Occidental Al Jaddaf, Dubai

The hotel can best be described as modern Moorish

BACKGROUND Just two months old, this new Dubai hotel is operated by Spanish hospitality group Barcelo.

W H AT ’ S IT LIKE? Blending Arabic architecture with contemporary simplicity, the hotel can best be described as modern Moorish and offers 365 large rooms and suites. Check in was smooth, but valeting the car was slow, as was receiving the luggage in the room. COVID-19 is still making its mark and at this hotel, guests are asked to bring their own towels to the pool, which I found odd.

WHERE IS IT? In the up-and-coming Al Jaddaf district, Old Dubai, with views of city icons including Burj Khalifa, Emirates Towers, Dubai Frame and Wafi Mall. Close to Dubai Healthcare City and the World Trade Centre, it’s a handy location, but this undeveloped area of the city feels remote if you are new to Dubai. The hotel is next door to a mosque.

ROOMS I was upgraded to a junior suite, which had a nice lounge area with a TV, as well as a spacious bedroom. A large balcony was a nice touch, providing some welcome outside space, though it looked out to the E44 highway, which was quite noisy as it’s a busy ring road around the city, day and night. Bedside wireless device charging was handy.

FOOD AND DRINK At this point, just one of the three restaurants was open. Souk, an all-day dining concept, offered international buffet and à la carte cuisine. Lebanese and Tapas restaurants will open soon, but for now, The Stage lounge/bar at the pool offers a casual space to dine and relax and has great views. Staff were happy to offer menu alternatives at this venue, including healthy options.

BUSINESS There are six dedicated meeting rooms with a capacity of 12 to 180 people. Wi-Fi connection was patchy for me, making it difficult to work at the hotel.

LEISURE The pool area was spacious with a large lounge area. The city views were great, particularly at sunset. The gym has been created as an afterthought, offering the bare minimum in terms of equipment.

VERDICT Only two months old, the hotel is finding its feet during a tough period. Though initially designed as a business hotel, with inbound arrivals down due to the pandemic, it has had to diversify and felt like a family hotel at this point in time. It’s a good value accommodation option, but some might feel isolated as Al Jaddaf is still under development. Melanie Swan