Raffles Dubai

Description:

• This pyramid-shape hotel in Wafi City is one of the newest properties in Dubai, and merges Asian style (hanging lanterns, a large water feature) with an Egyptian aesthetic (hieroglyphic-carved columns). Rooms are on the larger scale, with the smallest (Grand State rooms) covering more than 70 sq. m (753 sq. ft.), each with a private balcony with a view of the city skyline. Rooms have a residential feel, with lots of mirrors and closet space, and extras such as an espresso machine, free Wi-Fi, a dressing room, a flatscreen TV, and an iPod docking station; suites come with a Jacuzzi and bathroom TV, too. Raffles Inc suites are catered to business travelers and include access to a private lounge.

  Dining options range from the all-day international and Arabic restaurant Azure to Fire & Ice, the hotel's signature restaurant that focuses on meat, seafood, and wine pairings. After-hours, head to the Balinese-inspired Crossroads Cocktail Bar (if the weather's nice, you can step out to the garden and lounge under a gazebo), which opens to the hotel's 1-hectare (2 1/2-acre) botanical garden, or the New Asia Bar & Club/China Moon Champagne Bar, located at the top of the pyramid, where you can get creative cocktails, quality cigars, and a great view of the city. There's also a library, which carries more than 15,000 books, and the Amrita Spa.

  Though the hotel is adjoined to the Wafi City, the area seems a bit quiet at night, and catching a cab can require a bit of a wait.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010