You must be wondering why we think the Ritz-Carlton would be your home in Dubai? Situated right at the end of the strip of Jumeirah Beach Residences (JBR), the Ritz-Carlton is quite an iconic and historic immense property compared to any of other hotels along the water that will make you feel like you are owning a palace. With such beautiful garden and open spaces, you could easily forget you are surrounded by the busy shops and other tourists walking on The Beach, the name of the outside mall strip by Meraas Group. The Ritz on JBR will be celebrating its 20 year anniversary later this 2018, which is absolutely not to miss!
If you are planning a vacation in Dubai and want to stay around the JBR/Marina side without the hassle of the Palm Jumeirah traffic, the Ritz-Carlton Dubai is the hotel you should totally be considering. In saying that, some nights, the JBR area can be quite a traffic nightmare but as being at one end of the strip, you will be surviving the delays!
Where is the Ritz-Carlton Dubai Located?
One of the top picked areas to stay as a visitor in Dubai is the Marina and beach region called JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence), more South of Dubai to the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab iconic 7 star hotel. In JBR you will find a perfect mix of white sand beach plus plenty of shopping and dining outlets in the surrounding areas. There are regular performances on the sidewalks and there has just been a new boutique cinema within the strip. There are plenty of places for the adults to have a brunch if you fancy something away from the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton is located few minutes walk from this area. Although, the downside of this beach is definitely water that is less clear that in the Northern part of Dubai and construction sites around that can potentially obstruct the nice views.
How to get around
You will be walking along the JBR strip if you feel like discovering the neighbourhood. To go see landmarks, you will need to catch and Uber or Careem (the local Uber company), but also taxis are available easily if you want to go anywhere further. The Big Bus tours drive right past the hotel so it is easy to just get on at that station. Tram and Metro station are not too far of a walk away giving you cheap and fast access to other parts of Dubai, but depending on how you like to travel, we recommend you to always take car transport in Dubai to save time.
Dining at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai
Breakfast at your stay at the Ritz will be very complete and customized. If you are gluten free or vegan, the chefs will make sure to cook something custom for you upon request. Pork options are available if you want to have your dose of daily bacon!
The afternoon tea crafted for men really grabbed our attention. It is called the Gentlemen’s Afternoon Tea which Mitch experienced when we first arrived. This is a whiskey flight full of samples, mini burgers, tuna tartare, and other meaty goodies. This was staying away from the traditional scones and coffee. We also experienced the traditional afternoon tea and was also pleasantly full.
Booking any Club Level rooms at the Ritz-Carlton will give you full access to the Club Lounge privileges. For business and busy travellers such as ourselves, this club access is absolutely a must. For couples that like their privacy, having access to this area is a plus for the great personal concierge service additionnaly to many food presentations throughout the day.
Club Level food and beverage “menu”
- American breakfast: 7-11 AM
- Light Lunch: 12-2 PM
- Afternoon Tea: 2:30-4:30 PM
- Hors d’oeuvres: 5-8 PM
- Chocolates: 8-10 PM
We were also treated to a food masterclass at the Blue Jade restaurant, located just off the main foyer. Walking in we were not sure what to expect but the design looked really fancy and gave away it was an Asian theme. And what do you know? The head chef was Vietnamese, so we knew we were going to be eating well tonight! We didn’t know prior but Blue Jade had previously been named best SouthEast Asian restaurant by TimeOut Dubai! Over the course of the evening we indulged on dim sums, grilled duck rolls and other tasty asian treats.
We couldn’t recommend more the unlimited dim sum options, you order it and they just keep coming all night with beverages as well. 250AED! What a great way to spend a night!
Facilities at Ritz-Carlton Dubai
We love our fitness so we headed to the Fitness area first! It is a neat area, not too big but has a very wide range of quality equipment. It also has a fitness room for private classes. We took a class and did a hybrid class of yoga and pilates, perfect for a cripple like Mitch and ultra flexible Thuymi.
The Ritz has four tennis courts to use and six pools to swim in, so you will have plenty to enjoy!
We had to try out the spa facilities here as we had heard the Arabia Felix treatment was the one to try. The Felix treatment uses Dead Sea Salt and Camel’s Milk. It is a full body massage his rich essential oils (and oils that you get to choose). Needless to say that after the massage we were on cloud 9!! For 60 mins of absolute bliss will cost you 760 AED or (~206$US). The spa facilities have 12 spa treatment rooms and relaxation areas to chill out before and after your massage.
Rooms at Ritz Carlton Dubai
We stayed in the One Bedroom Club Suite which was located on the first floor. Usually this would not be an optimal room but this room worked so well. We were right next to the lounge so we could go and get food whenever we wanted. The room itself was enormous (90sqm). For only 2 people this was more than enough space. The room is modern and has a massive entertainment system, dining table, walk in wardrobe, couches (many) and a double shower! The bathroom area was well lit and super spacious.
We found prices for this room from 990 AED (~270$US), but we recommend checking out Booking.com and Agoda to see if you can beat them.
Sustainability at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai
When we visit hotels like this we are constantly on the lookout for signs of poor environmental practice and areas that need improvement. The rooms at the Ritz has many environmentally friendly options like glass bottles (although there were still some plastic bottles), options to not switch your linen and bedding and with automatic light switches turning off once you leave the room. We like a hotel that is as forward thinking with environmental issues like the Ritz Carlton. They also have their own Community Footprints program which is dedicated to solving issues in whatever region the hotel is based.
How was our experience?
It was great to be in Dubai for this type of luxury but it felt like we were in a totally different country, and this is a great feeling. It is a humongous property which is something so rare in Dubai that you could walk around on long lawns and stroll along your own private beach. With the six pools you can get away from screaming kids and find your own little piece of heaven. And we haven’t even spoke about the majestic beauty and design of the interior. Like all Ritz-Carlton hotels, the service is exceptional and always used our first names when walking through the foyers. That in itself is a special feeling and really made the experience more enjoyable.
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