Sun and Sand Hotel, Dubai - Cranley Report

The Cranley Report®: Sun and Sand Hotel

Sun and Sand Hotel, Dubai

Hotel Address

Sun and Sand Hotel
P.O. Box 35659
Dubai
UAE

Cranley Rating

Sun and Sand Hotel

Photo 1 of 17. Click to enlarge

Hotel Summary

Category

Hotel

Hotel Opened	1997
Refurbishment	Total refurbishment of the hotel in 2006.

Cranley Summary

The Sun and Sand Hotel is located in the hub of Dubai’s business district in the heart of Deira. In close proximity are city shopping malls such as City One and Al Ghurair City, a variety of local restaurants, Dubai Creek and Port and the World Trade Centre located just across the Creek. Dubai International Airport is approximately a ten minute drive away and the hotel offers a free shuttle service both to and from the airport. In 2006 the hotel underwent a total refurbishment and is able to offer guests a choice of superior accommodation that is both spacious, well appointed and all with modern up-to-date amenities. The hotel has an extremely warm and friendly atmosphere and is an ideal hotel for families with the standard room being able to accommodate two adults and two children under the age of twelve. Added to this, over sixty percent of the hotel rooms are interconnecting, allowing for further space if required. There is a good choice of dining options available with an international coffee shop, an Iranian-style restaurant and a twenty-four hour café with two further restaurants opening in the not too distant future. The gymnasium facilities with separate sauna and steam rooms for males and females, a shaded outdoor swimming pool with jacuzzi area and a pool bar are all available on the rooftop area with views over the city skyline.

Hotel Location & Layout

Location Description

The Sun and Sand Hotel is located in the heart of Dubai’s business district in Deira and is near the main road of Al Rigga Road. Nearby is the landmark Clock Tower Roundabout and both the Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai’s International Airport are just a ten minute drive away. The hotel’s location makes it convenient for business and leisure travellers alike and an ideal base for the nearby Emirate of Sharjah. In close proximity is one of Dubai’s most popular malls, Deira City Centre with a wide range of shops and arcades. Not to be missed are Deira’s famous Gold and Spice Souqs which are located near the Deira waterfront and are surrounded by narrow covered lanes bustling with night time shoppers looking for the latest bargain. There are many local and international restaurants in the surrounding areas and the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club is just five minutes drive away.

Airports
Distance	2 km
Airport Transfers	Complimentary airport transfers.

Cities and Sights
Distance	4 km
City/Sight Transfers	Taxi.

Layout Description

The Sun and Sand Hotel is a seven-storey building with underground parking available on the basement level. There is a parking drop-off area immediately in front of the main entrance of the hotel, allowing taxis and cars to pull up for passengers to alight safely. The hotel entrance is approached up several steps and through a revolving circular glass door which leads into the lobby, reception and lounge areas. Also located on this level are Cafe Casera, Darvish Iranian Restaurant and the elevators serving all the guestroom floors. On the mezzanine level is Sahirya Coffee Shop, the Arabian and Asian night clubs and a small Business Centre. Sunrise Health Club, with its outdoor swimming pool, gymnasium and sauna and steam facilities is located on the rooftop. The rooftop area is approached via stairs from the sixth floor.

Lobby & Guest Relations

Open Hours	Twenty-four hours.
Languages Spoken	Arabic, English and French.
Payment Methods	All major credit cards and cash are accepted.
Foreign Exchange	All major currencies exchanged.
Taxis Arranged	Available on request.
Tours Arranged	A variety of activities can be arranged with the tour desk including: tours of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah and Ajman; dinner cruises; safaris to the desert, Wadi Hatta or Hajar Mountains; a night at the races; camel riding; sand skiing; snorkelling or scuba diving.

Guest Relations	Standard services.
Concierge Services	Standard services.
Medical Facilities	Doctor on call twenty-four hours with a typical response time of ten minutes according to the hotel.
Parking	The hotel has basement car parking available for up to thirty-five cars.

Cranley Comment

The hotel is approached via several steps from the street and through a revolving circular glass door leading into the main lobby area. The entrance lobby is decorated in a classical theme and has wooden panel walls, green marble floors and floor-to-ceiling windows dressed with drapes in pastel shades and deep rich red trims. Immediately opposite the entrance is a low, freestanding carved wooden reception desk. Turning right leads to Cafe Casera and a comfortable lobby lounge seating area with sofas and upholstered easy chairs all facing a large wall mounted plasma television screen. To the left of the reception is the Guest Relations desk and Darvish Iranian Restaurant. From here a passageway leads through to the elevators serving all floors except the rooftop.

Shops & Amenities

Description

The hotel has a hairdressing salon which is located on the ground floor with its separate entrance outside the hotel. The salon is open between 10:00 and 22:00 and offers a full range of hairdressing treatments for both men and women.

Cranley Comment

The Sun and Sand Hotel does not have any in-house shops but is conveniently located just a five minute taxi ride from Al Rigga Road with its many stores ranging from grocery to designer label stores. In addition, there are the large shopping malls in the immediate area such as the City One and Al Ghurair.

Rooms, Suites & Villas

Number of Floors	7
Total Rooms	118
Elevators	2
Rooms per Elevator	59
Total Staff	110
Staff per Room	0.9

Check-in Time	14.00
Check-out Time	12.00
Late Checkout	Subject to availability.
Smoking Rooms	The third floor is a non-smoking floor.
Room Service	Twenty-four hours with a full menu.
Laundry Service	Items received before 09.00 will be returned the same day. Items received after 09.00 will be returned the following day by 11.00. There is a special service where laundry is returned within six hours. An additional charge of 50% will be applied for this service.

Cranley Comment

The Sun and Sand Hotel has a range of superior accommodation decorated and furnished to a very high standard and all with up-to-date modern amenities. The majority of the hotel's rooms are the entry level standard room which have two queen-size beds making them ideal for families of two adults and two children under twelve. Breakfast is not inclusive for children when sharing a room and so children's breakfasts will be charged the restaurant menu price. For larger families requiring more space, over sixty percent of the hotel's rooms are interconnecting.

Type of Room, Views & Facilities

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Standard	95	City Streets	Cable Internet Direct dial telephone Voicemail Individually controlled air conditioning Satellite television Safe Hair dryer Mini fridge bar Complimentary toiletries	2 adults and 2 children under twelve	35

Cranley Comment

All the guestrooms are approached along carpeted, airy corridors. The rooms are decorated to a high standard in pastel shades and have colour coordinating soft furnishings in deep warm earthy colours. All the rooms are carpeted and have a small entrance hallway with fitted wardrobes to one side and leading to the en-suite bathroom on the other. The majority of the bedrooms have two queen-size beds making them ideal for a family of two adults and two children under twelve. A number of the rooms have king-size beds. Each bedroom is furnished with a desk and chair with a mirror over the desk, two armchairs and a coffee table. There is a flat screen 21-inch television mounted on the wall. The en-suite bathroom has a shower over the bath.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Superior Deluxe	22	City Streets	As per Standard Room with the added benefit of: A larger room Wi-Fi	2 adults and 2 children under twelve	55

Cranley Comment

Superior Deluxe Rooms are the corner rooms on each guestroom floor and are considerably more spacious than the standard rooms. Each Deluxe Room is decorated and furnished to the same high level as the Standard Room with the only difference being in the size. Each bedroom is furnished with a desk and chair with a mirror over the desk, two armchairs and a coffee table. There is a flat screen 21-inch television mounted on the wall. The en-suite bathroom has a shower over the bath.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Royal Suite	1	City Streets	As per the Superior Deluxe with the added benefit of: Private lounge Sitting area 2 televisions Complete audio-visual system (television and DVD player) Jacuzzi Cloakroom	2 adults	170

Cranley Comment

This elegant suite is located on the sixth floor. It is decorated and furnished throughout to the highest of standards. All the floors, except the bedroom are light coloured marble with warmth being added by the use of deep rich coloured drapes and furnishings. On entering the suite, the living area is furnished with sofas and a coffee table. To the left of the living area, there is a private lounge which is furnished with a comfortable leather L-shape sofa and a further double sofa which surround an inset carved coffee table. The large television and full audio-visual system is set in alcoves on the far wall with other alcoves on the wall decorated with ornaments. At the other end of the suite, the bedroom is surrounded on three sides with floor-to-ceiling mirrors which follow through into the en-suite bathroom. The large carpeted bedroom has a king-size bed which is raised on a central platform surrounded with mirrors to three sides. The adjacent mirrors to the bed house the wardrobes and a glass unit with a television. Behind the bed, deep rich drawn drapes sit in the window area. There is a small hallway off the bedroom leading into a floor-to-ceiling mirrored bathroom with steps leading up and into a large jacuzzi bath with a shower over it. There is a separate cloakroom located just off the living area. The suite has its own private entrance hallway with a door leading to an interconnected Standard Room which can be utilised for families.

Restaurants & Cafés

Number of Restaurants

Restaurant Comments

The Sun and Sand Hotel at present has two restaurants and a twenty-four hour cafe. Plans are underway to open two further restaurants very shortly. Darvish is an Iranian restaurant which is located in the lobby area on the ground floor. Sahriya is the hotel's coffee shop located on the mezzanine floor and is open for buffet breakfast and lunch serving international food and a variety of local dishes. The coffee shop is closed in the evening. Cafe Casera is a twenty-four hour cafe located in the lobby area.

Darvish

Restaurant Type	Iranian
Restaurant Capacity	50
Opening Times	19:00 to 23.00
Dress Codes	Casual.

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	No non-smoking designated tables.
Children’s Facilities	Children's high chairs available.
Breakfast Options	N/A

Cranley Comment

Darvish Restaurant is located on the ground floor on the left of the lobby area. The restaurant is decorated in a traditional Iranian style with deep-coloured rugs displayed on the walls along with other display objects such as swords and shields. In the far corner a small raised stage acts as host to musicians playing traditional Iranian music. The restaurant is decorated in dark earthy colours and has tiled floors. Darvish has a traditional Iranian menu and also features a buffet table.

Sahriya

Restaurant Type	Coffee Shop
Restaurant Capacity	80
Opening Times	07.00 to 10.00 12.30 to 15.30
Dress Codes	Casual.

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	Designated smoking tables.
Children’s Facilities	High chairs available.
Breakfast Options	Buffet breakfast.

Cranley Comment

Sahriya Coffee Shop is located on the mezzanine level. The restaurant is decorated with part wood panelling and stone walls and has tiled floors. Nicely presented tables and chairs surround a large buffet table. The restaurant serves an international buffet breakfast and lunch with a variety of traditional local dishes too.

Cafe Casero

Restaurant Type	Spanish-style cafe
Restaurant Capacity	20
Opening Times	Twenty-four hours
Dress Codes	Casual.

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	Designated smoking areas.
Children’s Facilities	High chairs available.
Breakfast Options	Breakfast available.

Cranley Comment

Cafe Casero is located on the ground floor just past the reception desk. This bright airy Spanish-style cafe is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides, has green marble floors and is decorated with wooden panelled walls and tables and chairs. There is a comfortable lounge seating area with sofas and tables and a large mounted plasma television next to the cafe. Open twenty-four hours the cafe serves light meals and snacks, pastries, ice creams and hot and cold beverages.

Bars

Number of Bars

Pool Bar

Bar Type

Pool Bar