Two nights in Dubai, then a week in Baa Atoll
Break the flight with two nights on the beach in old Jumeira, then seven nights on a barefoot island in Baa Atoll with a large kids club and a UNESCO biosphere reserve on the doorstep. Good for families.
Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
A beach resort in old Jumeira, minutes from Downtown, with a line-up of restaurants good enough to keep you in for the week.
Why we love it
This is the hotel we suggest when someone wants a proper beach and a proper city in the same week. It sits on Jumeirah Beach Road in Jumeira 1, the older, lower-rise part of the coast, with the Burj Khalifa on the skyline behind the pool. Downtown and the souks are a short taxi ride, not a trek across the city.
The food is the real reason to stay. Tasca by José Avillez does contemporary Portuguese by the infinity pool, Netsu grills over a straw fire, and The Bay is an easy beachside brasserie for long lunches. You could eat well here every night of a week without leaving the building.
It is not a sprawling resort. At 251 rooms and suites in one building, the grounds are compact and the beach is a city beach, not an island one. If you want lagoons, villas and acres of garden, look at the Palm instead.
Rooms and villas
Deluxe Sea View Room
A large room with a small sitting area, a private balcony facing the Gulf, and a marble bathroom with both a bath and a walk-in shower.
Premier Sea View Room
A step up in space, with a larger private balcony over the sea and a calm blue-and-sand palette. Our usual pick for couples.
Junior Sea View Suite
An open-plan bedroom and living area with a sea-view balcony, plus Club Lounge access for breakfast, afternoon tea and evening drinks.
Presidential Suite
Three bedrooms, several balconies over the sea, a large living room, two steam rooms and a dining table for 10, with Club Lounge access.
Dining
Nine places to eat and drink. Tasca by José Avillez (contemporary Portuguese), Netsu by Ross Shonhan (a Japanese steakhouse cooking over straw fire) and Casa Amor (modern southern French) are the headliners. The Bay is the beachside brasserie, Noor Lounge does afternoon tea, Beluga is a caviar lounge, and there is a pool bar and a cake shop. Children eat free until four.
Wellness
The Spa covers 2,000 square metres, with nine treatment rooms including two couples suites, a hammam-style suite and a VIP suite, plus a vitality pool, sauna and steam room. It is open to guests aged 16 and over. There is also a gym, an outdoor padel court and a LALOGE salon.
Children and families
Little Nomads kids' club, run with Worldwide Kids, takes children aged three to 10 and needs booking in advance. There is a dedicated children's pool, interconnecting rooms in selected categories, babysitting on request, and junior lifeguard and martial arts sessions for ages five to 16.
The facts
| Rooms and suites | 174 rooms and 77 suites |
|---|---|
| Restaurants and bars | Nine venues including Tasca, Netsu and The Bay |
| Spa | 2,000 sqm, nine treatment rooms, ages 16 and over |
| Kids' club | Little Nomads, ages 3 to 10 |
| Setting | Beachfront on Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeira 1 |
| Interior design | Jeffrey Wilkes |
Where it is
Jumeira 1, Dubai
Nearby
A few of the things we plan for guests in Dubai.
Old Dubai by abra and on foot
Start in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, a knot of wind-towered coral-stone houses, small museums and cafés on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek. Then cross by abra, the wooden water taxis, to the spice and gold souks of Deira. Go in the late afternoon, when the souks wake up after the midday lull. A local guide earns their fee at the food stops.
A quiet night in the desert reserve
The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, under an hour inland, protects red dunes where Arabian oryx and gazelle graze in the open. Staying inside it is nothing like the convoy dune drives sold in town: a camel walk at dawn, falconry at dusk and a very dark sky. One night is enough, between October and April.
Kayaking and hiking at Hatta
Hatta sits in the Hajar Mountains near the Omani border, about an hour and a half by road. You can kayak on the turquoise reservoir at Hatta Dam, walk or cycle the marked trails, and see how mountain families lived in the heritage village. Leave early and take plenty of water.
Journeys with Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
Ask about Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
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