Review: Sheraton Grand Dubai hotel – what is a ‘new style’ Sheraton like?

This is our review of the Sheraton Grand hotel in Dubai.

This is the second review in our ‘HfP in Dubai’ series. You can find out review of the W Dubai – The Palm here.

It is one of the first six Sheratons to feature the new Sheraton style which aims to modernise and inject a bit of style in a brand that has otherwise become a bit boring and ‘beige’.

The hotel opened in 2015 in a purpose built high rise but was refurbished in 2019 as a pathfinder for the new style.

The Sheraton Grand is 54 stories high, with 474 guest rooms as well as almost 200 serviced apartments.

Location

The Sheraton Grand in Dubai is located on Sheikh Zayed Road which runs right through the city:

It is just opposite the Dubai World Trade Centre, a short walk from the metro and just a few stops from Dubai Mall / Burj Khalifa. It is also just 15 minutes or so from Dubai International Airport, making it a good base for anyone who needs to be on that side of the city.

Check-in

I arrived around 10pm after my flight into Dubai. Porters are on hand to help with luggage when you arrive. The lobby was actually pretty lively at that time, I guess because it was the weekend.

It is a nice space with a range of casual seating:

Plus a hot desking area:

There is a little coffee bar on the left.

There are three check-in desks. Two were occupied with staff dealing with what appeared to be difficult customers but the third was quickly staffed to deal with my check-in and the process was quick and smooth.

I was given a Club Twin Room on the 27th floor.

The room

Whilst the lifts aren’t the fastest, the corridors were nicely styled when stepping out:

The room itself is set up in a fairly standard hotel configuration. This is what you see when you enter:

The wardrobe is on the left hand side, and contains all the usual bits including luggage rack, ironing board, robe, slippers and safe.

The right-hand portion of the wardrobe contains the mini-bar and tea and coffee making facilities.

Whilst the machine is Nespresso branded, the coffee capsules are provided by a local company with Arabian coffee.

Moving into the room, an almost wall-length desk continues on from the wardrobe:

On the opposite side are the two beds with a bedside table separating them. As this is a modern hotel there were plenty of plug sockets around. A central panel allows for granular control of all the lights, although sadly not for electronic operation of the curtains.

A simple yet effective air conditioning panel is also on the wall. The AC was virtually silent the entire time and I never had a problem with the temperature or operation.

Next to the window is an armchair, small coffee table and a tall floor lamp:

There isn’t much of a view, I’m afraid. There are no particular landmarks in the surrounding area. My room had a view of the skyscraper next door:

The windows were very dirty, as you can see here, which was unfortunate:

Back towards the door you can see there is a massive window between the bedroom and the bathroom. Don’t worry – there is a blind here that can be lowered:

The bathroom is clad in stone and features a large free-standing tub in the window:

…. whilst the shower room and toilet are in separate cubicles:

and

Toiletries are Le Grand Bain by Byredo, as is standard for Sheraton:

One thing I would note is that it appears the rooms have not been refurbished since the hotel opened in 2015. Whilst they are still in pretty good condition you shouldn’t expect it to feel brand new.

The Club Lounge

Since I was in a Club room I had access to the Club Lounge. Anyone with Platinum, Titanium or Ambassador Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy also gets access.

It is not the largest Club Lounge but was never full when I visited, even during happy hour. Afternoon Tea is served from 2:30pm until 4:30pm whilst Happy Hour is 6pm-8pm and includes complimentary alcohol.

The staff in the Club Lounge were very friendly and attentive. It was table-service only – I tried both the cheese board and the chicken satay.

The gym and pool

The pool is located on the roof of the building. There is a main rectangular pool which can be used for lane swimming as well as two warmer shallow pools for sitting or laying in:

This is, to be honest, the least impressive part of the hotel and doesn’t match the high standard of the rest of the Sheraton Grand. Whilst there is a view it is difficult to see given the structure of the building.

The gym is just below:

Dining and breakfast

A buffet breakfast is served in Feast, and consists of multiple different stations. Seating is mostly internal, although it does appear to have a small balcony.

and

Hot food includes full English breakfast items (with pork alternative bacon and sausages), Indian, dim sum and of course a live egg station.

Cold food includes a full range of breads, pastries, cereals, yoghurts, fruit and cheese and ham, including guacamole. Here is what I had:

The hotel also offers a range of dining options, including Larimar, the pool bar:

…. which offered fairly standard poolside fare (albeit big portions and we over ordered!)

Cue Dubai

The hotel has also just launched a brand new nightlife dining spot next door, called Cue.

It is a sort of cabaret-bar-restaurant-club and features a number of acrobatic and dance acts throughout the night before transforming into a more conventional club.

I was surprised to see something like this at the Sheraton – it’s something I would have expected to see at a W Hotel instead! It is very dark and atmospheric inside:

…. which means it is also impossible to get any good photographs of the food! I highly recommend the Smokeynest cocktail:

Here is the sea bass ceviche and tuna tataki:

I also had the lobster linguine:

Cue Dubai is the sort of place that has a £55,000 bottle of champagne on the menu, although it has never been ordered, so far. I asked.

There are fewer acts than I was expecting – about 5 minutes of performance every 30 minutes or so. It would have been nice to have a bit more or longer. Although I enjoyed it it obviously won’t appeal to everyone, but it’s something different to your average hotel bar or restaurant.

Conclusion

The best compliment I can give the Sheraton Grand Dubai is that it does not look, or feel, like a traditional Sheraton whilst you are there. The only giveaway is the sign above the door.

The rooms and social spaces are nicely designed with contemporary finishes. The design is still fairly muted – don’t expect Moxy or W levels of design – but it is classy.

Location-wise the Sheraton Grand Dubai also has a lot to offer. Downtown Dubai is very accessible, as is the airport. The only thing that is a bit of a trek is the Dubai Marina and Palm, which are obviously at the other end of the city.

The only thing that could be improved is the pool area, which doesn’t feel as premium as the rest of the hotel.

The Sheraton Grand Dubai is a Category 5 hotel, which means you’ll need between 30,000 and 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points depending on the season. Cash rates start at £163 for a weekday night in October. You can find out more, and book, on the hotel website here.

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How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points and status from UK credit cards (December 2021)

There are various ways of earning Marriott Bonvoy points from UK credit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

The official Marriott Bonvoy American Express card usually comes with 20,000 points for signing up, 2 points for every £1 you spend and 15 elite night credits per year.

You can apply here.

You can also earn Marriott Bonvoy points by converting American Express Membership Rewards points at the rate of 2:3.

Do you know that holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Marriott Bonvoy Gold status for as long as they hold the card?  It also comes with Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Gold and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

You can also earn American Express Membership Rewards points with American Express Gold (20,000 bonus points), the American Express Rewards Credit Card (5,000 bonus points) and – for small business owners – American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus points) and Business Platinum (40,000 bonus points).

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Marriott Bonvoy points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)