- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Introduction
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Etihad Check-in & The Lounge JFK
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Etihad Airways First Class New York to Abu Dhabi
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Park Hyatt Dubai
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Exploring Dubai
- Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: InterContinental Abu Dhabi
- First look at the new Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Etihad Check-in & First Class Lounge Abu Dhabi
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Etihad Airways First Class Abu Dhabi to New York
- Etihad Airways to the UAE: Conclusion
As I mentioned in the intro, I had booked the Park Hyatt for 18,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points per night for my three night stay.
As I pulled up to the Park Hyatt I was immediately impressed, since it has a very secluded and understated feel to it, unlike most of the other overly-glitzy hotels in Dubai. At the door my bags were taken by one of the bellman, who directed me towards check-in.
Exterior
Once in the lobby I proceeded to check-in, which was efficient. The front desk agent had the bellman escort me to my room, given that it can be a fairly long and complicated walk to get to the rooms due to the design of the hotel. The bellman was from Kenya (as were most of them). One of the most interesting things about the UAE is that almost all of the “workers” are foreigners, so I loved interacting with them, finding out where they’re from, how they like Dubai, etc.
Lobby
Hallway
I was assigned room 2305, a Park Deluxe King, which is a one category upgrade. The hotel was sold out, so I was very pleased with the upgrade.
Room entrance
The room was the perfect size given that I was traveling alone, featuring a king bed, desk with chair, and two chairs with a table.
Park Deluxe King
Park Deluxe King
Desk
Sitting area
On the table was my Diamond welcome amenity, consisting of a bottle of wine, fruit, and some nuts.
Diamond welcome amenity
My room had a large balcony with a table overlooking Dubai Creek.
Balcony
As is the case with many of the Park Hyatts I’ve stayed at (I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence or by design), the bathroom was right behind the bedroom and “open,” making it a bit more spacious. It featured double sinks, a tub, large shower, and toilet. All the bath amenities were Blaise Mautin branded.
Bathroom
Tub
Bath amenities
Shower
The room also featured a small closet to the side of the bathroom.
Closet
One of the cool things about the Park Hyatt is that it’s not right in the center of Dubai, which is good, since it really is a retreat. The Park Hyatt is located in the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club complex, so you really feel like you’re relaxing at a resort in the middle of nowhere, as opposed to it only being a five minute drive from the center of the city. I don’t think there are many hotels in Dubai that can deliver that experience.
Hotel exterior
Walking towards Dubai Creek
The hotel also has a really nice pool. It’s not necessarily all that great for swimming due to its design, though it’s great for lounging by. I had a cold so never actually went for a swim, unfortunately.
Pool
As a Gold Passport Diamond member I was entitled to complimentary daily breakfast at Cafe Arabesque, which serves breakfast daily from 6:30AM till 11:00AM.
Cafe Arabesque
Cafe Arabesque
The restaurant features both an a la carte menu and buffet, so I could always enjoy the buffet (which is continental) and pick a hot option off the menu.
Menu
The buffet features every type of bread/pastry, fruit, cereal, cheese, and meat imaginable.
Buffet
Buffet
Buffet
Buffet
Breakfast, day one
Breakfast, day two — Turkish vegetable omelet
Breakfast, day three — vanilla waffles
One other thing worth mentioning is that the concierge was very helpful and always went above and beyond to help me get reservations. Beyond that, it’s also worth noting that the hotel has a fleet of Lexus sedans for hire. The first day I avoided taking them since I figured they’d be insanely expensive, though I quickly found out they really weren’t. A 15-20 minute ride cost about $10USD, which is a great bargain for an English speaking driver in a Lexus. Furthermore, you can charge that cost to the room, which is helpful too.
Anyway, my stay at the Park Hyatt was fantastic, and I highly recommend this hotel.
A tip for guests who aren't Diamond and considering the PH Dubai: it can be a bit difficult to get a reasonably priced breakfast at the PH Dubai. We ended up walking "across the street" (down the driveway and across a large intersection) to a mall that had a Paul bakery for a pastry and coffee.
I thought you were fAAbulous. You got the same room I did. LOL.
All workers are foreigners, and I'm not sure about those in the hospitality industry, but the construction workers are also slaves, so it wouldn't surprise me if those in the hospitality industry also are.
Is that breakfast really all you eat at a buffet? If so, how do you control yourself???
This is great thanks Ben. We are going to be going to Maldives via Abu Dhabi in the summer and are thinking of stopping over for 2-3 days en route. Would you recommend this place or the one in Abu Dhabi itself? Both seem quite accessible. We have been to Dubai before, but really it would just be to relax and break up the trip, and likely we'd spend most time around the hotel chilling (as best one can "chill" during UAE summer!)
Regarding foreign staff in Dubai, my ex trainer is Thai and worked in Dubai for a while. Basically, you're on a contract which gives you a place to live and pays you. The down side is that they hold on to your passport while you're there. A nice way of saying that "You'll leave when we decide you'll leave".
Great review! Even better that you figured out how to use the "read more" jump! ;)