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Dubai · Hotel shortlist

High end hotels in Bur Dubai

Talia Ben-Ari

Talia Ben-Ari Turkey, the Gulf and Egypt

Updated 1 August 2026 · 8 Dubai hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Dubai, out of the 8 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.9 down to 4.4.

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk is the one I would book myself.

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

Highest rated of the five

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

★★★★★4.9 from 20,626 reviews

Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.9 from 20,626 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 5 star property, found under Bur Dubai and around $177 a night on the dates we checked.

8 hotels in Dubai qualified for this list and five made it. DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square Hotel & Residences is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Poolsomewhere to cool off between walks
  • Spatreatment rooms on site, no booking a taxi for it
  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Restaurantdinner downstairs on the night you land
  • Bara drink without going back out

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All five, ranked

  1. Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk1

    Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk

    ★★★★★4.9 from 20,626 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

    Check rates Read more

  2. DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square Hotel & Residences2

    DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square Hotel & Residences

    ★★★★★4.8 from 12,020 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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  3. Grand Hyatt Dubai3

    Grand Hyatt Dubai

    ★★★★★4.6 from 17,351 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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  4. Westminster Dubai Mall وستمنستر دبى مول4

    Westminster Dubai Mall وستمنستر دبى مول

    ★★★★★4.5 from 1,938 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen

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  5. Marriott Executive Apartments Al Jaddaf, Dubai5

    Marriott Executive Apartments Al Jaddaf, Dubai

    ★★★★★4.4 from 232 reviews

    • Pool
    • Spa
    • Gym
    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking

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How this list was put together

8 Dubai hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

Talia Ben-Ari

Talia Ben-Ari Turkey, the Gulf and Egypt

Editing runs in intense blocks with real gaps between, and she fills the gaps by going somewhere with no plan. No itinerary, no bookings past the first night.

Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.