Fairmont Dubai ★★★★★

After many visits to Dubai, I have come to learn that my expectations of the ordinary mean nothing here. What you or I might ordinarily consider the height of jaw-dropping opulence is just the standard here, or a record waiting to be bested - making the Fairmont Hotel’s brand of understated luxury all the more enticing. I didn’t find gold-lined interiors here, or cinema lounges located in every suite. Instead the perfectly composed “urban elegance” design (increasingly sought-after in the ever extravagant city) reigned supreme alongside world-class VIP service, making my stay in the Fairmont Hotel as refreshing as a dip in one of their rooftop pools.

Thanks to the hotel’s enviable position in the heart of the city, breath-taking views waited at every turn and corner of the hotel. I didn’t even have to leave the comfort of my bed to admire Dubai’s surreal landscape, what with the enormous bay windows perfectly framing panoramic vistas of the skyline! Far from the hectic buzz of the city below, the contemporary design of my room in soft neutrals transformed my room into a peaceful sanctuary, and a real sight for sore eyes (and legs) after walking round the city getting my fair share of sights.

Of course, it would be quite easy to spend the day without leaving the hotel at all; despite the homely feel of my room I did often forget the colossal size of the Fairmont Hotel. The hotel boasted no less than 13 restaurants, bars, and cafés, including a gourmet restaurant that plunged you into darkness and a café dedicated entirely to chocolate. But at the end of the day, regardless of whether I was exploring gold souqs or lazing in the spa, I always made a point of watching the stunning Arabian sunset from the rooftop pool. All the gold in the world could not beat a view like that!