WHERE IS IT? Dubai
Marina is a 25-minute drive from the old centre and 35 minutes from the
airport. The hotel is next to Dubai Media City and Internet City.
HOW MANY ROOMS? 217 guestrooms and 205 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, some with balconies.Room categories are Deluxe (ie Standard); Premier, which is larger than the Deluxe but has no balcony; Deluxe Suite and Premier Suite (of which there are only seven).
ROOM FACILITIES: Apartments make up three sides of the 45-storey hotel and the rooms are all on the sea-facing side with excellent views; when I stepped onto the balcony of my deluxe room on the 30th floor, the Palm Dubai (a work in progress) was at my feet. Rooms are modern, comfortable and understated and are equipped with hi-tech functions: from a control panel by the bed I was able to operate the lights, temperature and do not disturb button (but despite much fiddling I was unable to work out how to reduce the air conditioning from its frosty setting).
Rooms have an electronic safe, plasma screen satellite TV with pay movies and minibar, as well as tea and coffee-making facilities, bathrobe and slippers and marble bathrooms with separate bath and shower. All rooms have free high-speed internet but not Wi-Fi (public areas have Wi-Fi access). Internet is available through the TV for AED75 (US$20.42) for 24 hours.
It was the attention to detail that left a lasting impression.Housekeeping didn’t just leave fruit in my room; they left a small card detailing interesting facts about the fruit. They also arranged the toiletries in the bathroom in the exact places I would be using them. And to avoid the problem of lukewarm toast in the room-service breakfast, I was supplied with my own toaster,which the butler even offered to operate for me (I felt I should draw the line at that level of pampering).
Hotel rooms occupy floors 5-41. The club rooms are on 31-41 and include in their rate access to the club floor on the 44th floor, a pleasant room good for small, informal meetings. Breakfast and snacks are served throughout the day.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS: Grosvenor House has two trump cards in this area. The Buddha Bar – an outpost of the famous Paris bar of the same name – has spectacular decor and stays open until late (0300 on weekends). There is also an excellent Indian restaurant, Indego (open daily 1900 to midnight) run by Michelin chef Vineet Bhatia. Otherwise, for fabulous fish head to the Mezzanine (open 1900 to midnight; the chef here worked for Prince Charles for seven years) or for Turkish try Ottomans. Other possibilities are Sloanes Brasserie,“Leaves” tearoom, the Lobby Lounge and Bar 44 – so named because it is situated on the 44th floor opposite the club lounge and because it has 44 types of Champagne. It also has incredible views of Dubai.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES: The business centre is on the mezzanine floor and has computers with internet access and a full range of business services. Internet access costs AED15 (US$4) for one hour. The hotel has seven meeting rooms in total, all on the mezzanine floor. One is a ballroom which can be divided into smaller rooms.
LEISURE FACILITIES: Grosvenor House is not set on the shore, so guests must take a fiveminute courtesy bus to sister hotel Le Royal Meridien’s private beach. Grosvenor House has a spa with a gym, sauna, steam room, hair salon and spa bath, as well as an outdoor pool.
VERDICT: An innovative, stylish business hotel in an up-and-coming part of Dubai with excellent restaurants. It’s lighter on the leisure side but for a little effort you can use the facilities of its sister hotel.
PRICES: Telephone rates for a midweek stay in February started at AED1,740 (US$473.81) for a Deluxe Room, room only, rising to AED3,000 (US$817) for a Deluxe Suite including American breakfast. Best available internet rate was AED1,450 (US$394,84) for a Deluxe Room only.
CONTACT: Grosvenor House West Marina Beach Dubai, tel 971 4399 8888, www.grosvenorhouse-dubai.com.
Sarah Maxwell
