The welcome
We take advantage of Marriott’s mobile check-in by downloading the app and using it to inform the hotel when to expect us. When we arrive, the lobby is buzzing and there’s a line for check-in. We announce ourselves at a special, queue-free counter reserved for mobile check-ins. Our room has been assigned and the paperwork is ready for a signature. Since we’re running late for a dinner reservation, we ask to have our bags delivered to our room, where we find them waiting when we turn in for the evening.
The neighbourhood
The hotel is centrally located, adjacent to Business Bay and a few minutes from Dubai Mall.
The room
Walking into the room, it’s immediately clear that the desk is the hero of the space. It’s huge, inviting, well-lit and, unlike many other hotel desks, has room to spread out. In a hotel that caters to business travellers, it makes sense. Our room, in the new Tower B, is on the 53rd floor, with an expansive view of the city, stretching to the Gulf.
The service
The service is warm and friendly. Even in this bustling hotel, we’re made to feel welcome. At the buffet breakfast in Kitchen 6, where more than 1,000 people start their day, the chef at the Indian station strikes up a conversation with my travelling companion about her affinity for Indian breakfast. He later tracks us down at our table to see if we will be there the following morning and if we would like him to prepare anything special.
The scene
This is the tallest hotel in the world. The first rooms in the first tower opened in November 2012. This past March, the second tower began operating, with the final rooms having opened this month. I feared that this mammoth, 1,608-room property – which is now fully operational – would feel empty and impersonal. On the contrary – it creates its own little world. The restaurants (there are now nine to choose from), pool and lobby always seem to be busy, without being frantic. With 3.5 million square feet of space, we clock a lot of footsteps on our Fitbit pedometers as we move around the hotel.
The food
The only real problem with the food in this hotel is deciding where to eat. There are so many choices and they’re all terribly tempting. We loved the comfort of the Italian eatery Positano. The burrata with roasted capsicums (Dh55) was rich and creamy, but it was the gnocchi di ricotta (Dh130) that left us contemplating a return visit. We’re told the mascarpone cheese pasta with wild mushrooms, crispy bresaola and black truffle would melt in our mouths. It did. We also dined in the Middle Eastern restaurant Nawwara, where we sampled the experience menu (Dh180) that offered a tour of mezze, grills and saj. All of it was well prepared, but the sautéed chicken liver with pomegranate sauce was especially delightful.
Loved
The Signature Dead Sea Journey at the Saray Spa, with its salt scrub, mud wrap, saltwater soak and massage.
Hated
The traffic at the hotel’s entrance is manic, especially in the evenings.
The verdict
This hotel is ideal for business travel, but also as a weekend escape or a dining destination.
The bottom line
A sea-view room at the J W Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai (www.marriott.com; 04 414 0000) on Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, Dubai, costs from Dh1,300. To use the mobile check-in, download the Marriott International app.
lkoot@thenational.ae
Follow us @TravelNational
Follow us on Facebook for discussions, entertainment, reviews, wellness and news.
