Hotel insider: JA Ocean View Hotel, Dubai

Checking in to the JA Ocean View Hotel on The Walk in JBR.

A room at JA Ocean View Hotel in Dubai. Courtesy JA Hotels & Resorts

The welcome

We’re greeted by the concierge, who grabs our luggage and shows us towards the reception area. Inside, we can smell the food coming from the French-style brasserie, Le Rivage, on the ground floor. We notice the beautiful white spiral staircase and dangling lights leading up to the first floor. The lobby is moderately busy. While I wait, my guests disappear to check out the rest of the hotel, including the 24-hour Caffe Via.

The neighbourhood

The 25-storey hotel opened in 2012, and is located towards the end of The Walk in JBR, surrounded by many shops and restaurants. It’s near a cluster of other hotels in the area and almost directly across from Bluewaters, a development project that will host the Dubai Eye when completed. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle bus to the Gold Souq as well as other attractions in the city, such as Dubai Mall and the Heritage Village. There’s a tram station nearby, plus plenty of taxis available for those looking to get into the city quicker.

The scene

There seems to be something for everyone. The crowd is a mix of families to younger travellers to older couples. During the day, there are activities for children in the kids’ club, while towards the evening, the area near the infinity pool turns into a restaurant and shisha lounge offering a belly-dancing show. Tr!beca and Girders attract crowds, while there’s also the Penthouse 25 bar and lounge on the top floor. A lift next to the pool goes down to the beach area below. There’s also a spa, plus a gym that offers the country’s only Speedflex fitness class (Dh805 for one-month membership).

The room

The hotel has 342 rooms in five different room types. Our suite is a nice size and on the 20th floor. It comes with a balcony, which offers an impressive view of the beach outside. The decor of blue, green, and white complement the view of the water outside. The blue couch also doubles as a sofa bed. The bathroom is a decent size, and the 47-inch TV offers 100 channels in English and Arabic. Guests staying in a suite also receive access to the Club Lounge on the 24th floor, which comes with its own perks, including afternoon snacks and complimentary tea, coffee, juice and water throughout the day.

The service

Not bad. Staff are friendly and attentive when you need them.

The food

We have breakfast on the 24th-floor lounge, with a view of the water. The area is quiet and relaxed. Fresh juices are available, as well as a station to make omelettes or pancakes. For lunch, we head pool side and are offered a small menu of sandwiches and starters. I get the Napa chicken wrap (Dh55) which comes with sweet potato fries. For dinner, we head to Tr!beca, on the first floor. The starters and desserts aren’t anything special, but the real treat is the main course. The chef’s pot pie (Dh120) is delicious. I can’t get enough of the mix of pulled lamb, spicy pilau curry rice, banana, pineapple and raisin.

Loved

The location and view. Also, the sofa beds (which are in all the rooms).

Hated

I’m not a fan of shortened glass walls in shower tubs. I enjoy a little more privacy and less water mess.

The verdict

A great place with good value for those who want to be near the beach.

The bottom line

Superior sea view rooms at the JA Ocean View Hotel (www.jaresortshotels.com) cost from Dh396 per night during Ramadan, including taxes.

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