Hotel Royal Mirage Arabian Court

Located on Jumeirah beach, 15 mi from the city centre and 18 mi from the airport, Allow about 30 minutes for transfers to the city and as much time to get to the airport!

'The Palace' was the first hotel to be built as part of the superb One & Only Royal Mirage resort, which now includes another two - the Arabian Court and the Residence. Guests are welcome to move freely from one hotel to another via the gardens or the beach, which is shared by all 3 hotels, although each has its own specific area. Guests staying in the complex also share other facilities, such as the water sports club, the spa, and the sports grounds. The Royal Mirage is actually a resort in itself, providing a wide variety of leisure activities. As a member of the One & Only luxury hotel group, it also offers guests a luxurious setting and high quality service, with each hotel enjoying its own pools, relaxation areas, bars, and restaurants. The latter are open to local residents in Dubai as well as guests staying at the hotel. A cocktail is offered to every hotel guest on Tuesday evenings.

The Arabian Court opened in 2004 and consists of a 5 storey building facing the sea. As is the case in the rest of the hotel, cream is the dominant colour in both the cosy reception and the long corridor, which leads through to the soft and sophisticated setting of the reception area. The large bay windows allow plenty of light in and look out onto an enclosed courtyard adorned with a series of small ponds and very stylish earthernware jars, whilst in the beautiful gallery, the 7 rosettes on the floor under the 7 cupolas represent each of the Emirates. The various artificial wooden arches dotted around the property are also a nice touch. A large courtyard, larger than the one at the Palace, has been fitted with gazebos beneath which you can relax in one of the comfortable armchairs and even smoke a shisha pipe should the mood take you.
With 4 bars to choose from in the hotel, you can either sit inside beneath a large dome, or outside on the rooftop lounge, which gets very busy on the weekend, as it is extremely popular among the gilded youth of Dubai. Laid out all around the dome you will find comfortable sofas and chairs, wonderful mosaic arabesques, and majili seats, which make for a comfortable setting, complete with softened orange lighting. The hotel has a children's club of its own (for 3 to 12 year olds), open from 10:00am to 12:00pm and from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. The huge lagoon pool outside is surrounded by palm trees that are scattered about here and there and illuminated by spotlights at night. The hotel's gardens are punctuated with beautiful lawned areas, small pathways, waterways, palm trees, and various other tree species. The beach is just nearby.

The 160 immaculate guest rooms, the smallest of which have a floor area of 50m², all are oriented towards the sea. Having said that, the heavy vegetation sometimes blocks the view of the sea in some of the rooms, all of which have balconies. All of the rooms are furnished with a very comfortable king size bed and a particularly high headboard, together with a small dressing table with a dark yellow floral-patterned carpet and indirect lighting: this makes for a very warm and welcoming ambience that is identical to what you will find in the suites. The very comprehensive amenities include individual air conditioning, a free safe, a regularly replenished mini bar, a very large flat screen satellite television, an Internet connection, and a direct international telephone line, whilst the suites come with the added luxuries of an iPod docking station and a fax machine.
Embellished with black and yellow marble and stone embossed motifs, the large and impeccable bathrooms provide everything you are likely to need: marble-set bathtub, wash basin set on a wooden unit, tropical shower, hair dryer, bathrobes, scales, towels folded away in little recesses, and a very nice selection of hospitality products. The toilet is separate from the bathroom. Room service is available 24 hours a day.

Of the various restaurants to choose from, there is just one buffet restaurant, as is the case in the other Royal Mirage properties. The main restaurant La Rôtisserie, is open from 6:30am to 10:30am, from 12:00pm to 3:30pm, and from 7:30pm to 11:30pm, like the Palace. It provides rustic surroundings, complete with copper pans adorning the walls, reminiscent of a beautiful traditional old kitchen, where the team of chefs go brilliantly about their work. The superb decor here is spot on, as are the very generous yet carefully prepared buffets, consisting of around 30 largely European main courses and 25 desserts.
In a very stylish and welcoming ambiance, decorated in dark wood and red and orange tones, the Indo-European restaurant, Nina, serves Indian, Thai, and Filipino specialties, among others. They are all served together on the table so that everyone can share the dishes ordered. Located between the beach and the gardens, the Eauzone serves a variety of Asian dishes, this time in an outstanding setting in the middle of the illuminated swimming pool. This restaurant also has a bar area with a magnificent turquoise counter, where light dishes are served throughout the day.

Opposite the Palm Jumeirah, the very beautiful beach bordered with a lawn, stretches for over half a mile, with its fine white sand cleaned on a daily basis. You can enjoy spectacular views of the Burj Al Arab from here, while relaxing on a thick red-cushioned iron deckchair in the shade of a parasol, or even a palm tree. The canvas parasols are set up in pairs around little tables, guaranteeing privacy. The services provided in the hotel extend to the beach. The clear turquoise water is just perfect - lovely and warm and really calm, though a little too shallow for swimming. You will need to go out a fair distance before it is deep enough to swim in. However, the gentle slope is very convenient for children. A wide variety of water sports, including sailing, windsurfing, water-skiing and deep-sea fishing, are also available for an extra fee.