Review: Burj Al Arab Dubai (What An Experience!)

Review: Burj Al Arab Dubai (What An Experience!)

NAME: Burj Al Arab Dubai
LOCATION: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
DATE: April 2023
REVIEW RATING:
BEN SAYS: The Burj Al Arab is such a fascinating property, with massive standard rooms, exceptional service, a great pool and beach club, and more. There are some things to be aware of, though.
75

EXTRA PERKS AVAILABLE Enjoy breakfast, upgrades, & more

Want to take advantage of Virtuoso benefits at no extra cost, including a room upgrade, free breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He doesn’t charge booking fees, and may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.

To kick off our trip to Dubai and Florence, we spent one night at the iconic 202-room Burj Al Arab, which belongs to Emirati state-owned hotel group Jumeirah.

The Burj Al Arab is one of the world’s most iconic hotels, and it’s often referred to as the world’s seven star hotel. The property is so exclusive that it’s on a manmade island, and it’s not open to the public (you need a reservation to even visit).

Having visited Dubai dozens of times over the years, I figured it was finally time to try out this famous hotel and report back. To be honest, I was expecting that the experience would be style over substance, and that the hotel would simply rely on its reputation. I figured this would be a “one and done” stay, and that I couldn’t possibly in good conscience recommend this hotel.

So, how was my stay at the Burj Al Arab? Well, I have to say, it greatly exceeded my expectations. The hotel has horribly gaudy rooms, everything on property is offensively expensive, and the guests at this hotel make it the furthest thing from bespoke.

If you can get past all of that, this is a remarkably good hotel. All the staff are top notch, the base rooms are duplex suite, the hotel includes quite a few things for guests, and it’s also such a quintessential Dubai experience. Honestly, as strange as this hotel is, I can’t recommend it enough. If you can swing it, it needs to be experienced at least once.

Booking the Burj Al Arab Dubai

Rates for base rooms at the Burj Al Arab vary seasonally, and are typically in the range of $1,000-2,000 per night. For our stay, we paid a rate of $1,400 for the night, which we booked through Virtuoso.

Booking through Virtuoso comes with additional benefits, including an upgrade subject to availability, daily breakfast for two, a complimentary 50-minute massage for two, and early check-in and late check-out subject to availability.

This is a much better value than booking through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, which offers a $100 hotel credit as the special amenity, in lieu of the two massages (which are obviously worth much more). Ford and his team are happy to help with Virtuoso bookings, and can be reached at [email protected].

It goes without saying that the Burj Al Arab is expensive, but keep in mind that this is an all-suite property. Base rooms at the Burj Al Arab are 170 square meters (over 1,800 square feet). Yes, that’s the interior space. There are Sheratons in Dubai that would charge the same rate for a suite that size.

Burj Al Arab Dubai service

Usually I talk about service at the end of my hotel reviews, though in the case of the Burj Al Arab, I think it makes sense to start with that. Service at the Burj Al Arab was the best I’ve experienced in Dubai, and that was the case across the board.

Every single employee we interacted with genuinely seemed like they wanted to make sure that each guest had a great stay. And while the public spaces of the hotel can get crowded, each employee does a great job making you feel like you’re the only guest.

Just to give a few examples:

  • When you’d ask a staff member for directions to something, they’d usually just walk you there, rather than telling you where it is
  • Everyone seemed interested in getting feedback, and on departure I was checked out by the front officer manager, who not only asked how our stay was, but also specifically asked about how the service was, and what could be done to improve
  • The pool attendants were engaging, introducing themselves by name, asking if there’s anything they can get, and constantly passing around with free treats (from popsicles to water)
  • In general it seems the staff just have a sense of pride in working in this hotel, and want to deliver a great experience

The staff here are a huge asset to the property.

Burj Al Arab Dubai guest profile

If you’re looking for a bespoke hospitality experience, the Burj Al Arab Dubai isn’t for you. While I’d say that’s usually a bad thing, in the case of the Burj Al Arab you just kind of have to lean into it. I didn’t overhear any other guests with American accents, and I’d estimate that over 90% of the guests were either Chinese or Russian, two nationalities we haven’t otherwise seen all that much of in the past couple of years.

I review hotels for a living, so usually I’m the guest taking the most pictures of a hotel. Well, at the Burj Al Arab, I almost felt uncomfortable with how few pictures I was taking. In particular, a vast majority of the Chinese guests seemed to be at the hotel exclusively to create social media content, from the moment they woke up until the moment they went to sleep.

That might sound annoying, but to be honest, it was kind of the most amusing thing I’ve seen in a long time. Like, they’d have someone choreograph the shoot, they’d take the same picture 100 times, they’d do a fashion show runway-style walk by the pool, etc. This isn’t your typical luxury hotel, but if you embrace it, you’ll hopefully be as entertained as we were.

90 minutes of photoshoots at breakfast

Burj Al Arab Dubai location

Burj Al Arab Dubai is located on a manmade island off Jumeirah Beach. It’s just a short 10-15 minute drive from Palm Jumeirah and the Mall of the Emirates. Meanwhile it’s more like 20-30 minutes from Dubai International Airport (DXB), DIFC, etc.

The experience of staying at the Burj Al Arab really starts before you even enter the lobby. There’s a gate to get onto the manmade island where the Burj Al Arab is located, and only those with reservations are allowed onto the island.

It’s almost like there’s paparazzi at the gate, as a bunch of tourists stand just outside the gate to get pictures of the hotel.

Burj Al Arab Dubai exterior

Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby & check-in

Our stay at the Burj Al Arab didn’t exactly start on a great note. The hotel’s driveway was packed, and we weren’t immediately helped by the bellmen. Not because they weren’t hustling, but rather because there were so many people arriving.

Burj Al Arab Dubai entrance

The reception area certainly leaves an impression in terms of design, as the entire hotel does. There’s a desk at each end of the reception area, and then a bunch of seating. Would I want my home decorated this way? No. Do I kind of dig it for a stay in Dubai? Absolutely.

Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby
Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby
Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby

Unfortunately the above isn’t what the reception area looked like when we checked in (I take most of my pictures at the crack of dawn). Rather there were dozens of people standing around, and there was barely any room to sit. The front desk associate asked us to have a seat — we had to sit pretty close together, as we had to share a couch with others.

Burj Al Arab Dubai check-in area

A few minutes after sitting down, we were brought a packaged refreshing towel.

Burj Al Arab Dubai check-in towel

A few minutes after that we were brought massive dates, which were just kind of placed into our hands without any paper towels, or anything.

Burj Al Arab Dubai check-in date

Lastly, we were given Arabic coffee.

Burj Al Arab Dubai check-in Arabic coffee

The front desk staff took our passports and credit card, and returned around 20 minutes later. They were apologetic about the delay, but we were then escorted to our room. Fortunately the service got better from there.

From reception, we were brought up the famous escalator, where you can really appreciate how mesmerising the Burj Al Arab’s lobby is.

Burj Al Arab Dubai escalator
Burj Al Arab Dubai atrium
Burj Al Arab Dubai atrium

The upper lobby level has plenty of seating, quite a bit of shopping, and also a couple of the hotel’s dining outlets, which I’ll talk more about later.

Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby
Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby
Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby
Burj Al Arab Dubai lobby

Burj Al Arab Dubai duplex suite

We were assigned room 1601, a suite on the 16th floor. The Burj Al Arab has only 28 floors, though in reality these are all double floors, since each floor has duplex suites. The Burj Al Arab is over 1,000 feet tall, so the number of floors doesn’t do justice to the size of the hotel.

Burj Al Arab Dubai elevators

Each floor has a butler desk, as there’s a dedicated butler for each floor to take care of guests. The desk typically wasn’t staffed, I imagine because the butler was busy taking care of requests.

Burj Al Arab Dubai 16th floor

While I had seen the view looking up the atrium many times, it was cool to have a view of the atrium looking down, for once. It’s equally impressive, but in a different way.

Burj Al Arab Dubai 16th floor view

Our room was the first one on the left — talk about an entrance!

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite exterior

At over 1,800 square feet, the rooms at the Burj Al Arab are quite something. They’re so big that you almost can’t help but laugh. But then you look at the design, and you might just cry… just kidding. 😉 I’m not sure whether the rooms are just really outdated, the designer had awful taste, or both. But if you ask me, that’s also part of the charm of this property.

When we entered our duplex suite, the staircase leading up a level was immediately there on the right, along with a big chandelier.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite entryway

The main level of the suite had the living room. This isn’t just some small living space, but rather it has a living area, a dining area, and even an office space.

There was a huge couch that could seat several people, a day bed, and two comfortable chairs for lounging.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite living room
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite living room
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite living room

Then there was a dining area with four chairs, a bar space, and a desk area with an office chair.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite living room
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite desk & bar area

Waiting in the bar area was a welcome amenity, consisting of a lemon and mint drink, some canapés, and a handwritten card.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite welcome amenity
Burj Al Arab Dubai happy hour

There were also eight bottles of complimentary water, including still Acqua Panna and sparkling San Pellegrino.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite complimentary water

There was also a minibar with an in-room coffee machine, as well as a minibar with drinks and snacks for purchase.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite coffee machine
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite minibar
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite minibar

Also on the main level of the suite was a half bathroom, with a sink and toilet.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite half bathroom

The staircase then led up to the bedroom and main bathroom.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite entryway

The bedroom had a plush king size bed, which was almost as comfortable as the Four Seasons bed (my favorite hotel bed). There was also a mirror on the ceiling above the bed, which is… an interesting choice.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite bedroom

The bedroom had another large living area, with two chairs and a daybed.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite bedroom

The TV in the bedroom can be raised or lowered, which is cool, so that it doesn’t obstruct the view if you’re not using it.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite bedroom

Our room faced the water, as well as the new Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab development, which is still under construction. With the exception of a few specialty suites, all suites are the same size, so the only difference is the view. Given the views from all the public areas of the hotel, I don’t think it’s worth paying a premium for a better view.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite view

Next to the bedroom was the closet space and vanity, which in and of itself was the size of a small hotel room.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite closet area

Then there was the main bathroom, which full-on made me feel like I was in Las Vegas. It had double sinks, a toilet and bidet, a huge jacuzzi tub, and a walk-in shower.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite bathroom
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite bathtub
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite shower

While the Burj Al Arab isn’t cheap, the hotel also isn’t stingy with guests. The hotel has full size Hermes toiletries, and on top of that provides Hermes gifts that guests can take home with them.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite Hermes toiletries
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite Hermes gifts

The bathrobes were pretty extravagant as well (though you can’t take those with you for free).

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite bathrobes

While the room’s decor was outdated, it wasn’t nearly as outdated as the phone and safe. It’s kind of funny how everything in the room is gold plated, but then you have a $10 phone that seems like it’s 20 years old.

Burj Al Arab Dubai suite phone
Burj Al Arab Dubai suite safe

It’s not just the Hermes toiletries where the Burj Al Arab is generous with guests. There’s also a nightly in-room happy hour provided by the butler, from 5:30PM until 8PM. This included some canapés consisting of ricotta balls with caviar and some gold flakes… yum!

Burj Al Arab Dubai happy hour

There’s then a selection of alcohol to choose from, including a white wine, a red wine, whiskey, gin, vodka, or rum. There are even refills, so you can just message the butler through WhatsApp, and they’ll bring you more drinks. Given the price of drinks at the hotel, this is a nice amenity that we certainly maximized.

Burj Al Arab Dubai happy hour

Turndown service was provided later in the evening, and included some Aigner amenities.

Burj Al Arab Dubai turndown gift

Burj Al Arab Dubai spa & indoor pool

The Burj Al Arab’s spa and indoor pool are located on the 18th floor, and are open daily from 8AM until 9PM. As you’d expect, it’s a rather over-the-top space.

Burj Al Arab Dubai spa
Burj Al Arab Dubai spa

This is where the hotel’s ridiculously beautiful indoor pool and jacuzzi are located. We swam here in the afternoon, and it was so cool to have the entire area to ourselves.

Burj Al Arab Dubai indoor pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai indoor pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai indoor pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai indoor pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai indoor pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai spa

Beyond the indoor pool, there’s also a larger spa complex, with a steam room, sauna, and more.

Burj Al Arab Dubai spa
Burj Al Arab Dubai sauna

Since we booked through Virtuoso, our rate also included two complimentary massages. While the spa rooms weren’t all that luxurious, the treatments were excellent. You can find all the details about the Burj Al Arab’s Talise Spa here.

Burj Al Arab Dubai spa

Burj Al Arab Dubai gym

The Burj Al Arab gym is also on the 18th floor, and is open daily from 6AM until 10PM. The gym is huge, there are multiple trainers on staff, and there were no other guests there when I used it.

Burj Al Arab Dubai gym
Burj Al Arab Dubai gym
Burj Al Arab Dubai gym
Burj Al Arab Dubai gym
Burj Al Arab Dubai gym
Burj Al Arab Dubai gym

Burj Al Arab Dubai outdoor pool

The Burj Al Arab has an incredible pool space, which is modern and chic, and gives off a very different vibe than the interior of the hotel. The pool area consists of two huge pools, with one being an infinity-edge pool right on the sea. There are even some jacuzzis located inside one of the pools. These pools are not only beautiful to look at, but also nice to swim in, given how big they are.

Burj Al Arab Dubai pools
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool
Burj Al Arab Dubai hot tub

There’s also endless seating around the pools, with options ranging from daybeds to couches.

Burj Al Arab Dubai pool seating
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool seating
Burj Al Arab Dubai pool seating

It’s also fun to be at the pool, because you get a different view of the Burj Al Arab, which most people never get to see. It looks quite different from the back.

Burj Al Arab Dubai rear view

Burj Al Arab Dubai beach club

The Burj Al Arab not only has a beautiful pool area, but also has a beach club. Summersalt Beach Club is shared between the Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah, so it’s located on the beach just off the manmade island. You can be driven there in a golf cart, or alternatively it’s a short walk away.

Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club

Much like the pool area, the beach club is chic, and the vibe will make you feel like you’re in the Mediterranean, or something. I didn’t have the chance to spend much time here (after all, we only visited for a night), but it’s definitely worth checking out if you have the time.

Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club
Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club
Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club
Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club
Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club

The nice thing about Dubai is that the water is warm and calm, though the sand isn’t going to be as picturesque as in some other places.

Burj Al Arab Dubai Summersalt Beach Club

Dining at Burj Al Arab Dubai

As is the case at most hotels in Dubai, the Burj Al Arab has endless dining options (that’s because alcohol is generally only allowed in hotels, so that’s also where most restaurants for tourists are). The Burj Al Arab has some well regarded dining outlets, ranging from the fish tank restaurant at the very bottom of the hotel, to the bar at the very top of the hotel.

You can see all the Burj Al Arab Dining options here, though below I’ll cover the ones we visited.

Let me say upfront that if you’re going to eat and drink at the Burj Al Arab, I’d highly recommend just convincing yourself that the conversion rate between your home currency and the Emirati Dirham is different than it actually is. We spent our 24 hours here agreeing we wouldn’t look at prices of what we ordered, because otherwise you may lose your appetite and thirst. 😉 And after all, I want to fully review the Burj Al Arab experience.

While room rates here represent a fairly good deal (given the size of the rooms), you’re definitely paying a premium for dining here. A big reason for this is that outside guests can only visit the Burj Al Arab if they have a reservation at a restaurant or are staying, so almost think of outlet prices as having some sort of a built-in experience fee. Of course as a hotel guest, you’re being double taxed there.

Since we only stayed for one night, let me share the outlets we visited in chronological order.

Burj Al Arab Sahn Eddar

Sahn Eddar (Arabic for “reception of the house”) is the Burj Al Arab’s lobby lounge, with the best views of the atrium. Nowadays it’s the only place where afternoon tea is served (it used to be served at the iconic Skyview Bar, but not anymore), though you can also come here for a drink or snack. You can find the menu here.

Burj Al Arab Sahn Eddar seating
Burj Al Arab Sahn Eddar seating
Burj Al Arab Sahn Eddar seating

While we were being escorted to our room upon check-in, the front desk associate recommended coming here for a gold cappuccino, because “it’s very popular for Instagram.” And while I didn’t post it on Instagram, I figured we had to check it out. Besides, we had just gotten off a long haul flight, so we needed our caffeine fix.

We ordered the Burj Al Arab 24 karat gold cappuccinos, which were pretty good, if you can forget for a moment that they cost $30+. 😉

Burj Al Arab Sahn Eddar gold cappuccino

Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha & Skyview Bar

At the top of the Burj Al Arab is Skyview Bar, located on the 27th floor. This is the hotel’s bar with incredible views of Dubai and the sea. You can find the menu here.

Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha Skyview Bar seating
Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha Skyview Bar seating
Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha Skyview Bar

We came here for a pre-dinner drink, and both ordered different martinis. These were probably the strongest cocktails I’ve ever been served in Dubai, as they even came with a sidecar, so it was almost a two-for-one.

Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha Skyview Bar drinks

There were also bar snacks, including olives and almonds.

Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha Skyview Bar bar snacks

On the same level as the Skyview Bar is Al Muntaha (Arabic for “the ultimate”), the hotel’s one Michelin star Italian and French restaurant. We didn’t have the chance to eat here, but you can find the dinner menu here.

Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha seating
Burj Al Arab Al Muntaha seating

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara

We decided to have dinner at L’Olivo at Al Mahara, which is the restaurant located inside the Burj Al Arab’s famous fish tank, just off the lobby. This restaurant is fairly new for the hotel, and it’s based on Chef Andrea Migliaccio’s two Michelin star restaurant in Capri.

Honestly, everything about this experience exceeded my expectations. For one, the aquarium is legitimately very cool… I’ll let the pictures speak mostly for themselves.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara entrance
Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara seating
Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara seating
Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara seating

Upon arrival we were offered a complimentary welcome drink, and were then escorted to our table, right by the tank.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara welcome drink

Talk about dinner with a view!

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara fish tank
Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara fish tank

Even beyond the view, everything about the dining experience was sublime. Just about the entire staff were from Capri, and they couldn’t have been more professional or charming. You can find the dinner menu here.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara table setting

The meal started with some breadsticks and an amuse bouche.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner
Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

We were then offered a selection of bread, plus our choice of roughly a dozen different olive oils.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara bread selection

At the recommendation of the server, I started with the lemon tagliolini, with red prawns and burrata cheese.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

Ford had the red tuna tartare, with avocado, salmon roe, basil, and mozzarella cream.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

For our main courses, I had the gilthead with stewed vegetables and Mediterranean sauce.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

Ford had the blue crab ravioli, with ricotta cheese, thyme, broccoli, and caviar.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

Then there was a palate cleanser.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

Lastly, for dessert we split the chocolate souffle, which was beyond decadent. We wouldn’t have usually ordered dessert as we were already full, but we were enjoying the ambiance so much.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

At the conclusion of the meal we were brought some petit fours.

Burj Al Arab Ristorante L’Olivo at Al Mahara dinner

What a meal!

Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam

Bab Al Yam is the Burj Al Arab’s breakfast restaurant, located off the pool. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. Since the weather was nice in the morning, we sat outside.

Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam outdoor seating
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam outdoor seating
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam indoor seating

Breakfast was included in our Virtuoso rate, and consisted of both a buffet and a menu, and you could mix and match as much as you wanted. The breakfast buffet was really impressive, with everything from freshly baked sweets, to a chocolate fountain, to Middle Eastern and Indian specialties, to fresh fruit, to cereal and yogurt, and a lot more.

Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast buffet

The coffee selection was also very good, with exquisite cappuccinos (ironically much better than the 24 carat gold one I had the previous afternoon).

Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast drinks

Each table was also served a breadbasket.

Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast bread basket

You can then find the a la carte selection here. I ordered the avocado toast with a poached egg, while Ford ordered the shakshuka.

Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast
Burj Al Arab Bab Al Yam breakfast

We sat at breakfast for quite some time, and the servers couldn’t have been better. They offered several drink refills, and even tried to get us to order dessert (which we couldn’t bring ourselves to do… sorry!).

Burj Al Arab Sal Restauant

Last but not least, we had lunch at Sal just before check-out, which is the hotel’s poolside Mediterranean restaurant. There’s both plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. We chose to sit inside, since it was pretty hot in the middle of the day. You can find the menu here.

Burj Al Arab Bab Sal outdoor seating
Burj Al Arab Bab Sal outdoor seating
Burj Al Arab Bab Sal indoor seating
Burj Al Arab Bab Sal indoor seating

At the start of the meal, we were offered some freshly baked bread and tomato gazpacho.

Burj Al Arab Bab Sal lunch

We then decided to share the Mediterranean salad and the eggplant pizza, both of which we enjoyed.

Burj Al Arab Bab Sal lunch
Burj Al Arab Bab Sal lunch

We were offered some tasty custard tarts after our meal.

Burj Al Arab Bab Sal lunch

Bottom line

Staying at the Burj Al Arab is an experience, plain and simple. This has to be one of the most interesting hotels I’ve ever stayed at. I can’t recommend this hotel enough, but not because it’s my favorite hotel in the world, or because it’s necessarily an experience I’d be looking to constantly repeat.

Rather staying at this hotel is such an adventure. This is one of the world’s most famous hotels, and actually staying here and experiencing it firsthand was immensely enjoyable.

There are some potential downsides to this property — the guest profile is a bit different than your typical luxury hotel, the suites are (in my opinion) hideous, and the dining outlets are all really expensive.

But there’s also a lot I love this hotel, beyond just the thrill of staying at such a unique property. The service was uniformly excellent, the hotel has massive standard rooms (which are duplex suites), all the dining outlets we visited were spectacularly good (even if expensive), the pool and beach club are top notch, and the hotel is quite generous (with everything from Hermes gifts to a happy hour).

If this hotel is within your price range, I definitely think it’s worth experiencing. And personally I’d recommend staying at least two or three nights, because I felt like there was so much we didn’t have time to experience.

What do you make of the Burj Al Arab Dubai?

Conversations (75)
The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.
Type your response here.

If you'd like to participate in the discussion, please adhere to our commenting guidelines. Anyone can comment, and your email address will not be published. Register to save your unique username and earn special OMAAT reputation perks!

  1. Jamie Guest

    Ben. I’ve been an avid reader for a lot of years and must have read just about every hotel review you have done. This one is simply brilliant and please keep the iconic hotels of the world coming back up as they are a pleasure to read

  2. Mark Guest

    I had the good fortune to stay there too and really liked it. The breakfast buffet was super. Liked the beach club with the close view of the hotel, great for pics. The two floor suite was so large with so many areas to sit snd relax. When i was there the desk near the entrance had a laptop for my use. The bathroom and the jacuzzi tub were huge. Loved the floor “warden” who...

    I had the good fortune to stay there too and really liked it. The breakfast buffet was super. Liked the beach club with the close view of the hotel, great for pics. The two floor suite was so large with so many areas to sit snd relax. When i was there the desk near the entrance had a laptop for my use. The bathroom and the jacuzzi tub were huge. Loved the floor “warden” who always escorted me to my room and opened it. There was also the complimentary tote bag in the room. The common areas are such a dazzling display of colors. Your review was right on. I’ve tried other properties in dubai, but none rival the burj al arab.

  3. MJ Guest

    You might want to rethink the statement "there are some potential downsides to this property — the guest profile is a bit different than your typical luxury hotel...", previously citing a lack of the "proper" type of luxury hotels (coded for wealthy white guests). I do not think that you're a racist but the implicit biases in your statements are glaring.

    1. Charlie Diamond

      Last time I checked, Russians were white…
      Stop seeing racism everywhere, what he was saying is that the guests are obnoxious, Chinese and Russians are the worst tourists

    2. Mic Guest

      Right… cuz Americans and Brits are famous around the world for their manners as tourists…

  4. AnnoyedinIrish Guest

    "Every single employee we interacted with genuinely seemed like they wanted to make sure that each guest had a great stay. "

    You mean they have to appear to be so or they risk losing their jobs, right?

  5. Schar Diamond

    incredible review as always Ben, and what a beautiful and stunning hotel the iconic Burj is. I cant wait to one day experience it for myself!!

  6. Edgar Guest

    Ben...Virtuoso includes room upgrade subject to availability...did you check if this was applicable at this property? If so, what's the upgrade one can expect? I guess they will respond to giving the same room type but on a higher floor as the other hotel groups schemingly do nowadays...

  7. Forty2 Guest

    The gaudy schlock is absolutely sensory overload. Ugh.

    I have zero interest in ever visiting this unsustainable broiling-hot wasteland. Why would anyone want to go there?

  8. Becky Guest

    Tacky - many other properties to stay at in Dubai with more class and sophistication.

  9. Miami305 Gold

    @Lucky - Were you comp'd your meals? This is one of the few times you have not included prices of what you paid.

    Great post as always.

  10. Michael_FFM Diamond

    Thanks for the review. Yes, the prices are definitely above the UAE average, and I would probably just have to force myself to ignore them, but I agree that this would be worth it, as the experience appears top-notch. If I had to chose between Burj Al Arab and the Bulgari hotel, which is at a similar price point, I would absolutely chose this over the Bulgari.

    Regards the interior design: I find it...

    Thanks for the review. Yes, the prices are definitely above the UAE average, and I would probably just have to force myself to ignore them, but I agree that this would be worth it, as the experience appears top-notch. If I had to chose between Burj Al Arab and the Bulgari hotel, which is at a similar price point, I would absolutely chose this over the Bulgari.

    Regards the interior design: I find it unique in a positive way. If I want a cookie cutter Park Hyatt, I'll go there. What I would be interested in is how comfortable the couches and the seating in general are. In most places I found hotel room seating oddly designed to be uncomfortable.

  11. Elijah Guest

    Given how good and personalized the service was, I find it interesting that you got so many "his and hers" amenities. Any idea what happened there? Surely they knew the reservation was for two men, but did they just assume you guys would fight over who got to bring the pour femme stuff home to your wife? lol

  12. Marco Guest

    Did you really order a 40$ pizza in Dubai just a few hours before flying to Firenze? LOL

  13. Levi Diamond

    Lucent, now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

  14. Santastico Diamond

    You mentioned the Chinese taking pictures and that is exactly what I am experiencing in Europe right now. It is so annoying!! They dress like they are going to the prom and take a million selfies a day just for the sake of social media. You see them on the streets and they basically don’t enjoy anything since in front of their eyes is a cell phone that they trigger the photo button non stop...

    You mentioned the Chinese taking pictures and that is exactly what I am experiencing in Europe right now. It is so annoying!! They dress like they are going to the prom and take a million selfies a day just for the sake of social media. You see them on the streets and they basically don’t enjoy anything since in front of their eyes is a cell phone that they trigger the photo button non stop making all sorts of faces and gestures. They also take pictures of the most stupid things they see no matter what. They just take pictures of absolutely everything. What a stupid way of live life.

    1. Jkjkjk Guest

      It’s a free country. They can do what they like. Annoying? Of course, the western way of life is the ONLY way right? Lol or are you upset why “uncivilized” people have so much money to travel and shop?

    2. Col Guest

      What would you say about those YouTubers who record themselves for the duration of the entire flights? Many of them even talk loudly to the camera while the other passengers are sleeping.

    3. digital_notmad Diamond

      These are two different things. People talk throughout the whole flight all the time, it's not a quiet car. It's perfectly reasonable to talk at a camera rather than your seatmate.

      But as with any public setting, it's not appropriate to speak more loudly than the prevailing norm (even if people around you aren't sleeping).

    4. Jkjkjk Guest

      You just said the same about american content creator including people who do reviews on this website. They take obnoxiously a lot of pictures just like the chinese uploading it to social media. No different whatsoever.

  15. Steve Guest

    Stayed at the Burj once (someone else was paying) and have had several meals and drinks meetings as well over the years. Over the top doesn’t even begin to describe it (and not in a good way), it’s the most gaudy and pretentious place I’ve ever been to. It’s not even a great Dubai experience if you have to have that, and I say that having lived there. It’s what you get if you have unlimited money and a burning desire to show off, so it pretty much fits in Dubai.

  16. Robert Smith Guest

    Thank you for the review, Ben. I was wondering if you ever considered making a booking under Ford's name and reviewing property anonymously? I am sure hotel googled you prior to arrival and rolled out VVIP service. I travel regularly and stay at luxury properties. Not once I had a front desk manager stop by and ask me how my stay was

    1. JS Guest

      @Robert Smith - you bring up a very good point and something that all readers of this blog need to take into consideration and a point I've made before. All of Lucky's reviews (which are excellent) are somewhat biased in the sense that he's getting treatment that the rest of us don't normally get. Like you, I've travelled extensively - meaning flying in F or Biz and have stayed at fabulous properties around the world...

      @Robert Smith - you bring up a very good point and something that all readers of this blog need to take into consideration and a point I've made before. All of Lucky's reviews (which are excellent) are somewhat biased in the sense that he's getting treatment that the rest of us don't normally get. Like you, I've travelled extensively - meaning flying in F or Biz and have stayed at fabulous properties around the world - many of the same ones reviewed on this blog. I NEVER get the same treatment or experience that Lucky seems to get and I am overly polite and friendly almost to a fault. Do I get bad service - no, not necessarily but I don't get the attentive detailed service that Lucky seems to get on either the airplane or at the hotel. Without a doubt the airlines and the hotels know who he is and what he's doing. I mean, have you ever noticed how he always manages to get empty cabin shots of aircraft? I'm sure he's clearing it somehow with the airline beforehand in most cases and thus, they know who he is. The hotels know who he is as well.

      I in no way mean for this to be a criticism of Lucky's reviews. As I stated earlier, all his reviews are excellent and a lot can be learned from his reviews. My point is simply to warn the readers of this blog to not unrealistically expect the same treatment and perks that Lucky gets on either the airlines or hotels - unless you write a travel blog and have a wide-reaching audience.

    2. DLPTATL Guest

      Good point, but I'm not sure booking under Ford would help as he's a travel advisor and also likely to get "upgraded" service.

    3. JS Guest

      @DLPTATL - you're probably right. The upgraded service would be the same - maybe more.

    4. digital_notmad Diamond

      It's obviously easy to Google Ben and I have no doubt that some (maybe many?) properties and flight crew do, but I'm pretty sure he gets those pics because he goes to great lengths to wake up early and/or board early, as the case may be.

  17. NotWestern Guest

    If this hotel was based in Paris or Venice, the same commentators on this thread would be praising it for its “timeless old-world charm”.
    To an untrained eye, the Palace of Versailles can also be “gawdy”.

    Its amazing how triggered people can get when the word “Dubai” flashes on their screens.

    It may not be on your visit lists, but the millions of people that visited last year will disagree. Face it, the...

    If this hotel was based in Paris or Venice, the same commentators on this thread would be praising it for its “timeless old-world charm”.
    To an untrained eye, the Palace of Versailles can also be “gawdy”.

    Its amazing how triggered people can get when the word “Dubai” flashes on their screens.

    It may not be on your visit lists, but the millions of people that visited last year will disagree. Face it, the world is now multi-polar. The West have had their excesses in the past, and they have no moral right to lecture the East when the same natural progression of capitalism occurs.

    1. Julia Guest

      If this hotel was based in Paris or Venice, the decor wouldn't be like this, it would be classy.

      There are lots of nice opulent places in the East that are classy. This place isn't one of them.

    2. Elijah Guest

      Some elements of this place are—while not understated—certainly beautiful and awe-inspiring. Many more elements look like they were purchased from a Cheesecake Factory liquidation sale.

      Bad design choices are bad design choices, whether it's Paris, Dubai, or Des Moines.

    3. digital_notmad Diamond

      This has nothing to do with "untrained eyes" or "moral rights" lol it's just an observable reality that the decor is repugnant

  18. Kent Guest

    The review and the images are contradictory to the five stars awarded to the property. Dubai is one of the few places not on my travel list due to the city's vulgarity and tackiness, albeit based on hearsay from friends and associates. I think the Burj sums up well everything that is wrong with Dubai.

    1. Tom Guest

      Maybe you should visit, as it seems you have decided that it's vulgar (really not) and tacky without seeing it ever. I visited numerous times, and was sceptical at the begging but it is actually a different, but cool and fun place.

      Also, Abu Dhabi is worth a visit

  19. Vintage Guest

    Pretty cool. A perfectly preserved and maintained time capsule of the idea of ultimate luxury from 20 years ago!

  20. BDM Guest

    This seems like another in a long line of reviews where the star rating bears seemingly no relation to the content of the article.

  21. Icarus Guest

    You visited Florence, one of the greatest historical cities over 2000 years old and then this gaudy, tasteless carbuncle.

  22. Julie Guest

    Went to the afternoon tea there back in 2019- a great experience and much less expensive way to experience the property!

  23. Peter Brown Guest

    I stayed in a 2 bedroom suite in 2007. The rooms are gaudy but they were designed for Arabs. Not Western people. Did you pay for this? Or was it complimentary? Obviously you don't appreciate it. Stick to your "western style hotels MORON.

    1. Travis S. Guest

      Why so negative? He gave a glowing review of nearly every part of the hotel and loved the rooms. Cheer up!

    2. Andrew Diamond

      Who peed in your coffee?

      "we paid a rate of $1,400 for the night, which we booked through Virtuoso."

      He said he paid for it. If you're gonna call someone a moron, please at least learn to read.

  24. echino Diamond

    Schlapping? - on the handwritten card.

  25. Donna Diamond

    This place looks incredible. I actually love the decor. Great review!

    1. Icarus Guest

      Proof that money doesn’t buy class. Am sure the Kardashian’s would be at home here.

  26. Don Guest

    How garish! It looks like cruise ship decor from the 90s.

  27. Grey Diamond

    While I also love to travel and explore new places, I also have a budget, and therefore, when I rate places, I consider the cost. So based on all of the things that have been mentioned in the review, while I might give it 5 stars for a rate of 140 USD per night, I can not fathom paying 1400 USD and then having to wait more than 20 minutes to check in. For the...

    While I also love to travel and explore new places, I also have a budget, and therefore, when I rate places, I consider the cost. So based on all of the things that have been mentioned in the review, while I might give it 5 stars for a rate of 140 USD per night, I can not fathom paying 1400 USD and then having to wait more than 20 minutes to check in. For the rates they charge and in a place where labour is so cheap, there is no excuse for them not to have more employees. I can count on one hand the times that I have had to wait more than 5 minutes to check in to a hotel. And to specifically say that it is not a personalised experience? And I don't really understand the appeal of big outdated rooms. I mean, do you really use all of that space? Especially for a one night stay... If this were New York City I might understand the pricing a bit more, but you can stay in 5 star hotels in Dubai for about 50 EUR depending on the dates. A month in those hotels would come to about the same price as one night in this room. It is incredibly difficult to imagine, especially based on what you have said, that it represents any level of value for money...

    1. Michael Guest

      Could you please share where you found 5 star hotels for 50 euros? (No offence intended, I am genuinely interested and I cannot find any rooms that cheap).

  28. VJ Guest

    This hotel was built in the 90s. So, yes, the decor is 30 years old. And it hasn't been updated. Middle Eastern interior decorating also tends to be gawdy. (I speak from experience, here.)

  29. Nick Guest

    Great review Ben. One (bit of an odd) question. Do you have to pay a deposit (as is the case in most hotels) for accidentals at the Burj? As someone considering staying there for a night, I'm just wondering for how much they put a hold on your card. Thanks

    1. Grey Diamond

      Hard to imagine that someone who considers this a great deal 5 out of 5 stars at 1400 USD per night would have noticed something as trivial as a deposit.

  30. Tim H Guest

    Ugh, sure looks like it was designed to appeal to rich Chinese and Russians. To me, that hotel (especially filled with rich Chinese and Russians) is just one more reason why I have no desire to visit any of the Gulf states. That buffet does get a thumbs up, though.

  31. Julia Guest

    "the Burj Al Arab has endless dining options"

    There has to be a better way of saying "quite a lot" than "endless".

    As for the hotel itself...it seems like a nice time warp if you're into the whole tacky late 1990s excess vibe.

    1. Michael_FFM Diamond

      And they aren't endless. Not more than in other 5-star hotels.

  32. Nomad_dc Guest

    “This is a much better value than booking through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts”. Obviously this is your opinion and you have a financial interest in your husband’s business, but for me the $100 credit from Amex and the guaranteed 4:00pm checkout represent a better value than a 50 minute massage

    1. DLPTATL Guest

      +1 I don't like strangers touching me, so I'd take the $100 credit every time.

  33. David Diamond

    The "gaudy city in the middle of the desert" experience, like Las Vegas, but with a slight Middle-Eastern influence.

    While the Americans have Vegas and the Chinese have Macau, I guess the Russians don't have many other options.

  34. Petri Diamond

    Incredible! I was lucky to visit there 23 years ago, just after it had opened. It seems that nothing has changed. Not even the phones. I guess have cheap taste since my favourite restaurant was the Arabic buffet, which seems now to be the favourite non-staying tourist hotspot.

  35. bailey Guest

    I think we paid abt $800 some years ago with the Rolls Royce to the airport

    Last trip to Dubai in 2019 we saw MANY Chinese tourists doing that at AL Maha

    Dubai food prices in general are just exorbitant, its not the Maldives

  36. Homer Guest

    If I liked eating fish, I'd be a little reluctant to do so while surrounded by a fish tank but whatever.

  37. Roundtree Member

    Great write up. Your reviews really are the best. That's much more than I normally spend even for a splurge hotel. I never thought I'd break the bank for this one, but after reading your review, I'd at least consider it . . . before likely coming to my senses.

  38. Hal Guest

    The good thing about a hotel with all Chinese tourists, they don't use the pool so you can get good pics.

  39. Steven M Guest

    "I’m not sure whether the rooms are just really outdated, the designer had awful taste, or both. But if you ask me, that’s also part of the charm of this property."

    These photos were incredible. And of course underscore why 90% of the guests are mainland Chinese and Russian — they love gaudy, over-the-top stuff like this, and even moreso when spending ill-gotten gains.

    1. Mike Guest

      This comment is a big yikes
      Time to logoff grandpa

    2. David Diamond

      You realize once the population count is high enough, you'll see a lot of gaudiness from any nationality right?

      America has an entire CITY of gaudiness, built in the middle of a desert, called Las Vegas.

    3. E. T. Guest

      "Ill-gotten gains". You mean like virtually all of the US and Canada, which were basically stolen from the native peoples? Both of those countries are based on ill-gotten gains. Pot, meet kettle.

  40. Beachfan Guest

    Any comments on the happy hour drink quality?

    1. Mike Guest

      They're basic, not bad but not top shelf. Even basic cocktails aren't possible but only like 'vodka orange juice'
      Which is fine, it's free, but these are a level below the proper alcoholic drinks at the other hotel venues.

  41. Aredna Guest

    Good write up and pics to be sure..but after a crappy, crowded checkin process, the weird date-in-the-hand service, the outmoded room, the ghastly decor, influencers all around taking photos all the time, and the pricing...it's disappointing to read that it basically got a pass from you on everything because, I guess, reasons. Just another example of oil states not creating, not innovating, just waving their proverbial blinged-out d***ks around.

  42. Robert Member

    $1400/nt for that (with the Virtuoso breakfast/spa) is not at all a bad deal if you think about it, considering what other hotels there cost.

    1. Eric Guest

      well, it does depends on the season though. I am currently staying at Park Hyatt Dubai for $140/nt..
      I really want to try burj, but 10 times? ummm

    2. Petri Diamond

      Go and have the tour and Arabic buffet dinner for $200.

    3. CMX Guest

      if you look at the prices Dubai hotels are probably among cheapest for the quality they offer, like JW Marriott at $60...

  43. TravelinWilly Diamond

    Great write up!

    Not sure I’ll ever stay there, but it’s fun to read about it! Thanks!

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

NotWestern Guest

If this hotel was based in Paris or Venice, the same commentators on this thread would be praising it for its “timeless old-world charm”. To an untrained eye, the Palace of Versailles can also be “gawdy”. Its amazing how triggered people can get when the word “Dubai” flashes on their screens. It may not be on your visit lists, but the millions of people that visited last year will disagree. Face it, the world is now multi-polar. The West have had their excesses in the past, and they have no moral right to lecture the East when the same natural progression of capitalism occurs.

5
Nomad_dc Guest

“This is a much better value than booking through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts”. Obviously this is your opinion and you have a financial interest in your husband’s business, but for me the $100 credit from Amex and the guaranteed 4:00pm checkout represent a better value than a 50 minute massage

4
Jill Guest

These reviews are why I read your blog

4
Meet Ben Schlappig, OMAAT Founder
5,163,247 Miles Traveled

32,614,600 Words Written

35,045 Posts Published

Keep Exploring OMAAT