Arrival/Check-In: The Oberoi Dubai, which opened in June 2013, is the storied Indian hotelier’s first and only property in the United Arab Emirates. The hotel is determined to make a dazzling first impression. To that end, Oberoi transferred 100 of its best, most remarkable Indian employees to Dubai in preparation for its grand opening. I arrived after 1 a.m. after a long connecting flight from New York and was greeted by a smiling team in the lobby (they were expecting me), along with my personal “floor butler” who escorted me to my room. She cheerfully advised that she was available 24/7 for whatever I might need — a unique perk available to all guests. A plate of scrumptious homemade chocolates in the room offered the perfect (very) late-night snack.
Guest Quarters: The hotel’s 252 spacious guestrooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows that offer spectacular views of the city’s skyline, rapidly transforming as Dubai continues to grow at a breakneck pace. The city’s development speaks both to its ongoing emergence as a key player in the global economy and its preparations to host World Expo 2020 — the first time the event will be held in the Middle East in its history. Many guestrooms and suites overlook the Burj Khalifa, an awe-inspiring emblem of the city that, at 163 stories, is the tallest skyscraper in the world.
I stayed in a sunny, generously proportioned deluxe room that overlooked the hotel’s oasis-like infinity pool. The décor was decidedly and elegantly modern, accented with bold bursts of color, hand-tufted rugs and specially commissioned artworks. My king-sized bed was a welcome ally in my battle against jet lag, induced by a nine-hour time difference, and the room was absolutely quiet, day and night. The separate seating area offered the ideal place to enjoy impeccable room service, and the huge bathroom with its double vanities, freestanding tub and spacious shower felt like a luxurious in-room spa.
Services/Amenities: The hotel has three restaurants. Nine7One, located on the lower level, is open 24 hours and deftly serves a range of global cuisines — from Lebanese to Japanese to French — in a tranquil, welcoming setting. The daily breakfast buffet presented a veritable smorgasbord of tasty delights, brimming with Western, Middle Eastern and Indian specialties and some of the best croissants and baguettes outside of Paris. The hotel’s contemporary Pan Asian restaurant, Umai, serves a wide range of Chinese, Thai, Indonesian and Japanese cuisine; at dinner, a “Kung Fu tea master” wielded a sleek teapot outfitted with a two-foot-plus, tapered spout with incredible dexterity, much to my table’s amusement and delight. Ananta, the Indian specialty restaurant, boasts a show kitchen with traditional tandoors and specializes in North Indian signature dishes, as well as a daily selection of Indian coastal specialties.
The Lobby Bar was a soothing, candlelit venue ideal for unwinding after an exhilarating afternoon exploring the desert that surrounds the city; the specialty cocktails are made to order with fresh fruit, and an extensive cigar selection is available.
Located on the hotel’s third floor, The Oberoi Spa, comprising seven therapy rooms, is the first and only 24-hour spa in Dubai. The atmosphere, complete with complimentary juices and wafting incense, is appropriately Zen-like, and the signature Oberoi Massage I enjoyed there was literally the best I’ve ever had.
The Experience: Truly exceptional service, to me, is manifested in deeply personal gestures. When I was coughing in the lobby one day, an employee of the hotel who happened to be walking by stopped and asked if I was ill; I apologized and said I’d picked up a stubborn cold weeks before. Later that morning, I returned from the spa to find no fewer than five people bustling around in my room; the lovely woman in charge told me they were giving my already spotless sanctuary an extra cleaning to ensure there wasn’t a molecule of dust that might exacerbate my cough. Fifteen minutes later, she knocked on my door with a steaming pot of tea, explaining it was a special blend that her mother made for her whenever she was sick. The next evening, the housekeeper left two packs of cough drops on the coffee table during turn-down service, with a handwritten note telling me to feel better. Every single employee I encountered during my stay effortlessly exuded this level of kindness and genuine eagerness to please. Judging by this stunning new outpost, it’s no wonder Oberoi Hotels & Resorts has long been, and squarely remains, in a class by itself.
GT CHECKLIST
- Doorman/valet
- Less than 10 minutes for check-in
- Separate tub and shower
- Double vanities
- High-quality towels
- Powerful, unattached hair dryer
- High-quality bed linens
- Large, flat-screen television
- Large desk with convenient outlets
- Complimentary laptop safe
- Complimentary in-room WiFi
- Complimentary bottled water
- Stocked minibar
- Ample lighting
- In-room coffeemaker
- Iron and ironing board
- On-site restaurant and bar
- 24-hour room service
- 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center
- Turn-down service
The Oberoi, Dubai
The Oberoi Centre
Business Bay (Burj Area)
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
tel 971 4 4441444
oberoihotels.com
Read This Next
Lotte Hotel Seoul
2014 / February 2014
Jun 1, 2016All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All

Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Dec 7, 2023Why Sun-Splashed Mazatlán, Mexico, Attracts Digital Nomads
Mazatlán, Mexico, has long been an attractive home destination for Canadian and American retirees, but, in recent years, young, digital nomads have also discovered the charms of this coastal city, finding inexpensive accommodations, beautiful weather and plenty of bandwidth for working remotely. The laid-back beach scene definitely eases the transition of relocating to Mexico’s West Coast.
Sponsored Content
A New Perspective on Incentive Travel
Incentive travel has long been a way for organizations to drive sales and reward employees with opulent trips to exotic destinations. Today it encompasses even more.
December 2023
Dec 7, 2023Global Traveler Announces the Winners of the 2023 Outstanding Diversity & Inclusion in Travel Awards
For its third year, Global Traveler awards the airline, cruise line and hotel brand best representing diversity, equity and inclusion within the travel industry. Over the past year Global Traveler analyzed many airlines, cruise lines and hotel brands to determine which companies prove most committed to changing the world through diversity and inclusion.
December 2023
Dec 7, 2023Enduring Excellence: Global Traveler Honors the Winners Achieving Top Status, Year After Year
The highly anticipated GT Tested Reader Survey has more reason to celebrate in 2024 than ever before. This year marks the 20th anniversary of our GT Tested Reader Survey awards, with many of the winning brands earning milestone accolades for years of dedicated and consistent service.
Sponsored Content
Hit the High Notes in Nashville
Nashville’s once-modest skyline continues to evolve as its luxury market grows. Lavish hotel properties are added to the landscape while acclaimed chefs stake claim in the robust culinary scene and premier cultural offerings round out the city’s repertoire.
December 2023
Dec 7, 2023Global Traveler Celebrates the Winners of the 20th Annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards
As another phenomenal year of travel comes to an end, it’s time, as always, for Global Traveler to celebrate and award those who do it best as we announce the 2023 winners of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards. But that's not the only cause for celebration here: We've hit another major milestone, as this marks our 20th year honoring the best of the best inn world of travel!
eFlyer News
Dec 6, 2023First Carbon-Positive Hotel in United States Comes to Denver in 2024
Next summer, Denver, Colorado, becomes home to the country’s first carbon-positive hotel. The 13-story Populus features 265 modern guestrooms, a ground-floor restaurant, café, flexible meeting spaces, and signature rooftop restaurant and bar. Architecture is designed by Studio Gang, with interiors envisioned by Wildman Chalmers Design.
Sponsored Content
The Ultimate Itinerary in The Islands of Tahiti
The Islands of Tahiti are among the most beautiful and sought-after vacation destinations in the world. The endless images of overwater bungalows with Bora Bora’s majestic peak towering over waters of every shade of blue have an intrinsic pull. But with 118 islands and atolls to explore, there is so much more to this spectacular region of the Pacific.
eFlyer News
Dec 6, 2023Study Reveals Least Reliable Airports in United States in 2023
Private jet charter service Jettly recently conducted an extensive study to find the most and least reliable U.S. airports in 2023. Analyzing the total number of delays, cancellations and diversions from more than 390 U.S. airports provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the results saw the least reliable airports span all corners of the country.
ShareThis