Recently opened last summer, the Sofitel Downtown Dubai is one of the newest hotels on the block featuring awesome new dining experiences, modern features and rooms with “in your face” views of the Burj Khalifa.
Upon arrival we were greeted by the doorman and quickly directed to the front desk. The staff was friendly and check-in prompt. Julia, the Assistant Front Office Manager, escorted us to our room and gave us a brief overview of the hotel’s offerings. We booked a room with a view of the Burj Khalifa. With floor to ceiling windows we couldn’t help but sit in our comfy love seat and marvel at this masterpiece for hours. It changes looks depending on lighting and at night sparkles with a light show every 30 minutes. Each evening we watched the Burj Khalifa water fountain show from our window. The room itself is furnished with modern furniture, a large bathroom with shower and bath, flat screen tv, a very comfortable bed and cool lighting throughout.
Hotel’s lobby
Bathroom amenities
We took the hotel elevator to the roof-top pool which is actually located across from the main building and can be reached by a skyway. Overlooking the skyline of downtown Dubai, this is where we cooled off from the desert heat and relaxed for a while. The pool area is very calming with palm trees, umbrellas/lounge chairs (some located in the water) and attentive servers which provided us with tasty food items and drinks. The view is amazing!
The hotel has three restaurants. First, let’s talk about Les Cuisines. When they say breakfast buffet, they mean it. They have so many food stations offering different items such as Middle Eastern fare, omelets, crepes, a waffle station, an entire station dedicated to pork, as well as cereals, yogurt, fruit, and pastries. The Sofitel is a French based company, so the pastries and the bread were incredible! One fantastic surprise was the wall of honey, showcasing honey from different parts of the Middle East. Delicious. This buffet offered so many food items, we weren’t sure where to start and wondered if we would ever leave. We looked forward to breakfast every morning. Don’t miss this buffet, you will not be disappointed. We didn’t have the opportunity to dine at the other two restaurants. The Red Grill looked really cool, with an open kitchen concept and a menu of sumptuous steaks. The Green Spices was all about Asian cuisine looking trendy in a sleek and sexy setting. Next time!
honey bar
Our experience at the spa was an interesting one. Since the hotel had only been open for a few months before our stay, we felt as if there were still some kinks to work out. The staff was a bit disorganized, not being able to find our reservation, or the keys to the lockers, and not understanding how to charge both our massages to the room. That being said, the space was very nice and the therapists and treatments offered were to our satisfaction. One disappointment with the hotel was an offer that was given to us at check-in, 50AED off any spa treatment during our stay. After our treatments, the spa staff did not know about the offer, and would not honor it. We were asked to check with the front desk. The front desk told us the voucher was given to us by mistake. It wasn’t about the money, but we felt the offer, even if given inadvertently should have been honored. After we arrived home we wrote an email to the hotel manager to make them aware of the situation we encountered. The Assistant Front Office Manager responded and agreed the offer should have been honored, apologized for the staff not being able to rectify the situation on the spot, and offered us a room upgrade on our next visit to the property. This was a nice gesture, but to receive this offer for any of their properties worldwide would have made more sense.
On this visit we wanted to stay close to the Mall of Emirates and Burj Khalifa. The property is located a few hundred feet to the entrance of the Dubai metro station which is conveniently connected to Dubai’s enclosed city walkway. You can access the metro line from here to visit many places in Dubai, including Dubai Creek and the nearby souks. The Dubai walkways are glass enclosed and air-conditioned which connect to many places of interest, including the famous shopping malls of Dubai and the Burj Khalifa. We walked to the Mall of the Emirates from the hotel. It was about a 15 minute walk, overlooking the city while we strolled to our location. We’ve said this in previous posts, even if you’re not a fan of shopping malls you should still visit one of the many malls located here. The grand scale of the Mall of Emirates is mind boggling.
Dubai has some of the best hotels and resorts in the world. So many to choose from, each offering fabulous rooms, exciting dining options and incredible views. The new Sofitel Downtown Dubai is no exception. The location was perfect for us, close to the Mall of Emirates, access to the metro, a room with a view of the Burj Khalifa, a breakfast buffet we’re still talking about and a rooftop pool overlooking downtown Dubai. Although we had a small issue with the spa voucher, we definitely would recommend this hotel for your next stay in Dubai.
Masalamah,
Cy & Rich
Photos by Cy & Rich