Background
Four years ago, IHG’s voco brand entered the Middle East with its voco Dubai property on Sheikh Zayed Road, and followed that with the voco Bonnington in Jumeirah Lake Towers last year. The latest and most recent opening is this beachfront pet-friendly property located on Palm Jumeirah that began to welcome guests at the start of this year.
Where is it?
If you’re a regular on these pages, you’d remember us having reviewed the Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai in our February edition. That hotel is located only a stone’s throw away on Palm West Beach. Within a 300m walk from this voco property, you’d find the new Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah and Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai too. This voco property has fine company among its hospitality peers in the neighbourhood.
What’s it like?
IHG’s most recent opening in Dubai is a new-build property and hence there are no creaking floorboards, cobwebbed corners or chipped furniture anywhere around. The lobby of this boutique four-star hotel is chic and minimalistic – no gargantuan artwork or bright colours to shock your senses. The lobby and corridors are filled with one of the best hotel scents we’ve experienced thus far – a garden-inspired fragrance of sea salts.
Rooms
There are a total of 138 rooms and we stayed in the Twin Palm Sea View room which had beige and brown decor. There was a kettle with tea, coffee and Van Houten chocolate sachets. The absence of a bathing tub in the bathroom was conspicuous, but bode well for the hotel’s stated goals of sustainability and water conservation. In addition to a single-seater chair in the room, there was also a lightweight writing desk, placed perpendicular to the wall. Since we were visiting with children, we found it could be easily shifted and placed parallel to the wall – doing that also gave us some more floor space in the room. A thoughtful touch was that its temperature control panel was placed above the bedside table which didn’t require us to undertake the uncomfortable middle-of-the-night trek across the room to alter the temperature.
Food and Drink
When we visited, the hotel had one all-day dining venue in Maison Mathis that serves European cuisine and was located at the lobby level. You can sit next to the open kitchen indoors or take a seat in the corridor outside too. The menu features a selection of soups, salads, burgers and pasta, among other offerings. The recommended heartier options include the Crispy Skin on Salmon served with olives and zucchini, or a delicious creamy Mushroom and Truffle Risotto. The buffet breakfast meanwhile has all the essentials, but if you’re feeling indulgent, you can ask for the à la carte menu and order options such as Sourdough Avocado or Pulled Beef Benedict which will be charged separately.
Meetings
There are shared computers at the lobby level for guests who need a device to shoot a quick email or print a document. On the first floor, there’s a single mid-sized business meeting room that can seat around a dozen people. It also features a large presentation screen with videoconferencing capabilities.
Leisure
A private stretch of beach right in front of the hotel is reserved for its guests. There’s also a rooftop pool, the entrance to which requires your room keycard. From the rooftop, there’s a great view out over the sea and the Dubai Marina skyline. The gym is open throughout the day, and the property’s Neroli Spa is located near the hotel’s business meeting room.
Verdict
An absolute value-for-money proposition, the property is a great addition to Palm West Beach. It is a far more affordable option compared to many of its peers on the Palm, without pinching on service or quality standards.
Fact Box
Best For: A meal at Maison Mathis that has relaxed vibes, good service and well-priced menu options.
Don’t miss: A walk along Palm West Beach which is filled with restaurants, beach clubs and hotels.
Price: Internet rates for a Twin Palm Sea View room in mid-April start from Dhs855.
Contact: Palm Jumeirah, West Beach, Dubai; +971 4 249 5555; ihg.com
(All images supplied by voco Dubai The Palm)
