Downtown Dubai (Old Town Island)

Palace Downtown

★★★★★

Palace Downtown is the Downtown hotel for travellers who want the Burj Khalifa and the fountain without the glass-tower feel. It sits on Old Town Island at the edge of Burj Lake, directly across the water from the Dubai Mall, and it is built in a traditional Arabesque style, with sandstone-coloured walls, arches, lanterns, carved wood and courtyards that make it feel more like a palace than a city hotel. The views are the same as at its glossier neighbours: the Burj Khalifa rises across the lake and the fountain plays right in front of the terraces, and many of the rooms and suites face the tower. Inside, rooms combine Arabian touches, dark woods, rich fabrics and patterned details with modern comforts, and suites add space and lake views. The dining is a highlight. Thiptara, a Thai restaurant built out over the water, is one of the best places in Dubai to eat with the fountain in front of you, and it is popular with non-guests too, so book; Ewaan serves international and Middle Eastern dishes and the daily breakfast buffet, and the Buhayra lounge and Al Bayt offer drinks and lighter meals. The Spa offers a hammam, sauna, steam rooms and treatments in separate men's and women's areas, and a palm-fringed pool and fitness centre complete the picture. The Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Opera are all within walking distance across the lake promenades. It is a five-star hotel with five-star prices, but it delivers a more relaxed, romantic Downtown stay than the towers, and its fountain-side tables are among the best seats in the city.

Old Town Island is one of the most pleasant corners of Downtown: a low-rise enclave of Arabian-style buildings, shaded walkways and water, linked by footbridges to Souk Al Bahar and the Dubai Mall. Staying here puts you in the middle of the action while letting you step back from it. In the evening you can watch the fountain from the hotel terrace or the restaurant, then cross the bridge into the mall or walk round the lake to the Opera district for a show. The Burj Khalifa entrance is inside the mall, about ten to fifteen minutes on foot.

Choosing a room: the categories with Burj Khalifa and lake views are the ones to book, and they give a gentler, lower angle on the tower than the high-rise hotels, framed by palms and water. Suites are spacious and well suited to couples on a special trip. Families will find the pool calm and the hotel welcoming, though it lacks the big kids clubs of the resort hotels. Dining at Thiptara during the fountain shows is a reason to stay here, and a reason to visit even if you do not.

The honest trade-offs: the hotel's traditional style will not suit travellers who want sleek minimalism, the walk to the metro is longer than from hotels with a direct mall link, and like everywhere in Downtown it has no beach. Rates peak in the cool season and around New Year, when the Burj fireworks fill the area. For couples, anniversary trips and anyone who wants Downtown's best views with a sense of place, it is our favourite address on the lake.