Review: St. Regis Dubai Polo Club

The master bathroom was connected to the bedroom,

*bathroom

I like your even-handed description of the pomp; there is this annoying, condescending practice of Caucasian men to congratulate themselves if they like (or say they like) Muji hotels or late Aalto design and to dismiss this here as bad taste, rather than recognizing that it's just different.

As similar inland Gulf hotels, this one has indeed a multipurpose function as you surmise, but I can easily see that during "free" periods, it will nicely be full. I personally don't like the horsy design, but well, the Polo name amply warns one of that.)

looks like another arab money laundering project lol

Huh??

The Habtoor family, who own the resort, are big polo supporters both as participants and patrons. It’s a pet project of there’s that also provides Dubai with somewhere to host top level polo events. So perhaps not 100% commercially driven but not a white elephant. Will also no doubt ultimately be used as an anchor for much wider residential development, which will recover additional costs.

So 4 important questions:

1) What did you spend your $100 credit on? You didn't say.

2) You implied restaurant prices were expensive, but never said the prices.

3) Was it warm enough for swimming and sunbathing?

4) How did you get from the hotel to the airport? Uber? If so, how much?

I stayed here in December, for approx the same reasons, long layover in DXB. I booked the Amex FHR rate which was about the same too... and, I got EXACTLY the same room 118–weird!

I found the staff great, but a little green. I ate in the arabic restaurant and I thought it was pretty darn good, but dinner for 1 used almost all the $100 credit. (I had a starter, main and 2 beers.)

I also loved the staff uniforms were polo themed too. But the emptiness was certainly a bit strange, had a one flew over the cuckoo's nest feel.

The only annoying part for me was that the fire alarm was mistakenly set off in the middle of the night. I mentioned it at checkout when they asked if anything could be better, and they just shrugged in response which seemed lacking.

I'd stay here again for similar reasons but not if I wanted to actually visit anything in Dubai.

wow. nice, but a bit too far from everything.

Royal families, not family. There are seven Emirates which make up the UAE with each of them controlled by a different family. Thanks to nothing more than birth, makes for a who bunch of self important people.

@SullyofDoha - If you want to split hairs, there are actually only 6 ruling families in the UAE, as the Qasimi family are rulers in both Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah (although different branches of the family).

The Maktoums (Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid) rule in Dubai, the Nahyans (Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed) in Abu Dhabi, the Nuamis in Ajman (Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid), the Sharqis in Fujairah (Sheikh Hamad bin Mohamed), the Al Muallas in UAQ (Sheikh Saud bin Rashid) and the Qasimis in Sharjah (Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad) and RAK (Sheikh Saud bin Saqr).

"The 'hotel' had a huge, lovely balcony" 

*suite

"The conditions (that the workers in Dubai) find themselves in are very close to slavery, it's certainly indentured servitude .....and when you look a the deception that's involved in getting them to the UAE in the first place, the lawyer at Human Rights Watch said it certainly looks like a trafficking network. I think it falls just short of slavery but only just. You know it's pretty depressing seeing western companies and tourists....flock there and still see it and describe it and see it as this paradise in the middle east ignoring what's right under their nose " Journalist Ben Anderson on Dubai https://youtu.be/-MJS1ijshHA?t=18s

So the former vegetarian feels bad seeing kid goat being eaten but is happy to eat caviar. Caviar which is harvested by slashing open sturgeon, while sitting in his leather seats. Hypocrisy much?

You go to an Argentinian steakhouse to eat fish? really?

Ai ai ai....

@ schar +1 !

I’m always surprised by the different things people like. For me “Hell is other people”, so the emptiness of this hotel looks completely blissful. Whereas the Swiss W praised elsewhere on this blog sounds ghastly - constant noise of traffic and, for God’s sake, “discos”. Ugh.

Then again, the lumpen architecture of this hotel is a huge disappointment. I’m not a big fan of bling but, done right, it can be ok or even fun - but those in-room dining chairs look wretchedly uncomfortable, and the horse-y “art” looks like something out of a catalogue. Pity.

I stayed in Crowne Plaza festival city in Dubai. It was certainly busier but I agree that it seemed near deserted by the pool and at breakfast. The food was worse and there was less choice. However, from the view and the room, I would certainly return there given the option.

This is definetely the lucky 'red carpet' treatment and not normal.

The rooms at this place are cramped, dirty and with shoddy workmanship. I have photos of bathroom equipment falling apart and broken tiles caulked together. Read the trip advisor reviews - the Habtoor brand has bungled both St Regis properties in Dubai and the suite above is not representative of a normal stay.

Hotel has major issues which management are FULLY aware of. Others be warned.

I stayed at this property in Nov (also had rooms 118 and 120). Completely deserted. Obviously the hotel is open way too early (possible vanity project) but there is a ton of development going on along the east/west highway south of the city (think Orlando... they are building multiple amusement parks and attractions). Whenever that stuff is up and running this will be the only 5* hotel remotely close to it. Hopefully, they can drum up their convention business etc at some point also. But if you don't care about being super close to downtown, this hotel is a steal.

@Lucky - Out of curiosity, when will you be posting the review of Emirates new First Class?

Why isn't one or more of the major hotel groups developing properties at the airport? There's only one rather dodgy HIE in close proximity and further to the dreary SPG (Fairview or something). Nothing is adjacent and that strikes me as odd given the huge number of overnighters. I don't get why it's not a priority rather than the proliferation of these middle of the desert things.

I have an upcoming stay at this property and the reviews go from terrible to terrific. There seems to be no where in between.

Also why is everyone getting assigned room 118? That’s bizarre.

I stayed here recently, also in room 118- strange? The hotel too far away from Dubai. They need a shuttle bus to Dubai and back then i would maybe be back, until then i shall no be coming back.