Trip GrapevineTop places, picked by travellers

Dubai · Hotel shortlist

Hotels that allow dogs in the city centre, Dubai

Talia Ben-Ari

Talia Ben-Ari Turkey, the Gulf and Egypt

Updated 1 September 2026 · 5 Dubai hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Dubai, out of the 5 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.8 down to 3.4.

Vida Creek Harbour is the one I would book myself.

Vida Creek Harbour

Highest rated of the five

Vida Creek Harbour

★★★★★4.8 from 8,827 reviews

Vida Creek Harbour comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.8 from 8,827 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 4 star property, found under city centre and around $175 a night on the dates we checked.

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
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze

Check rates Read more

All five, ranked

  1. Vida Creek Harbour1

    Vida Creek Harbour

    ★★★★★4.8 from 8,827 reviews

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

    Check rates Read more

  2. 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central2

    25hours Hotel Dubai One Central

    ★★★★★4.6 from 8,618 reviews

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

    Check rates Read more

  3. TRYP by Wyndham Dubai3

    TRYP by Wyndham Dubai

    ★★★★★4.5 from 8,829 reviews

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

    Check rates Read more

  4. Heartland Hostel Dubai4

    Heartland Hostel Dubai

    ★★★★★4 from 172 reviews

    • Restaurant
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Airport shuttle

    Check rates Read more

  5. Al Raien Hotel Apartments5

    Al Raien Hotel Apartments

    ★★★★★3.4 from 473 reviews

    • Restaurant
    • Bar
    • Parking
    • Kitchen
    • Pet friendly
    • Kid friendly

    Check rates Read more

How this list was put together

5 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.