Editor’s Reviews – Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach
The Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach is located on “The Walk” in one of Dubai’s most vibrant districts. Close to the Arabian Gulf and its glorious beaches, the Hotel is a short walk from “The Beach” shopping mall, chic restaurants, high-end shops and an outdoor cinema. The 5-Star hotel is award-winning, having won accolades at the World Luxury Hotel Awards, including the Luxury Honeymoon Hotel for the Middle East and the UAE’s Luxury Eco/Green Hotel and Luxury Gourmet Hotel.
On arrival, we were warmly greeted into the vast contemporary lobby, with marble floors, ornate lighting, leather bound seating, a floor to ceiling water wall feature and full sized palm trees. To the right side of the lobby is a patisserie counter and to the rear an elegant jewellery shop. On check in we were given a complimentary drink whilst being talked through the full range of facilities available, including executive lounge, fitness suite and spa.
We were shown up to our room on the twentieth floor; it was an Executive Suite with balcony views over the Arabian Gulf and the Palm Jumeirah. At 70 square meters, there was certainly no shortage of space. On entering the air-conditioned room, we were confronted by a small bar area complete with counter, stools, fridge with a varied selection of beverages, different types of glassware, ice bucket, confectionary, nespresso machine and tea making facilities. This was a very welcome sight after an 8 hour flight. The suite itself is split into two distinct rooms. The first, was a lounge area, but big enough to contain beds and act as a second bedroom. There is a seating area with coffee table and floor standing light, adjacent to the doors out onto the balcony. The table came adorned with a bowl of fresh fruit and a beautiful sculpture of white, milk and dark chocolate. There was an ingenious writing desk with built-in folding mirror to turn it into a vanity desk. For entertainment, there was a wall mounted LCD television, stereo and smartphone docking station.
Through a set of folding partition doors, was the main bedroom, dominated by a large comfortable king bed. Again, there were doors out to a seating area on a balcony with views over the Gulf. The room was equipped with bedside lamps and reading lights and amenities included a safe, hairdryer, ironing facilities, flat-screen television, DVD player and complimentary high-speed WiFi.
The en-suite bathroom was beautifully designed with a tile and marble finish with polished chrome accessories. There was a separate bathtub, a walk-in rainforest shower, toilet and sink with large lit vanity mirror. The bathroom was completed with downlights and speaker system from the television and large wardrobe.
We were fortunate to arrive on a Friday, fortunate because this coincided with the Brunch served in the hotels’ The Talk Restaurant. It is truly an amazing experience for anyone who enjoys culinary delights. The selection on offer covers fresh cuisine from all four corners of the globe. So whether your preference is Indian, Thai, Arabic or Italian or sushi, roast or barbecue – there is something for you (and plenty of it). There are open kitchens to observe live cooking and a cocktail bar with extensive menu. A highlight for many will be the dessert room. An entire “chilled” room dedicated to desserts. Outside is further seating for dining and also a small buffet set out for children of burgers, sandwiches and cakes. A wonderful addition designed to ensure all family members can take part in this dining experience. Adjacent to this ‘al fresco’ dining area is a play area for the children and bouncy castle – providing they have not over-indulged, and also provides a nice area for adults to relax after eating.
As well as the Friday Brunch, The Talk restaurant also holds different ‘Theme’ nights ranging from BBQ or seafood nights, to Swiss & German, French or Asian. Apart from the Talk restaurant, the Movenpick also has the New York Soul restaurant where you can order some wonderful familiar food with a touch of class, including Cheese Steak sandwiches, homemade pizzas, braised beef short-ribs or lobster Mac & Cheese, which can be washed down with one of the signature cocktails or a bottle from the extensive wine list. For the sports lover, there is the West Beach Bistro & sports lounge, where you can catch up with all the days sporting action, settle down for some traditional pub fair, or take part in the weekly quiz.
The Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach has a superb pool area. Where space is at a premium, the pool is situated over the top of road on ‘The Walk’. Unless you are enlightened, you would not know that there is moving traffic meters under where you are having a swim, such is the sound-proofing. The pool is a sun-trap in the afternoon, with a towel service, bar and food, loungers and seating under gazebos. If the beach is more your scene, the golden sand on the Arabian Gulf is only a couple of hundred metres away and the hotel provide its own beach service, where you can make use of towels, beach mats and parasols.
The hotel boasts a fully equipped gym, which overlooks the pool, sauna and steam rooms, if you feel the need for a workout. But, if you rather take a more laid-back approach, the hotels’ wellness centre offers a variety of treatments from massages, facials and manicures to a selection of packages put together to cover a total relaxation experience.
With the room, we had complimentary access to the Executive Lounge, which was an absolute delight. The staff throughout the hotel were impeccable, but in the lounge, they were outstanding. They responded to all requests, no matter how simple or unusual, with haste and always with a smile. The Lounge has a terrace area overlooking the Gulf and the Palm in the distance and you can enjoy breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapes or a nightcap. The canapes in particular were delicious and evening drinks overlooking the lights from The Palm were a perfect way to end each day.
The 294 room Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach oozes class and is beautifully presented. It is a truly wonderful place to stay. The staff are an absolute pleasure and were extremely helpful in every aspect of our stay.