We know we shouldn’t be excited about another new hotel opening, but come on, this is Dubai. The W Dubai is now welcoming guests at Al Habtoor City on Shaikh Zayed Road. With 365 guest rooms and suites, the 33-storey property will have five food and beverage outlets, according to a media statement. It is one of three hotels at the complex, including the St Regis Dubai and the yet-to-open Westin Dubai.
With design led by Singapore-based firm Silverfox Studios, the property has reportedly been inspired by Shaikh Zayed Road’s constant movement, with bright colours, rhythmic lines and contemporary technology.
“W Dubai promises contemporary lifestyle experiences that upend the unexpected and boldly express the city’s constant lust for life,” says Peter Katusak-Huzsvar, W Dubai – Al Habtoor City General Manager. “The hotel will also reinforce Dubai’s reputation as a city of life, bringing new and exciting opportunities from the world of fashion, music and design to global travellers and local trendsetters.”
It is the brand’s second property in the Gulf, after the W Doha, which opened in 2009. Four new openings are planned, including hotels in Abu Dhabi, Amman and Muscat. Here’s a quick look at what to expect from the new hotel.
Cheap for the price
The summer opening also marks the launch of the W brand in Dubai, and of course the hotel has a special opening rate: Dh899++ per room, per night. This includes early check-in from 12 noon and late check-out until 5pm, complimentary welcome beverage upon arrival, breakfast and WiFi access. Be warned though: although you’ll have floor-to-ceiling windows in your room, they’re all open-plan areas that extend from bathroom to bedroom. Bookings can be made at the website, Wdubaialhabtoorcity.com.
You check in on the 30th floor
One of the tallest new towers off the Business Bay area, the new W directly fronts Shaikh Zayed Road. Guests checking in will be “whisked up 30 floors” to the W Lounge, which is billed as a reinterpretation of the traditional hotel lobby. We’re not sure why we still need a check-in desk in the age of smartphones, but we’ll tell you more once we’ve been. Which brings us to…
Your phone is your room key
21st-century technology is at play in one area at least. There’s no need to fumble with key cards, or queue at the front desk for your old-school room key. As part of the Starwood group, the hotel’s offers its SPG Keyless entry technology, enabling guests to use their smartphone or wearable technology as a room key to access rooms with a simple swipe of their device. Of course, you need the SPG app for that.
Top views of the Dubai’s new canal
But you don’t need an app for drinks. With the fifth phase of the Dubai Water Canal, which turns Bur Dubai into an island, set to be finished in September, the winter months are going to be a delightful time to check out all the final action, as it happens. Sky bars are a thing in Dubai, and the W’s will sit on the 30th floor. Book your seats for the inauguration now.
Eat in a marketplace
This being Dubai, you want to know about food. On the restaurant front, the hotel opens with Level Seven, a Mediterranean-inspired venue with theatrical open kitchens and chef tables. It’s inspired by a daily market and features seasonal produce, but rather scarily, is being described as a casual, yet social hotspot. We’re not quite sure we want to be sociable in an upscale market, but it will host its first brunch this Eid Al Fitr, according to its Facebook page.
Phased openings
But good things come to those who wait, and as is all the rage nowadays, the hotel will open different areas over the next few months. In July, the property opens Namu, its destination dining venue, which will serve up “original and decisive dishes” that mix Japanese and Korean flavours. We can’t wait.
