At a structural height of 309 metres, the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel is the world's 4th-tallest all-hotel building. With its razor sharp edge and polished exterior that glistens in the desert sun it is also one of the most architecturally tasteful skyscrapers ever created. Since it opened back in 2000 the hotel tower and the slightly taller 54-floor Emirates Office Tower have dominated Sheikh Zayed Road’s skyline although recently the Burj Dubai has trumped it (along with every other building on the planet). Yet no matter how many other hotels try to compete with the Emirates Towers, it has always remained relevant and ahead of the competition in terms of both occupancy and customer loyalty and that is largely thanks to its pampering of all guests regardless of the purpose of their visit. Okay so the Emirates Towers may have been traditionally geared to work-trippers but these days the hotel is very much trying to appeal to the recreational traveller as well. Why is that? Possibly because you shouldn’t only appeal to a narrow market sector during tough times, and also because, simply put, this hotel does actually have what it takes to keep any type of visitor happy.
The public areas are both modern and welcoming in a restrained style that foregoes the razzle-dazzle of some of Dubai’s other properties. Instead the Emirates Towers embraces a more refined elegance. On the ground floor you will find the spacious and tranquil atrium lobby that serves as a busy meeting point for many of the city’s professionals. The hotel’s reception and concierge desks can also be found here although if you’ve booked an executive room you can check in at the Club Executive Lounge on level 42.
There are a number of classes of room available, from the more standard deluxe options to the extreme Royal Suite replete with its vast living areas and gold-encrusted sleeping quarters. Bespoke’s favourites are the Apex Suites but they’re not the be-all and end-all as all rooms are well equipped with TV’s, minibars, great beds and soft pillows. The regular rooms are pretty big, with attractive, dark wood tables, bright, soft furnishings, and panoramic views that’ll leave even those without vertigo a little breathless. Additionally you may like to know that every Emirates Towers room has a spacious work desk fitted with dual-line phones, voice mail and free Internet, which is a rare thing in this class of hotel.
The bathrooms feature large baths, shower stalls, dressing gowns, slippers and plenty of designer toiletries. Bang & Olufsen TVs, CD and DVD players, iPod-compatible stereos, and butler service are extra perks in Club Executive level rooms, which also provide access to the executive private lounge where you can sneak off to enjoy free breakfasts, all-day drinks and evening snacks. Should you want more variety there are more than a dozen other dining outlets within the hotel including Mediterranean, Japanese teppanyaki, Lebanese and steak house restaurants. A rooftop dining room and bar on the 50th floor serves up modern fusion cuisine with captivating views over Dubai that may just lead you to neglect your dinner companions.
If you are visiting the Emirates Towers as a family, you’ll be pleased to know you have access to the any of the other Jumeirah resorts free-of-charge. Therefore those that wish to visit one of the city’s best beaches can take a free shuttle to Al Qasr in Madinat Jumeirah. Younger guests can enjoy the complimentary access to the Wild Wadi water park near the Burj al Arab. Those that want to discover the barrage of high-end retail outlets at the base of the Emirates Towers can do so in the mall known as Boulevard. The men of the group simply must head down to the hotel’s male spa that offers masculine treatments and salon services. Here, you will find an oxygen lounge and flotation therapy pool as well as a traditional health club with fitness facilities, saunas, steam rooms and relaxation areas.
All in all the Jumeirah Emirates Towers is a rare establishment. Next April it will celebrate its first decade in business, and despite all the competition and the fact that it is located in a city that lives by the credo of newer being better, it is still very much jockeying for top position. At the end of the day class and service still beat bells and whistles.
