For sure it was all very pleasant but I've spent time in plenty of other equally comfortable hotels costing $50 a night, often even less. In fact, in January this place was way better and cost a fraction of what Dubai's finest charge.
But what you (or, in my case, the company) are paying for are 5 star facilities plus location. In other words, snob value, and there was certainly an abundance of noses stuck firmly skywards. The good thing about it all is that money attracts attractive women and so there was a wide variety of eye candy on offer, all colours of the human rainbow represented, magnified in my view by months spent in the veiled female wastelands of the sand.
The place where I stayed - the Jumeirah Beach, see above - boasts five swimming pools; 16 restaurants; a disco out in the sea; an English pub; a conference hall; a shopping plaza; a spa and gym; sports facilities galore; a private beach; a dive centre; an army of smiling Asian staff; a marina for your yacht; not forgetting Sinbad’s Kids Club with attached Wild Wadi water park and no doubt other stuff that I didn't come across.
The only thing it didn't seem to provide was a minibar in the room, and if it did, I never found it. For those prices I do feel that at least one complimentary bottle of Scotch should have been included.
What's on offer :-
Reviewed 1 week ago
Used to love the place. Went for a buffet. Looked like a school canteen. One of the restaurants even had a tour group for dinner.
“Dubai Hotel” by Bob S, Manchester, UK
Reviewed February 4, 2014
For a 7 star hotel I thought it was a 2 star hotel, the food was terrible. I found that my themed meal was as average as my local pub. I am very sorry to the staff which I have to say was a brilliant experience but the woman behind the main desk accused my wife of stealing the towels.
“Stay away!!!!” by Joop61, Tehran
Reviewed October 9, 2011
After a wonderful 8 days in Jumairah Beach Hotel, in Beit al Bahar, the stay in Burj al Arab was a total disappointment. The smiles are fake. The people are rude and everything is shabby and worn off. The bed actually did smell!!!!!
So the moral of the story is that you don't really get what you pay for.