Hotel Regent Palace

In the town centre, in front of the Burjuman Shopping Centre, 4 miles from the airport. Expect 5 minutes to reach the shopping area, and 10 minutes to get to the airport.

The Regent Palace is a reasonably priced hotel in the town, located close to the shopping area. Banks, cinemas, and restaurants are also found in the area. This is a good choice if you intend to shop and go around the town. During the shopping festival period (the entire month of March), don't forget to book your hotel as early as possible, because hotels are overbooked during that time. The Regent Palace does not offer a shuttle service to the beach, but you may easily find a cab. The public beach of the Jumeirah Beach Park costs (1.5 pounds per person), but it is well equipped (bar, lounge chairs, sunshades). If you prefer to be away from the crowd, don't go there on the weekend (Thursday and Friday in Dubaï).

Built in 1997, the Regent Palace occupies a 6-storey building covered with metallic plates and tinted glass. The interior is somewhat dark, in spite of the high ceiling of the lobby. You pass through a lounge area with club chairs before getting to the front desk. The walls are decorated with green plants but this does not brighten up the atmosphere much. The furniture, in tones of brown, is impersonal. Another colour would be better! However the pool located on the roof is an important plus. Large for a town pool (540 ft²), it is surrounded by a sun lounge with lounge chairs, and sunshades. The view is over a good part of Dubai. A small bar completes the facility. The hotel also has a fitness centre equipped with a jacuzzi, a hamam and a sauna.

The Regent Palace has 144 rooms, without balconies, and all have a view of the city. The size of the rooms is average, and the decor is a bit overdone: if you don't like red, you will have a difficult time sleeping here! The carpet with a crest is garnet-red, the damask bedspread is bright red, and the wallpaper is beige with vermilion designs. As for the equipment, comfort is high class: air conditioning, minibar, satellite television (Euronews), and direct telephone line. The bathroom has a small bathtub and a hair dryer.

In the main restaurant, breakfast is served buffet-style. This restaurant has a relaxed atmosphere with tables covered with checkered tablecloths and American style decoration. Cereals, fruits, breads, cheese and pastries offer a very pleasant choice. At dinner or lunch, you can order hamburgers and French fries, salads or good size steaks. Don't hesitate to try the other two à la carte restaurants. The first one serves only seafood and fish. Its Thai decor utilizes green plants, varnished wood railings and rattan chairs. The second is dedicated to Indian cuisine in a fancy and exotic decor. Its dimmed lighting is perfect for dinner. Expect to pay around 10 pounds per plate.