DAZZLING DUKES IS A BRIT OF ALRIGHT
LISA HAYNES checks into Dukes Dubai for a slice of London on the Palm
DUBAI’S latest hotel opening is a thoroughly British affair.
I’m 3,400 miles away from my doorstep but the Liberty print gracing my bedspread is making me feel right at home.
I’ve checked into the newly opened Dukes Dubai and as well as the cacophony of Liberty florals clashing perfectly on the bed, I’m greeted with freshly baked pink macaroons sitting pretty in a glass bell jar and a sausage dog statue – it’s Dukesy, the hotel mascot – holding a personalised welcome card in his mouth.
Tired and hungry after travelling, I open the mini-fridge to discover a daily free bar of chilled Cadbury’s Dairy Milk. I’m in heaven.
I’m in one of 20 exquisitely appointed rooms on the ladies-only Duchess floor, specifically aimed at women travelling solo.
And unless given advance warning (the air-con needs a tweak), the only staff servicing your rooms are women, too.
On day two, my housekeeper, Sushma, whips up the most extravagant towel animal I’ve ever seen in the shape of Dukesy the dachshund.
Dukes Dubai is the new Emirati sister of Dukes London, a Mayfair hotel steeped in British charm, which celebrates its centenary next year.
Located on the super-luxe artificial archipelago Palm Jumeirah, the hotel may have stepped up the glamour in line with the ‘more is more’ Dubai aesthetic – think acres of white marble and jaw-dropping chandeliers – but it retains its British backbone and sense of formality.
Walls are lined with black-andwhite images of London landmarks and old school phone boxes, while lobby bookshelves house leatherbound traditional works, such as Oliver Twist and the Waverley Novels.
“We’ve really brought a quintessential British experience to Dubai,” says Debrah Dhugga, managing director of Dukes Collection, who’s flown back and forth monthly between Dukes London and Dubai for two years to oversee the launch. “In Dubai, there will always be the glitz and the glam, but Dukes Dubai is more about the level of service and attention to detail.”
Dukes has gone to (London) town to source a best-of-British offering for hotel guests who want a slice of home during their stay.
Luxe bathroom toiletries are by Floris London (aka Her Majesty’s official perfumer), cheese has been drafted in from one of London’s oldest cheesemongers, Paxton and Whitfield, and the breakfast spread is made even more decadent with English bone china from William Edwards.
But the hotel hasn’t gone overboard with everyday items like bottled water, which is sourced locally.
Head chefs at GBR – the Great British Restaurant brasserie that’s new across Dukes Dubai and London – aren’t afraid to introduce subtle local flavours to traditional British cuisine, either.
My freshly baked, warm bread arrives peppered with a dark red spice that I can’t put my finger on until I’m informed that it’s sumac, a Middle Eastern spice that gives a citrus taste.
“Our most popular dishes so far seem to be the British comfort foods, like Lancashire hotpot, cottage pie and fish and chips, which isn’t necessarily what you expect in Dubai,” says Graeme Dodrill, head chef of GBR.
“We want to reflect seasonality in the dishes, too. We definitely make good use of produce like English asparagus when it’s in season.”
I indulge in a British triple whammy of prawn cocktail starter, Dover sole main (another bestseller) and Walnut Whip dessert. Shaken but not stirred by a full tummy, I retire to the bar in search of another Dukes London signature export - the famous dry martinis, said to be the inspiration behind James Bond’s favourite drink.
Bar staff have been meticulously trained by Duke London’s head barman Alessandro Palazzi to serve up the perfect Dukes martini – all with a dash of theatre from a tableside trolley.
If you can prise yourself from that Liberty bedding (not easy), you can continue the London-meets-Dubai experience with a trip to Fortnum & Mason.
Their first overseas store sits opposite the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
But then Dukes Dubai has the whole tea-and-scones thing licked, too.
Although I arrive during the soft-launch phase, Dhugga gives me a sneak peek at the hotel’s tea lounge, cigar lounge and hair salon headed up by yet another British export, Toni&Guy. There’s also traditional Indian restaurant Khyber.
Although not all the staff at Dukes Dubai are British, there is a familiar mix of accents – they range from cut-glass Oxford English through to Mancunian – that make you feel a bit like royalty. Right up until you say “Cheerio” at checkout, in fact.