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.
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
Jumeirah's newest Dubai resort, on the water between the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel, with a marina and 11 restaurants.
Why we love it
Marsa Al Arab is the big, confident Dubai resort done in a newer style. It sits on its own stretch of coast between the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel, and every suite looks either out to sea, towards the sail, or back over the marina and the city skyline.
It suits people who like choice. There are 11 restaurants and four bars inside, five more places to eat along the marina, and four pools including an adults-only pool at Kinugawa. The Talise spa runs over three floors with a 20-metre indoor pool.
With 386 rooms and suites, it is busy and polished rather than intimate. Couples who want quiet evenings and a sense of hideaway will be happier in the desert at Al Maha or on the Palm in an overwater villa.
Rooms and villas
Ocean Deluxe Room
The entry room on the sea side of the building, looking out over the Gulf. Choose this over the marina rooms if the view matters.
Ocean Terrace Room
An ocean-facing room with its own terrace, so you can have breakfast outside in the cooler months.
Ocean Family Room
A sea-facing room set up for families, with two-bedroom family rooms and suites available when you need more space.
Ocean Grand Terrace Suite
A suite with a large terrace over the water. Suite guests also have use of the private pool club.
Five Bedroom Royal Suite
The largest option in the resort, with five bedrooms, for multi-generational groups who want to stay together.
Dining
Eleven restaurants and four bars, with five more restaurants and cafés on the Marsa Al Arab Marina. Names to know include Kinugawa, Rialto, The Bombay Club, Madame Li, Umi Kei, Mirabelle and Pierre Hermé Paris. It is one of the few resorts in the city where you could eat somewhere different every night for two weeks.
Wellness
Talise spa spans three floors looking over the Burj Al Arab, with 13 treatment suites, dedicated women-only areas, a hammam and steam bath, a fitness studio and a 20-metre indoor pool.
Children and families
Families are well looked after. Jumeirah Circle is the family club, there are ocean family rooms and two-bedroom family rooms and suites, and the resort pool and private beach are big enough to absorb children. Adults have their own pool at Kinugawa.
The facts
| Rooms and suites | 300 rooms and 86 suites |
|---|---|
| Restaurants and bars | 11 restaurants and four bars, plus five on the marina |
| Pools | Four, including an adults-only pool |
| Spa | Talise, three floors, 13 treatment suites, 20m indoor pool |
| Family club | Jumeirah Circle |
| Beach | Private beach |
Where it is
Umm Suqeim 3, Jumeirah, 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 in Dubai
Ask about Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.