FIRST IMPRESSIONS Madinat is big: not just a hotel but a whole resort in an Arabian-style design. The resort consists of two hotels (each of 292 rooms and suites), 29 villas (with a total of 283 rooms and suites), a convention centre, souk, and 1km of beaches. All of this is connected by walkways and 3.7km of waterways. You could easily never leave the resort and still experience much of what Dubai offers: sun, sea, sand, souks and service. Having stayed at the resort five times in total, both for business and on holiday (and sometimes a mix of the two) – and having held events in the ballroom of the Mina A’ Salam – I still find new things on every visit.
WHERE IS IT? Jumeirah Beach next to the Burj al Arab. It’s about 30 minutes from Dubai International Airport and just over an hour from Abu Dhabi. Within five minutes you can be at Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and the Palm Jumeirah. Journeys to other parts of Dubai, such as the creek area, vary according to traffic (which can be bad).
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are five choices: the two hotels Mina A’ Salam and Al Qasr, and the three choices of villa. Of the latter, Dar Al Masyaf offers traditional summerhouses, a Gulf villa with access to the beach, or an Arabian villa. There are also seven Malakiya Villas representing the pinnacle of luxury. The villas come with two or three bedrooms and have a private pool and spa bath and their own maid’s quarters. Villas also have 24-hour butler service. If you’re staying on business it’s probably best to stay in one of the hotels, as these provide easier access to the business centres. Rooms have private faxes/printers, which can also be used for photocopying. There are numerous room types across the resort. The smallest rooms are surprisingly large at 50sqm in Mina A’ Salam, rising to 55sqm in Al Qasr. Furnishings are generally quite dark with strong use of wood reflecting the Arabic theme.
ROOM FACILITIES On a recent stay I tried one of the Arabian suites at Dar Al Masyaf. Along with the rooms, these are arranged in 29 villas, some quite a distance from the main hotel (meaning you either have to walk, rely on one of the boats, called Abras, or take a golf buggy). The suites are large, at 120sqm – particularly when they have only one bedroom.
Consisting of four main areas, my Arabian suite had a living room with a large L-shaped sofa, TV, DVD/CD player, dining table with four chairs, fridge, sink, tea and coffee making facilities, desk and chair with desk height power and internet access (AED30/£4.40 per hour for wifi; AED150/£22 for in-room wired access for 24 hours) and separate guest toilet. There were two balconies, one with table and four chairs for al fresco dining or drinking. My bedroom had a TV, an empty fridge, and a large bed with crisp Egyptian cotton linens. There is a separate walk-through wardrobe with plenty of shelves, drawers and hanging space, which also contains the safe.
Bathrooms are large with a giant roll-top bath, separate shower with rain head, separate toilet and two sinks. Toiletries are a mixture of Penhaligons Quercus and a special brand made exclusively for the resort. This leaves some decisions to be made; if you’re having a bath you must decide between the local bath oil, bath tablets or Penhaligons bath gel.
Breakfast is complimentary, as is a transfer from the airport. The hotel collects guests before you reach passport control, and whisks you through fast-track to the baggage carousel and then on to the hotel in the waiting BMW or Mercedes.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Some 45 restaurants, bars and cafés exist across the resort, run by either Jumeirah or outside companies. Each hotel has its own eateries but you’ll never be far from somewhere to eat or drink as there are also places by the pools, on the beach and in the souk. These range from Starbucks in Souk Madinat to Shimmers, an Arabian restaurant on the beach. My favourites are The Noodle House, Pisces (for ocean dining on a pier), Shoo Fee Ma Fee (Moroccan) and The Meat Company, for fabulous steaks and meat. Many are open to guests from outside the hotel and can get busy, so booking is advised.
BUSINESS FACILITIES AND MEETING ROOMS Business centres exist in the Business Lounge in Mina A’ Salam and in a dedicated facility in Al Qasr. There are meeting rooms in the lounges and Mina A’ Salam has two ballrooms: one that can hold up to 110 people and the other 350. Larger functions can be held in Madinat Conference Hall, which has everything from meeting rooms through to a couple of ballrooms. There is also Madinat Arena in the style of an old fort that can accommodate up to 4,000 people.
LEISURE FACILITIES It would be difficult to get bored here. The hotel has a fitness centre, The Quay Health Club, which is large and has a pool, plenty of cardio machines, classes, weights, squash courts as well as a sauna and steam room. There are also five tennis courts in the resort. You can have a treatment in the Six Senses Spa, visit the beach for watersports, or even catch a show at the Madinat Theatre or Ampitheatre. Forthcoming theatre productions include Grease, Don’t Dress for Dinner and Swan Lake.
VERDICT Unless all your meetings are the other side of Dubai, this is a great choice of hotel with good facilities, plenty of restaurants to try, and lots of entertainment possibilities if you have time to relax. Don’t be put off by the scale of the resort as it does not feel huge or overcrowded and the level of personal service is truly amazing. It’s also a good place to bring the family if you need a break.
PRICE Rates for a midweek stay in early June were AED1,080 (£157) for a deluxe balcony king room at Mina A’ Salam under the summer package, with daily rates at AED1,980 (£289). Rates at Dal Al Masyaf Madinat for an Arabian Summer House deluxe room were AED1,150 (£168). Daily rates for a summer house deluxe room were AED2,292 (£334) and for a suite AED6,660 (£971).
CONTACT Madinat Jumeirah, PO Box 75157, Dubai, UAE, tel +971 4 366 8888, madinatjumeirah.com.
Julian Gregory
