Hotel Towers Rotana

Situated on the Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai's thriving new business district, Towers Rotana sites right opposite the Rotana Rose, the tallest hotel in the world. The hotel is 11 miles away from Dubai International Airport and 8 miles from Jumeira Beach Front. It stands close to the Dubai World Trade Centre and Exhibition Halls and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). Around 5 miles away from the Media and Internet City and within 17 miles of the Jebel Ali Free Zone. The Financial Centre Metro Station is situated adjacent to Towers Rotana Dubai.

Founded in 1992, the Rotana group is a local chain that has properties all over the Middle-East and North Africa - the chain announces 70 properties by 2014. You will notice that, like in all Rotana hotels, there is a water-saving initiative in all bathrooms by encouraging guests not to reuse towels. There is wireless internet in public areas of the hotel but this is chargeable.

Open in 2001, the Towers Rotana looks in keeping with its sister hotels all over the city with its emblematic glass and aluminium exteriors, but inside it is a little more Western than its sisters; especially in the restaurants. The lobby is fairly pleasant, with a strong Emirati influence in the materials used such as marble, wood panelling and aluminium features. The lobby is fairly small s in most Rotanas and the reception desk can feel understaffed at check in/out times. The rooms are soon to follow a refurbishment too, so the photos that you will see accompanying this hotel profile are of the old rooms in the meantime. There is no spa here, as in all Rotana hotels, but there is a well-equipped Body Lines gym and a couple of massage rooms - massages must be booked in advance. The hotel also has a lovely pool area which is large enough to lounge around even when the hotel is full and all the guests are making the most of the pool. The roof top is very emblematic of Dubai as you are surrounded by skyscrapers as you sunbathe, being rocked to sleep by the car noise... Not the best place if you need time to unwind, but a good base if you want to be in the thick of the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

There are 360 rooms divided into four categories, although this is being reviewed as the rooms are undergoing refurbishment. However, at the time of our visit (February 2010), the rooms were fairly plain, decorated in pale blues and yellows or mint green. The rooms were however spacious and bright, all kitted out with flat screen televisions. The beech wood furniture was a little dated and the carpets and curtains did need to be changed. The suites were in dire need of a spruce up. All bathrooms have bath tubs and a bidet. As part of Rotana's water-saving scheme, there are cards encouraging guests to cut their water consumption. All category bathrooms will have l'Occitane amenities. There is cable connected internet access at a fee.

The hotel has five food and beverage outlets, including the star of the show, Teatro, which really took us aback. Fairly recently renovated, the restaurant is extremely lively. There is so much going on here, so many fun details that it is hard to take it all in at once. Since its opening it had proved to be very popular with in-house guests as well as with local residents. Teatro sets itself apart by offering 5 different cuisines, all in the same venue. Ranging from Japanese and Chinese to Indian and Italian as well as having an action kitchen, this restaurant offers a truly memorable, and satisfying, experience (6:00pm to 2:00am). Here the walls are covered in various portraits of famous film stars, there are fun details such as a giant glass bowl filled with wine corks and an open kitchen meaning guests can keep themselves entertained by watching the chefs milling around the kitchen. Teatro also has an impressive wine cellar that is definitely worth checking out for wine-fiends.

The second gem of the hotel is Flavours on Two, which has a different theme almost every night. A restaurant with an international all day dining menu offering buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner with the option of a la carte as well. The highlight lies in its fresh and contemporary, colourful décor. Flavours is very lovely in the evenings (6:00am to 11:30pm).

For a quick bite to eat, there is also Wraps, a typical European style café where you can enjoy Californian-style flour tortillas wrapped around a variety of fillings and then grilled fresh, hot and fast. Fresh salads and light snacks are also available throughout the day, as is an assortment of coffees, teas, cold drinks, pastries and cakes (open 24 hours).

There is also the Aquarius pool bar (10:00am to 7:00pm), and Long's Bar, which has a typical 'Raffles' look and as the name suggests, the hotel claims that it has the longest bar in the Middle East! It is also a great place for casual dining with many exciting promotions every night of the week featuring specialities from the Far East and a wide variety of theme nights. Be entertained by our resident DJ Kay Kay. Long's everything you need for a great night out (Noon to 3am).