Hotel Radisson Blu Dubai Media City

Set in the very pleasant Media City close to the Jumeirah area, the Radisson Media City Hotel is one of three Radissons in Dubai. The surrounding buildings include media names such as CNN and Al Jazeerah. There isn't much in terms of shops or entertainment in the area, but the facilities in the Jumeirah beach area or in the Dubai Marina area are a short drive away.

The hotel provides a free shuttle bus service to the nearest attractions such as the Mall of the Emirates, the Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall and to the Montgomerie and Emirates Golf Clubs. The hotel opened in 2006 and is in a U-shaped twin tower structure (East and West) and is a four star property. Each tower has its own pool deck which is open to all guests. In the main restaurant by the lobby area, guests can have access to the kids' play area where a member of staff looks after the children and feeds them so that parents can have a bit of a break at meal times. Guests should enquire about this service at the time of booking and again upon arrival. There is free wireless internet all over the hotel. The boutique spa is the highlight - with its five individually-themed treatment rooms, it is an extremely relaxing area to spend a couple of hours and a definite must during your stay! If you have the choice of treatment room, choose the India-themed room as it is the most beautiful. There is also a very well-equipped new gym with individual headphones. The hotel will soon be offering a half-board option, to be asked about upon booking.

The hotel is set in an area that is fairly pleasant to walk around, with sidewalks (!) and trees planted on the pavements. From the exterior the hotel's glass and aluminium façade doesn't stand out from other hotels, but it is in the rooms and bars that guests can really feel the difference. The hotel is spread over two towers, hence the two sun terraces with a pool each. It does feel fairly large, but retains its intimate atmosphere in the corridors, rooms and bars. The two towers are joined via a corridor on the second floor. Upon entering the hotel, the lobby is a little noisy at meal times as the main restaurant is set to the right and the reception seating area to the left. The contemporary leather designer chairs look welcoming. Guests will find lots of fun stylish touches around the hotel such as large bright pink flower pots, tree trunk sculptures, framed denim...the hotel is the owner's pride and joy and he loves to get involved with the interior design apparently, which really helps to set this hotel apart from your standard property.

The hotel has 246 rooms which are split into three categories: Standard, Executives and Suites. All are of a generous size and most have large bay windows letting in plenty of light. The stripy orange carpet makes a change from the neutral colours found in most hotel rooms in the city. The bathrooms are simple yet stylish with rectangluar washbasins and in most cases, a large plastic flower stuck to the wall, which adds a little colour. The bathroom products are of the spa brand, Anne Simones and to add another touch of colour, guests will find a fresh bamboo shoot in a vase. All rooms have all the expected mod-cons such as a plasma TV, complimentary tea and coffee making facilities, iron and ironing board, hairdryer...The hotel also has non-smoking floors which should be enquired about at the time of booking should you prefer a room here.

The main restaurant is found by the lobby. Here a buffet is served for breakfast and lunch, and there is an à la carte menu for dinner. The restaurant is a little dark, but stylish and the staff is friendly. The breakfast spread is fairly varied and the orange juice is freshly squeezed. The lunch looks great, with different stations from sushi to curry! The very smart exterior Tamanya Terrace is one of our favourites (open until 2am). It is found at the very top of one of the hotel towers. Boasting great views, there is a lively atmosphere here in the evenings although it can get a little windy at times. Shisha is smoked here. There is also a separate entrance to the bar for exterior guests as it is very popular. For guests wanting something closer to home, Certo, the Italian restaurant is open for dinner. We also very much liked the ICON lounge, which is a smoking bar with very stylish decor and live music on some nights (happy hour 6:30-7:30pm and 4:00-7:00 Fridays). ICON is more of a coffee shop in the day and has a very pleasant outdoor terrace for guests wishing to get some fresh air. The hotel also has 24 hour room service available for guests not wanting to venture too far from their rooms.