Downtown Dubai

Rove Downtown

★★★★★

Rove Downtown is the answer to the question every budget-minded first-timer asks: can I stay near the Burj Khalifa without paying luxury prices? Rove is the playful midscale brand created by Emaar, Downtown's developer, and its Downtown hotel is one of its most popular, because it gives you the location and the view for a fraction of the cost of the towers by the lake. Rooms are compact and cleverly designed, around 26 square meters for the standard Rover Room, with good beds, rain showers, a work desk, fast Wi-Fi and bright, urban decor full of witty details; the Burj View rooms look straight at the tower, and the Gamer Cave room is set up for video-game fans. About a third of the rooms interconnect, which makes the hotel unusually practical for families. The outdoor saltwater pool is a highlight, with the Burj Khalifa visible from the deck, and the hotel adds the things that matter on a city trip: a 24-hour gym, a self-service laundromat, a convenience store, co-working spaces and free use of computers in the lobby, which doubles as a social space. Breakfast is served every morning, and the dining is casual rather than gourmet, which is fine with Downtown's restaurants on the doorstep. The Dubai Mall is under ten minutes away on foot, and the Dubai World Trade Centre is close by. It is not a luxury hotel and does not pretend to be: there is no spa, service is friendly but limited, and the rooms are snug. But for value and location it is one of the best deals in the city.

The address is Al Mustaqbal Street in Zabeel 2, on the Downtown side of the main highway, which means you are inside the district rather than across a motorway from it. The walk to the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa is short, though in the heat of summer even a ten-minute walk feels long, and taxis are cheap and quick for the short hop. The Dubai World Trade Centre and the towers of Sheikh Zayed Road are a few minutes away, and the metro is within reach for trips to the Marina or old Dubai.

Choosing a room: pay the small premium for a Burj View room if you can; waking up to the tower is half the fun. Families should request interconnecting rooms at booking. The rooms are designed for sleeping and getting ready rather than lounging, so plan to spend your days out. Rove takes part in Emaar's U By Emaar loyalty programme, and booking direct can bring small perks; the hotel also offers airport transfers for an extra charge.

Who it suits: first-timers on a budget who want to be close to the Burj and the fountain, young travellers and groups of friends who like a social lobby, and families who value interconnecting rooms over resort facilities. Who should look elsewhere: anyone wanting a beach, a spa or a luxury experience. Rove has other hotels around the city, including at Dubai Marina, JBR and in Deira, and the Downtown branch is the one to choose if the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall are the centre of your plan.