Best Hotels: 10 Luxury Hotels in Dubai and 2 Luxury Hotels Abu Dhabi

10 Luxury Hotels in Dubai and 2 Luxury Hotels in Abu Dhabi

If you are looking for a great luxury hotel in Dubai or Abu Dhabi this post will help you t pick the perfect luxury hotel for you.

Not every luxury hotel is the right choice for you, so find out what to expect at the top 10 luxury hotels in Dubai and 2 top luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi.

Dubai’s hotels are synonymous with luxury – I do not think there is any other place with such a high density of luxurious accommodations as there is in the biggest city of the United Arab Emirates. Las Vegas might challenge it but does not come close since the quality in Dubai is top-notch.

If you are looking to book awesome accommodation in Dubai or Abu Dhabi this list can help you find the perfect hotel for you.

Due to the huge number of top hotels in Dubai, I have not stayed in all of them (yet) but I have had the chance to stay in most of these awesome hotels, and here is my list of “Top 12 luxury hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi”.

Find out:

What are good hotels in Dubai for families?
What are good hotels in Dubai for couples?
What are the best hotels for business guests or solo travelers?

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means I might earn a small commission when you buy a product/service via my link (at no extra cost to you). More about it here.

12 Favorite Luxury Hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The best hotels in UAE.

My 10 Top 10 Luxury Hotels in Dubai

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**5* Grosvenor House in Dubai Marina**

Grosvenor House Dubai has the best reviews of all hotels in Dubai – and, if you ask me, nothing is exaggerated. This hotel is one of my favorite hotels ever: the 5* Starwood property Grosvenor House in Dubai Marina.

Though I normally prefer hotels with a bright and light interior, and Grosvenor House is actually not bright, this hotel totally rocks it. It is the perfect luxury hotel for business people and people who like a classy hotel without too much modernity.

You can find the most beautiful lobby (especially at night with all the candles) at Grosvenor House, and the lobby restrooms are the best I have ever been to. The hotel has two towers, each 45 stories high, and a total of about 750 rooms.

There are 14 restaurants and bars at Grosvenor House, while the Buddha Bar is very well known in all of Dubai. The simplest rooms are the Deluxe Rooms. But of course, you can choose a fancier suite as well. The most expensive rooms are the Royal Suites.

The spa in Tower 2, the B/Attitude Spa, is probably one of the best ones in Dubai. Since it is a top-notch 5* hotel it is definitely not cheap, but the prices are not actually that high. Also, the hotel is located in Dubai Marina – one of my favorite areas in Dubai – with the marina and many restaurants and shops close by.

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+ Location, an awesome lobby, great value for money, and fantastic service

– Not perfect for families with smaller kids. Though the hotel has a spa and pool area in each of the towers (and you can access the beach of the sister property, le Royal Meridien).

– I do not think it is the most family-friendly hotel in Dubai.

Click here to find out rates for a stay at Grosvenor House

Atlantis – The Palm

Atlantis – The Palm is probably one of the most famous hotels in Dubai. This huge iconic building is located on the Palm – a man-made island in the shape of a palm – which is home to many fantastic hotels. Atlantis is one of the hotels that is the

Atlantis is one of the hotels that is the most fun – to the point where you actually do not have to even leave the property.

I am not a person who can spend days at the same place, but this impressive hotel has everything you need. Tons of different restaurants, several pools, its own big waterpark, shops, beauty salons, clubs, etc.

I stayed there for 2 nights and was not bored for a second (and I did not leave the hotel for more than 50 hours in total). I stayed at a terrace club suite with a fantastic view over the Persian Gulf and enjoyed every second of the stay.

If your budget is smaller, you could opt out for a Deluxe Guest Room. Or, if you want to experience the highest form of luxury. could choose to stay at the Royal Bridge Suite – the most expensive suite of all. I had the chance to see this impressive suite and walk through it.

I have never seen a more beautiful hall and it felt almost unreal. Atlantis – The Palm is perfect for people who look for:

+ Fun hotel, with great restaurants (also with enough choices for vegetarians), a beautiful beach, the hotel is the best in Dubai for families with kids, or for people who want to stay at the hotel most of the time and enjoy an all-inclusive resort stay

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– The hotel can be very busy at times, it is huge (which can be either seen as positive or negative), and it has so much to offer that I would not recommend it to those who plan to see a lot of Dubai or for those who will be mostly outside the hotel.

Check Out Rates for Atlantis – The Palm

Anantara – The Palm Dubai

Anantara- The Palm is a lovely, Thai-inspired resort, also located on the Palm, and an absolutely peaceful place. I loved the little bungalows, over-water villas, beach pool villas, and the typical Thai details all over the resort.

There are several beautiful pools and some rooms have direct beach access. Even though my room did not have direct access, I still enjoyed all the pools and the beautiful beach. The beaches on the Palm are definitely prettier than on Jumeirah Beach.

+ Heaven on Earth, the perfect hotel in Dubai for families and people who seek silence, Thai-influenced.

– At the end of the Palm, it is pretty far from many other attractions in Dubai.

Check out Rates for Anantara – The Palm

Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi

Beach and Pool Access at Westin Dubai Mina

To be fair, I have to say that I did not stay at Westin Mina overnight.

I had a day pass for pool and beach access because I wanted to check out the pool. Westin Mina is known as one of the best hotels in Dubai.

Westin Mina is known as one of the best hotels in Dubai and has Dubai’s longest pool (500 meters). In a city where it is all about superlatives, this is pretty impressive. In addition, you’ll find the 1,200-meter-long private beach and 9 restaurants and bars.

The fanciest rooms are the One Bedroom Suites, which can be up to 391 m²and are (surely) pure luxury.

+ Location is pretty good (located on Jumeirah Beach, close to Dubai Marina), pool and beach area is extensive, another great choice for a stay with kids in Dubai

– Extremely big hotel. I cannot say much more since I did not stay overnight, but I assume it can get quite busy.

Check out Rates for Westin Mina

Intercontinental Dubai Marina

I have a thing for Intercontinental hotels and I have a thing for Dubai Marina. So this hotel is one of my favorites in Dubai. I really enjoyed my two-night stay in this 5* IC property and would book it again for sure.

+ This hotel is very modern and stylish with a bright and colorful lobby and rooms. I loved the pool with the view and the staff was just awesome. As the hotel is in Marina there is no beach access – if you want to get to the beach you need to walk a bit (or take a taxi) and can use the public beach at JBR Walk.

+ Perfect for the younger visitors who enjoy going out and exploring Dubai Marina and for business guests

– As the hotel is in Marina there is no

– beach access – if you want to get to the beach you need to walk a bit (or take a taxi) and can use the public beach at JBR Walk.

– not the best choice for a family vacation

Check out Rates for Intercontinental Dubai Marina

Burj Al-Arab

Okay, I have never visited the Burj Al-Arab and was not even sure if I should add it. If I had not put it on my list it (probably) would have been the only “top hotels in Dubai” list without the Burj Al-Arab on it. Though I do not mind not going with the mainstream, I decided to put it on the list.

After all, it is the only 7* hotel in the world. Needless to say, Burj Al-Arab has extremely fancy suites.

One of the most expensive is the Royal Two-Bedroom suite, but there are also cheaper rooms (like the Deluxe One-Bedroom Suite) available. What I know from hearsay is:

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+ Only 7* hotel in the world, extremely private since it is not open to the “public” (so people cannot visit for a day if they do not have any reservations for a restaurant, etc.).

– Definitely not a bargain. According to hear-say, the interior is pretty old-fashioned and not very new.

Check out Rates at Burj Al-Arab

The One and Only – The Palm

I have not stayed at The One and Only – The Palm but this is definitely very, very high on my list. If I could choose to stay at any hotel I have not been to in Dubai, I would probably pick this one as the interior looks beyond amazing (in particular the pool).

Check out Rates at The One and Only – The Palm

The Ritz-Carlton at JBR

Another hotel I would love to stay overnight is the Ritz-Carlton Dubai, which is located at JBR Walk, close to the Marina, with direct access to the beach.

I tested their famous Friday Brunch (review here) and realized how gorgeous this property is. Unlike most top hotels in Dubai, it does not rise up into the sky, but is rather a low-rise Mediterranean-style building.

Do not be misled by this: the Ritz-Carlton does live up to its name, and the pools and the location (at JBR Walk, a popular district at the beach with many shops, restaurants etc. close by) are superb.

The simplest rooms are the Deluxe rooms, and if you are ready to reach deeper into your pocket you could get the most expensive suite, the Presidential Suite.

+ Beach access,a great hotel in Dubai for families (I have not stayed overnight, but this is my impression after having seen the pool and beach area)

+ With the beautiful beach access, this seems to be the perfect hotel in Dubai for couples.

– Cannot say anything at this moment

Check out Rates at Ritz-Carlton

2 Favorite Luxury Hotels in Abi Dhabi

Though Dubai’s density of top-notch hotels is unchallenged, Abu Dhabi has some fantastic hotels as well. It was not easy to pick only two, but here are my two most favorite luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi. Here is my full Abu Dhabi accommodation guide.

Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi

2 Favorite Luxury Hotels in Abi Dhabi @shutterstock

Though I only had lunch at Emirates Palace, it impressed me straight away.

It is known to be one of the top 3 hotels in the UAE, but unlike the Burj Al-Arab, it is open to the public. And so I had lunch without making a prior restaurant reservation at one of their restaurants.

While I enjoyed the view from the outside I was very pretty but not as stunning as the interior. The minute I set foot into this giant property I felt overwhelmed by the luxury. Visiting the Emirates Palace is actually on almost any “to-do list for Abu Dhabi” (it is also on my recommended Abu Dhabi itinerary).

After having visited it, I can say: the interior is more than impressive and definitely worth a look.

As the hotel is visited by many people who do not stay overnight, I was also surprised by the very friendly and patient staff. So a big thanks to them (and those who kept their fingers crossed that I would find my lost GoPro again).

The location is great, and though I lost my GoPro here (it was found later but with a missing card), I have very fond memories of this gorgeous property. I can clearly see why it is considered one of the top hotels in a city (or in 2 cities) where everything is glamorous.

For the purest form of luxury, you can book one of the Suites at Emirates (check out the prices for the fancy 3-bedroom Palace Suite at Emirates Palace here).

Check out Rates at Emirates Palace

Zaya Nurai Island Resort

Private Pool at Zaya Nurai Island in Abu Dhabi

Last but not least, let me introduce you to Zaya Nurai Island Resort, a resort on a private island in Abu Dhabi.

This resort tops the other places not only in the category of luxury, but also in location, being on the most beautiful beach in all of UAE, in little and big details, and in the privacy, it gives its guests.

I have a full hotel review here with many pictures and more details, but if you are looking for a boutique hotel with the most beautiful beach, you do not have to look further. Zaya Nurai Island has it all.

It just opened 2 years ago, so there was some construction work going on, which I did not see much of. However, I enjoyed every second of my stay at this private island also known as the Maldives of the Emirates.

I stayed at the beach villa, which was extremely spacious, friendly, and just pretty. All rooms have their own private pool, so regardless of which room you choose, I am sure you’ll enjoy this little piece of heaven.

Check out Rates at Zaya Nurai Island Resort

Find all the luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi and get the best rates for your stay

I hope this post has helped you, either daydreaming a bit or deciding on luxury accommodation for your next trip to the amazing UAE.

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