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Travel GuideOctober 21, 20267 min read
Where to Stay in Dubai, Area by Area
In Dubai the neighbourhood shapes the trip. An east-to-west guide to eight areas, from the Creek to the Marina, with who each suits and where to stay.
In Dubai, the neighbourhood you choose shapes the trip more than the hotel does. About 30 kilometres separate the old trading quarter on the Creek from the towers of Dubai Marina, and a well-placed room can save you an hour of traffic every day.
One line ties most of the city together. The Dubai Metro Red Line runs from the airport terminals through Deira, crosses the Creek and follows Sheikh Zayed Road, the city's main artery, past Downtown and Mall of the Emirates to the Marina. The Green Line serves Deira and Bur Dubai on both banks of the Creek. Stay near a station and most of this guide is a train ride away. We move from the old city in the east to the coast in the west, area by area.
Deira: the old city on the Creek
Deira is where Dubai's trading life began, and it still works for a living. Dhows load cargo at the Creek wharves, the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk fill the lanes behind them, and wooden abras carry passengers across the water to Bur Dubai for a dirham. Dubai International is often less than 20 minutes away by road.
Hotels range from established five-star addresses on the water to compact business hotels near the Metro. Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers looks across the Creek, and Hyatt Regency Dubai stands on the Deira Corniche facing the Gulf. Deira suits stopovers, shoppers and travellers who prefer street life to resort life. Next door, Al Garhoud borders the airport, useful for a late arrival or an early flight.
Bur Dubai: heritage across the water
Bur Dubai faces Deira across the Creek and holds the city's historic quarter. The Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood is a maze of wind-tower houses, small museums and courtyard cafés, and the Textile Souk leads down to the abra station. Along the water, Al Seef recreates the old waterfront with a promenade and restaurants.
Mid-range hotels and serviced apartments make up most of the choice. Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa puts you a short walk from the old quarter. Al Karama, next door, is known for inexpensive Indian and Filipino restaurants, and the Red and Green lines meet at BurJuman, so Downtown is a short ride away.
Downtown Dubai: the skyline address
Downtown is the Dubai of postcards. Burj Khalifa rises over a lake where the Dubai Fountain performs each evening, The Dubai Mall sits at its foot, and Dubai Opera stands on the boulevard nearby. If you want the big sights on foot during a first visit, start here.
The hotels are mostly upscale, and many rooms look straight at the tower. Address Downtown and Palace Downtown sit at the edge of the lake, and Sofitel Dubai Downtown stands a few minutes away. The Red Line station, Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, links to the mall by a long covered walkway. New Year's Eve at the tower draws huge crowds, so book early for those dates.
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Business Bay and Sheikh Zayed Road: the working city
Business Bay grows around the Dubai Water Canal beside Downtown: newer towers, a canal-side boardwalk and Downtown's sights a few minutes away. Al Habtoor City groups three hotels by the canal: Al Habtoor Palace, V Hotel Dubai Curio Collection by Hilton and Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City. Further up Sheikh Zayed Road, around the financial district, Jumeirah Emirates Towers and Shangri-La Dubai serve a largely business crowd. Choose it for work trips, or for Downtown with more space.
Al Barsha: the practical middle
Al Barsha sits between Downtown and the Marina, built around Mall of the Emirates and the indoor slopes of Ski Dubai. The Red Line stops beside the mall, and Jumeirah's beaches are a short taxi ride away.
Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, whose ski chalets look onto the slopes, Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel and Elite Byblos Hotel all connect to the mall. Around them, four-star and apartment hotels suit families on longer stays.
Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim: the beach road
Jumeirah Beach Road runs south-west from the edge of the old city past low-rise villas, public beaches and some of Dubai's landmark resorts. Kite Beach is free to use, and the sail of Burj Al Arab marks the shore at Umm Suqeim. Beside it, Madinat Jumeirah links its hotels with waterways and an old-style souk; Jumeirah Al Qasr, Jumeirah Mina A'Salam and Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf are among them. The wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel stands next door, and Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach sits further up the road towards the city.
No Metro line runs along the beach road, so plan on taxis. In return you get sand at the door, a residential calm and Downtown about 20 minutes away by car outside peak hours.
Palm Jumeirah: the resort island
The Palm gives you a resort holiday inside a city. The man-made island spreads from a trunk lined with hotels and apartments through the residential fronds to an outer crescent, where most of the large resorts face the open Gulf. Atlantis, The Palm stands at the centre of the crescent with the Aquaventure waterpark beside it, and the Palm Monorail runs the length of the trunk to reach it.
Fairmont The Palm sits on the trunk. Sofitel Dubai The Palm, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort and Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah line the eastern crescent, and One&Only The Palm faces them from the west. Most have private beaches and several pools, so the Palm suits families and anyone who plans to spend more days at the hotel than away from it. Downtown is about half an hour by road.
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Dubai Marina and JBR: life on the water
Dubai Marina wraps around a man-made canal lined with towers and restaurants. Jumeirah Beach Residence, or JBR, faces the open sea beside it, and its beachfront strip, The Walk, stays busy late into the evening. The Dubai Tram runs through both and connects with the Metro and the Palm Monorail.
The beach hotels are the prize. The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai sits low among the JBR towers on its own stretch of sand, and Amwaj Rotana and Hilton Dubai The Walk stand on The Walk itself. Grosvenor House and InterContinental Dubai Marina look over the water, and across Sheikh Zayed Road, Jumeirah Lake Towers offers quieter hotels close to the Metro. The Marina suits couples and friends who want the beach and a night out within walking distance. Allow 40 minutes or more to the airport.
The eight areas at a glance
| Area | Best for | Stays to look for | Getting around |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deira | Stopovers, souks, short stays | Creekside five-stars, business hotels | Metro Red and Green lines, abras |
| Bur Dubai | Heritage, food, mid-range stays | Hotels and serviced apartments | Metro Red and Green lines, abras |
| Downtown Dubai | First visits, the big sights | Upscale hotels with tower views | Metro Red Line, walking |
| Business Bay | Work trips, Downtown with more space | Canal-side towers, Al Habtoor City | Metro Red Line, taxis |
| Al Barsha | Families, longer stays | Mall-linked and apartment hotels | Metro Red Line |
| Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim | Beach holidays, couples | Beach resorts, Madinat Jumeirah | Taxis |
| Palm Jumeirah | Resort stays, families | Beach resorts on the crescent | Monorail, taxis |
| Dubai Marina and JBR | Beach and nightlife together | Beach hotels on The Walk, Marina towers | Tram, Metro Red Line |
When to go
The season runs from November to March, when daytime temperatures sit between the mid-twenties and about 30°C. December and January are the busiest months, with the Dubai Shopping Festival and the New Year's Eve fireworks, so book early for those weeks. October and April are hotter shoulder months. From June to September the heat often passes 40°C; life moves indoors and hotels are at their quietest. Ramadan follows the lunar calendar and moves about eleven days earlier each year; the evenings after iftar have a festive rhythm of their own.
Three quick answers
Which area is best for a first visit to Dubai?
Downtown, if you want Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall and the fountain on foot. Choose Dubai Marina or JBR if the beach matters as much as the sights.
Where should families stay in Dubai?
Palm Jumeirah for resort pools and private beaches, or Al Barsha for space and convenience beside Mall of the Emirates and the Metro.
Which area is closest to Dubai International Airport?
Al Garhoud and Deira, usually 20 minutes or less by road outside peak hours.
Finding your stay
Choose the area first, then the hotel. Search Dubai hotels on ZFORB and narrow the results by area to see what is open for your dates. If you hold a ZFORB Membership, member rates appear on eligible stays when you sign in. And once you know where you will sleep, our Dubai after dark itinerary plans the evenings.
