THE BRIEF
After my stay at the MARRIOTT AL JADDAF, I had my Ambassador Team snag me a beachfront hotel for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations which would wrap up my trip to the U.A.E. The MARRIOTT RESORT PALM JUMEIRAH DUBAI was the only hotel in the popular area with some vacancies.
The resort, at only one-year-old, is the newest Marriott Hotel in this special man-made paradise. Creating this massive project of the 3 Palm Islands was an engineer’s nightmare.
The islands are made by a reclamation process which moves billions of tons of sand from the Persian Gulf. The sand is then sprayed and compacted into shape using GPS technology for precision and surrounded by millions of tons of rock for protection. As of this writing, only the Palm Jumeirah is finished and inviting tourists worldwide. A few buildings are still under construction here, and the other Palms projects have been slowed.
As you walk into the massive lobby escorted by the doorman you get the feeling you’re in a luxury hotel just by looking at the style and furnishings. There’s lots of marble, tiles, and glass plus some very comfortable chairs and sofas all accented by perfect lighting. Christmas was just around the corner and you could tell by all the decorations and a beautifully adorned tree with lots of gifts beneath it.
For that added touch of class, a harp player was strolling around playing some very elegant tunes. The amplified music flowed through the Lobby sound system. I have to admit, this was a first for me. I had no idea they made harps small enough to wear! It was a wonderful change.
I arrived early afternoon and check-in was a breeze at the dedicated Elite counter. Two other desks were available and there was a separate Concierge desk as well. The entire hotel was just spotless as were the rooms. Housekeepers roamed all areas cleaning little areas as they went throughout the day. I was escorted up to my room for a quick look before accepting the key cards.
The room was nicely furnished with lots of wood and comfortable seats. A fully stocked coffee and tea bar could be found upon entering the main room and my daily fresh fruits were waiting for me on one of the marble tables.
A large bedroom with a king bed was just off the dining area in the main living room. Another set of balcony doors provided easy late-night access to the outdoors and the great view.
The suite had a powder room in the entrance hallway and the full-size bathroom was off the bedroom. It had all the amenities and lots of nice soft towels (this was a nice treat after all the sandpaper towels I’ve had at Sheraton).
The view from the veranda was spectacular. Down below, the hotel pool area and water fountain, out across West Beach Walk and out to the hotel’s private Palm Beach West and finally out over Dubai Harbour towards Dubai Marina where a steady stream of massive luxury yachts sailed from. The evening view was equally spectacular with amazing sunsets and dazzling city lights dancing in the background.
The M CLUB is an Executive Lounge at some Marriott’s around the world. Marriott Bonvoy Members with Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite status enjoy complimentary access on every stay.
This lounge was the only real disappointment I had at the hotel. I’ve come to expect much better meals than what was on display at this executive retreat. Instead of a selection of hot meals and a salad bar, there was only finger food which wasn’t very filling and was mostly unhealthy offerings with too much fat and sugar.
They did serve complimentary drinks and I have to give them credit for making a salad for me upon my special request. The only healthy section was the nightly fresh fruits that were made available.
The pool area was very large and had four hot tubs built into it and a swim-up bar near the center. There was a separate wading pool for the kids at one end.
I used the modern if somewhat small, but adequately equipped Fitness Center. Just off the gym in the men’s shower room, there was a nice sauna that I thoroughly enjoyed during my stay.
THE DEBRIEF
This is a very nice hotel. It was spotless and the rooms were comfortable. You are right on the water with your private beach out front and a wonderful boardwalk to stroll on. The location is great with a major mall within walking distance and local attractions are not too far away.
However, I felt this property, like many hotels in Dubai, was over-priced. If you travel here, be prepared to spend big bucks. In addition, I was forced to purchase packages that I did not want. The M club, in terms of food, was a major disappointment and in my opinion not worth the money.
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