During the planning of this trip, I expected to stay at the Dubai Marriott Harbor Hotel and Suites. The hotel was approximately ~$200 USD/night until about two weeks prior to the flight. At that time, the price per night grew to nearly $1000 USD. The number was completely out of my budget for the nearly weeklong trip. I decided to book stays at two properties, Sheraton Mall of Emirates Hotel and Marriott Al Jaddaf Hotel.
Booking
I booked the Sheraton using the Marriott Free Night Award plus 15,000 Bonvoy points. The total cost of the one night stay would have been 50,000 points or ~$400 USD. I was able to receive a total of 1,924 points (528 base + 396 elite + 1,000 bonus).
Arrival
Nicholas and I grabbed an Uber at Dubai International Airport (DXB) for the 25 minute ride to the hotel. One thing that stood out to me was many of the Ubers we took were white Lexus IS models. I do not know if this was a coincidence or if someone cornered the Uber market in the city. The ride from the airport was way different than it was in 2005, when I last visited. Skyscrapers, luxury car dealerships, and hotels were everywhere.
Check-In
Our Uber dropped us on the street level. I expected the below picture to be the front desk but was pleasantly surprised to find this to be the Concierge Desk.
We were directed to the elevators to the left and quickly made our way to the front desk, on the fifth floor. The front desk was on the left as we exited the elevator.
We received a warm greeting and were given a quick rundown of the property. After a few minutes, we made our way to the eleventh floor via the second set of elevators. There was no direct access from the first floor to our room. I did not particularly care for this.
Room
I was upgraded to a king room, #1116.
The room had a massive foyer. There was one entrance on the left that took us to the sitting area and one on the right that took us to the bathroom.
There was a fully stocked mini bar. The prices were not bad, for a hotel.
There was a desk on the left, a sectional on the far wall, and a television mounted on the near wall.
The king bedroom was just off the sitting area. There was a ton of room for us to stretch out. The bed was super soft and much needed after a day of traveling.
The bathroom, with a full-sized tub and shower was near the foot of the bed. I found it a little weird that the television and tub shared a wall. I had not seen the setup before.
Toiletries, water, and extra towels crowded the. The water closet and clothing closet rounded out the last two “rooms” in the suite. The room was impressive for its size.
Dining
Most of the hotels dining option are located on the fifth level. I will get to the restaurants in a moment, but the best location on the floor was the Arabic coffee and date stand. Nicholas and I had not tried dates or Arabic coffee because meeting the gracious host from Africa. He gave us pointers on how to drink the coffee and reassured Nicholas that the coffee was ok to drink. The coffee was delicious, Nicholas even went back for seconds!
Opposite of the coffee stand was a cute, little bistro serving assorted pastries, sandwiches, and drinks.
There was a hookah lounge/bar as well on the floor but we could not enter due to the lack of years for my son.
Besh Turkish Kitchen
Besh was the was the hotel’s busiest restaurant. While it was opened for dinner, we only ate breakfast as there were other options in the city. The breakfast was complimentary as a Bonvoy Titanium member. I gave the hostess my room number and we were quickly seated. The place was massive so I will let the pictures speak for themselves. The highlight of our visit was the omelet bar and juice stand, which Nicholas loved.
Spartan Sports Café
Spartan Sports Café lived up to its name. I tried to watch the FIFA World Cup in the room but could not get it. The only place showing the World Cup, Spartan Sports Café. We got there early to grab a table. I snapped one picture with the hopes of getting more later in the night but there were simply too many people. The service was efficient and courteous, even with a packed house.
Executive Lounge
The Executive Lounge was located on Level 24, the rooftop floor. We got to the lounge after the cocktail hour so we missed the hot snacks. Upon seeing us, the attendees offered us complimentary drinks and other assorted snacks.
Fitness
The following were located on Level 24 as well.
Pool
The pool included two saltwater pools. The sitting area around the pool offered limited seating. Nicholas and I were offered a full menu but chose to have drinks and relax. I had a champagne while Nicholas enjoyed a mojito mocktail.
Fitness Center
Upon leaving the pool, we stopped by the fitness center for a glimpse inside. Neither one of us planned on exercising but I had to snap a picture for the blog.
Shine Spa
Shine Spa was located next to the fitness center. Nicholas noticed the spa and immediately asked if we could get a massage. What six-year-old needs a massage??? Anyway, we went inside to book a session and were politely turned away. Apparently, children are not allowed to be in the spa. Bummer.
Final Word
The Sheraton Hotel at the Mall of the Emirates was a great way to start one week in Dubai. The suite upgrade and the swimming were Nicholas’ favorites, while I enjoyed the simplicity of the property. My only wish is that children be able to enjoy spa services with their parents. All things considered, it was a good stay.
