The Versace Hotel, Dubai
Date of visit : March 2019
This year, as part of a Far East itinerary, we decided to incorporate a stopover in Dubai to celebrate Christina’s special birthday (no I’m not giving it away! ). Christina’s father would be meeting us there as he was on the Queen Mary 2 World Voyage and was stopping in Abu Dhabi followed by Dubai, allowing him an overnight stay with us. Remarkably his overnight fell on Christina’s actual birthday itself, so it couldn’t have worked better. We were travelling with close friends, and Christina’s brother would also be rendezvousing with us, so there would be a few of us to mark the occasion.
We chose the Versace Hotel in Dubai, as Christina loved the look of it, and online the hotel looked amazing, being one of the new additions to the city. The hotel is located in the area known as the Jaffa Waterfront, which is an up and coming zone, and due to this there is plenty of construction including new hotels, shops, and other infrastructure. On arrival we could see that there was still a long way to go before completion, and there was a lot of building work around the hotel itself, but this didn’t mar our stay and we weren’t affected by any noise etc. We’ve stayed in Dubai previously (see my other reviews), but fancied a change, and the hotel isn’t far from the airport which is a bonus.
First impressions confirmed we had made the right choice. A beautiful entrance to the hotel led into the spectacular reception area with fabulous crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, and stunning Versace furniture. It must have cost a small fortune to construct the property, the attention to detail is superb. After a smooth check in we were shown to our rooms, and the hotel kindly arranged upgrades due to us celebrating the big birthday, beautiful Junior Suites at the top of the hotel! Boasting sumptuous beds, heaps of the finest feather pillows, gorgeous Versace bedding and scatter cushions, stunning Italian marble bathrooms, and double balconies with sunbeds, this really was 5* luxury. Literally everything was Versace, from the furniture and cushions to the bathroom products! One pillow alone was approximately £400 in the lobby shop, so a whole hotel worth, we dread to imagine the cost…!
The extensive grounds of the property include a couple of lovely swimming pools with comfortable sunbeds and very good pool service. Snacks and refreshments can be ordered from the pool attendant or at the pool bar. The gardens themselves have been laid out beautifully, and a lot of thought has gone into the design. Behind the pool, outside the perimeter of the hotel, there is a promenade running around the waterfront and when it is all finished we’re sure there will be places to walk to, including alternative restaurants etc, but not quite yet.
We did eat in the hotel on a couple of occasions, once in the bar area for a light meal, and the other time in the buffet restaurant. We are not really buffet people, but the selection on offer was excellent with a huge array of shellfish and other delights, including some wonderful local Middle Eastern dishes. Christina was tempted to put the fine porcelain Versace plates in her handbag, but I pointed out we would need the whole dinner service and the handbag might not take it!
The prices for eating and drinking are steep, but that is usual in Dubai. After arriving from Thailand it makes your eyes water just ordering a drink at the bar. Dubai is an expensive city, but it is the ideal stopover option as it breaks the journey nicely back to the UK. We love Emirates Airlines too, so naturally Dubai is our first option. From Phuket to Dubai it’s approximately 7 hours, and then roughly 7 hours again from Dubai to London, so not so long on the plane in one stint.
We had a wonderful time in Dubai at the Versace Hotel, and it marked Christina’s birthday perfectly. If we are ever in Dubai again for a stopover we will definitely consider revisiting, especially if it was just for the one night as the proximity to the airport is ideal.
Further Information :
Transfer time from the airport approximately 15 minutes in a taxi
Approximately 15 minutes from the downtown area by taxi
Closest shopping centre approximately 5-10 minutes away by taxi (you can see it from the hotel)
Time zone : Dubai is GMT + 4
Currency : UAE Dirham
