to August where temperatures can reach the mid-40s. Our driver pulls out a cooler and hands us an ice-cold bottle of water, and equally cold face clothes that smell of lemongrass. It’s divine after that long flight.

Dubai is known for luxury and Grosvenor House does it very well!

“Hello Mrs Scott!” our car door opens and we’re greeted by another smiling man in a dark grey suit. “Your room is ready. Relax. Prakesh will take you up. You can do all your paperwork in your room”. 

I’ve never been happier to hear the words “Your Room is Ready”. We are exhausted and normal check in time is 4 pm. Early check ins aren’t guaranteed, but if your room is available Grosvenor House are happy to accommodate. It was our lucky day.
 
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We’re in a 2-bedroom apartment in Tower 1. It’s large and luxurious, has 2 and ½ bathrooms and a full kitchen. There are panoramic views of the Dubai Marina. It’s pretty amazing.

There are as many bathrooms as we have at home! But the bathrooms at Grosvenor House are stocked with Byredo body care amenities and they have the delicious exotic scent that Swedish/Indian/Canadian founder Ben Gorham is known for.

My youngest runs in to tell me there’s a spray shower by the toilet! Indeed there is western-style toilet, but there is also a small hose to clean yourself. With a little bit of research I learn that this is typical in middle eastern countries. If you want to go native, I read, left hand only and toilet paper is for drying. But enough about that!

The beds deserve special mention. I’m a bit of a mattress snob. I like a good night’s sleep and will splurge for it (our bed at home is Hypnos which is the same as The Queen’s!). The ones here are Signature Luxury Collection beds and they are SO COMFORTABLE. When I finally do go to bed (it’s way too exciting to take a nap now) I sleep for 13 hours straight.

 

 

 

 

But as comfortable as our apartment is, we are in Dubai and excited to search out some sunshine. We decide to check out Grosvenor House’s pools first. We can see them from our balcony! The one in Tower One is bigger, with a small shallow kids pool. Tower Two’s pool is a little smaller, but it has the swanky Siddharta Lounge.

It’s all very civilised. We check into the pool area in Tower One and a pool butler greets us and finds us a place to sit. We give a lot of thought into sun or shade and finally decide on shade because Dubai is hot and the sun is glaring overhead. As our butler sets our over-sized terry cloth towels (one aqua-coloured and one linen white) a row of five tall glasses of ice water appear on a napkin-covered tray and is placed next to us. Tall buildings surround us like a family of majestic Redwoods. I guess this encapsulates Dubai, a cosmopolitan beach city. We all feel very glamorous.

 

My 14-year-old’s perspective

We liked the pool at Tower One at Grosvenor House best – it had beautiful views over skyscrapers and provided lots of shade (which we needed). The sun loungers were super comfortable and we really appreciated the tall glasses of ice cold water. ~the staff were really nice too!

 

 

As guests of Grosvenor House we also have full access to its sister hotel, 5* Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort and Spa (yes it’s as good as it sounds). The hotel is literally across the road, but because it’s a very busy road and temperatures are high, they run a shuttle between the two hotels. I am usually am suspicious of shuttles, I’ve been on ones where the shuttle is too small and they fill up quickly, or you end up wasting precious beach time waiting! But the ones between Grosvenor House Hotel and Le Royal Méridien were very easy to catch –  we never waited more than 5 minutes. They are large busses and there was always one just arriving and we never had to wait. They must run them constantly. LLe Royal Méridien is popular with families and has a kids club for 4 – 12 year-olds and has 3 pools. It’s right at the end of the cosmopolitan JBR Walk, a beach promenade of hotels, shops and restaurants.

 

 

We check into the resort area and are given a card for towels. We found our favourite place – a cool spot on the grass under a wooden umbrella and palm trees spaced between the pools and the beach, so the girls could come and go as they pleased. Our table comes with an electronic service bell! The attendants brings your towels and large buckets of ice to keep drinks cool (bring your own from Grosvenor House or buy it here). With plumeria and birds of paradise blooming everywhere it felt very Hawaii and Caribbean.

 

 

 

But as we hear the majestic call to prayers from the nearby Mosque, we are reminded we’re smack in the middle of the Arabic world. There’s another Dubai sound you hear everything, the tat-tat-tat of construction. Reminding us that Dubai is still one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

Coming back to our own spacious apartment is pure luxury. The girls notice the Patchi chocolates left on our beds, in exotic flavours like, honey, lemon and banana! They’ve also left us lots and lots of water! 

But for us the best meal of the day on any holiday is breakfast. Breakfast at Sloane’s is a real highlight. The first time we arrive our hostess explains where everything is …. Baked good with chocolate filled croissants or sprinkled with Za’atar, fresh fruit, the Asian side has items like, a Western side. It took me 3 mornings to see and try it all!

 

My 14-year-old’s perspective

Breakfast at Sloane’s was an event to be relished! There was so much variety: pastries (including croissants filled with raspberry), a waffle/pancake station where you can order fresh crepe. There was a “protein toast station” station with avocado, peanut butter, and a variety of seeds. Hot dishes included Asian and Local cuisine. There was also lots of fresh fruit and juices. The choice was endless!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wasn’t prepared for how much I would like Dubai. I’m very much a “beach person” but I like to discover new cultures and explore cities. In Dubai, you can relax and enjoy the beach resort in the morning, and then later on venture out to discover what makes Dubai so special.

 

Suggested itineraries

We had limited time in Dubai so picked some “must do” highlights. We spent the mornings at the beach and pool at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort, and then ventured out in the afternoon for some sightseeing.

 

 

Activity: “Big Dubai” 

Start at the Dubai Mall and end having dinner at Thiptara watching the Dubai Fountain!

Take them to the mall!

Shopping malls in Dubai are a way of modern life, and offer more than just shopping. You can find nearly every high street shop and restaurant ever created here, we saw a California Pizza Kitchen and Cheesecake Factory. Air conditioning make them a very inviting place to hang out, plus teens can also go skiing or visit an aquarium. Seriously. Dubai Mall is the biggest (aquarium).

Go up the world’s tallest buidling!

The Burj Khalifa ticks the box that makes Dubai the tallest. Since 2008 it’s been the world’s tallest skyscaper at 828 metres!  Burj simply means tower. You can book tickets to be whisked up at 10m per seconds to one of the observation decks near the top. Sunset is a popular time time to go, make sure to buy book tickets beforehand (on sale 30 days in advance). It’s conveniently located in downtown Dubai next to the Dubai Mall. If you don’t like heights,  do what many do and have dinner at once of the restaurants in front of the tower.

Watch the Dubai Fountain

Exit the back of the Dubai Mall and there’s a manmade lake where you can see a spectacular choreographed water show shooting up as high as 150 feet with the backdrop of a lit up Burj Khalifa. It’s pretty amazing. The masses watch it from the bridge between the Dubai Mall and Souk al Bahar. The fountains go every half hour after sunset. For a more private viewing, book one of the restaurants nearby for a more relaxed view. We ate at Thiptara which means ‘Magic at the water’ (Thai cuisine, with emphasis on Bangkok-style seafood). Surrounded by Burj Lake, the spectacular views of The Dubai Fountain at night transform this contemporary alfresco waterfront restaurant into a truly magical setting. 

 

 

Activity: “Old Dubai”

Start at Abras Station and end with a cultural dinner at Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.

Take a traditional abra water taxi on Dubai Creek

Probably the least expensive thing you will do in Dubai! An Abra is a traditional water taxi and it costs AED 1 (approximately US$0.27). They run constantly ferrying people across the Dubai Creek. Once a trading port for pearls, it is now the heart of old Dubai.

Visit the Souks

Get off at Deira to visit the gold, spice and textile souks. You can’t miss them! Follow the crowds and wander through the maze of shops where you can find some real bargains. Make sure to cover up (shoulders and knee) if you don’t want unwanted attention or stares. The are open all day, but best to come in afternoon when they really come alive. The shop vendors will try to guess your nationality – nearly always getting it right. We heard “lovely jubbly” several times and the girls were called Shakira. Things to buy: Boudin jewellery, saffron, 

Have a Culture Meal at Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Open Doors, Open Minds is the theme of this non-profit organisation that promotes awareness of Emirati culture, customs and religion. For a modest cost you can sign up to enjoy a traditional Emirati meal in their wind tower house in the Al Fahidi Historic District, on elf the oldest areas on Bur Dubai. An Emirati host will talk you through local customs. We highly recommend this experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activity: “Aquadventure water fun!”

The best water park in the world! We were blown away by its sheer size and quality of the rides. Aquaventure Waterpark is 42 acres of waterscaped fun! Choose form adrenaline pumping experiences or just mosey down the lazy river, there’s so much to choose from, including 700 metres of pristine private beach. Then eat at Barracudas for Arabic Mezze, from freshly baked pizzas, Shawarma, Falafel, Dosa, Fish & Chips, Fried Chicken and some really good gelato! Note kids need to be taller than 1.2 metres to enjoy most of the park slides.

 

Activity: “Night out at Siddharta Lounge”

In Dubai, Friday is a holy day making Thursday night the night everyone goes out before the weekend starts. Everyone is dressed to the nines for a proper night out in a sparkling city. The Siddharta Lounge at our hotel is a popular gathering spot and perfect for teens to get a little taste of the night life. You can drink mocktails made with coconut milk and chili, or ginger and mint, see the bright lights and feel properly grown up. With your parents of course.

 

My 13-year-old’s perspective

I had so much fun going out and having dinner at Siddharta Lounge. It was in the other tower at Grosvenor House. We got in a lift and then opened up with the pool area which was lit up with lights and lanterns and there was live music! We all had Mocktails – my favourite was mango and orange. I felt so grown up.

 

 

 

Watch our video: The Modern Family goes to Dubai!

 

 

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Read my post: 13 things to do with kids in Dubai

 

Disclosure: Our stay at Grosvenor House was complimentary for the purpose of this review. All opinions are that of myself and my family.