The Palace, The Old Town, Dubai

The Cranley Report®: The Palace, The Old Town

The Palace, The Old Town, Dubai

Hotel Address

The Old Town Island
Downtown Burj Dubai
PO Box 9770
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

Cranley Rating

The Palace, The Old Town

Photo 1 of 28. Click to enlarge

Hotel Summary

Category

Hotel

Hotel Opened

2007

Cranley Summary

The Palace is an impressive hotel at the centre of the Old Town Island development, with unobstructed views of the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building. Built on the edge of the Burj Dubai lake, the hotel combines the best of Arabian culture and design, with very modern and luxurious standards of décor and comfort. Its location gives The Palace good access to Sheikh Zayed Road, to the business and financial districts and leisure facilities of Dubai, and when completed, The Dubai Mall will be just a short distance across the lake. The hotel has a range of deluxe rooms and suites, all decorated in a Middle Eastern theme. The three restaurants offer a choice of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, with all day dining in Ewaan, as well as themed cuisine in the Argentinean grill restaurant, Asado. The Thai restaurant Thiptara, offers uninterrupted views of the lake and the Burj Dubai beyond, whilst specialising in Bangkok-style seafood. The Palace has good banqueting and meeting facilities and LeSpa, its own spa concept, has separate facilities for men and women. The hotel grounds include a landscaped swimming pool, with a very pleasant sun terrace. Guests should be aware that there is substantial building work going on in the area, but noise pollution is surprisingly low.

Hotel Location & Layout

Location Description

The Palace is located within the spectacular Old Town Island development, across the lake from the Burj Dubai and adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road. The hotel has extensive grounds, with a long driveway to the hotel entrance. The whole area around the hotel is under construction, but is changing very rapidly, as the nearby apartments, shops, offices and restaurants are completed. The Old Town shopping centre of Dhukan Al Manzil is just across the road from the entrance to the hotel grounds. The Burj Dubai lake which adjoins The Palace, will provide guests with easy access via an abra (water taxi) from the hotel's own dock station, both to the Burj Dubai and to the Dubai Mall shopping centre when they are completed.

Airports
Distance	10 km
Airport Transfers	Taxi transfers available Complimentary transfers for some room types Private limousine service at a charge

Cities and Sights
Distance	12 km
City/Sight Transfers	Taxi transfers available Limousine transfers at a charge

Layout Description

Guests enter the hotel grounds along an impressive driveway, past fountains to the equally impressive hotel frontage. The entrance to the hotel itself is through an archway into the lobby area, where the reception desk is to the right. The hotel is a low rise building and is made up of an east and west wing. The hotel lobby and reception are at Level 3, which is the entrance level from the road, whilst the two restaurants that are in the main building, Ewaan and Asado, are on Level 1, which is the ground floor. The third main restaurant, Thiptara, is in the hotel grounds on the edge of the Burj Dubai lake.

Lobby & Guest Relations

Open Hours	24 hours
Languages Spoken	English, Arabic and several other languages are spoken.
Payment Methods	All major international credit cards and cash accepted.
Foreign Exchange	Open 24 hours. All major currencies exchanged.
Taxis Arranged	Street taxis are arranged on request.
Tours Arranged	The concierge can arrange a variety of activities, including: tours of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah and Ajman; dinner cruises; desert safaris; a night at the races; camel riding; sand skiing; snorkelling and scuba diving; and deep sea fishing.

Guest Relations	Standard services.
Concierge Services	24 hour service.
Medical Facilities	Doctor on call 24 hours, with a response time of approximately 30 minutes (according to the hotel).
Parking	Complimentary valet parking is available for all guests.

Cranley Comment

Guests enter The Palace on Level 3, through two sets of double wooden doors into a marble tiled lobby area, with a fountain immediately ahead and several luxurious sofas either side. Guests are greeted by a hostess offering cold towels and on checking in at the reception desk, guests are offered a cold drink while they wait. The reception has two independent desks for a personalised service and the concierge desk is to the right. Opposite the reception desk is the lobby lounge which has a few steps up to it and extends for the full width of the hotel. The lounge is sub divided into three areas, with a patisserie to the left and the lounge bar to the right, either side of the main lounge area that opens on to a terrace, which has views of the pool and the lake beyond.

Shops & Amenities

Description

La Boutique is open from 09:00 to 00:00. It is a small shop in the hotel lobby, selling mostly local goods and souvenirs. The Old Town shopping centre, Dhukan Al Manzil is across the road from the hotel entrance. The Souk Al Bahar is a traditionally designed shopping centre adjacent to the hotel which recently opened with a number of shops and when fully open in March 08 will have 140 stores.

Cranley Comment

La Boutique offers guests a small selection of local souvenirs and is the only shop within the hotel itself. However, the Old Town shopping centre is just a few minutes walk away and The Dubai Mall, which will be the largest in Dubai, is currently under construction across the lake from the hotel. When completed, Dubai Mall will be served by boats from the dock station within the hotel grounds. Other malls are close by, including the Mall of the Emirates which is a 15 minute taxi ride away and has a comprehensive range of international shops.

Rooms, Suites & Villas

Number of Floors	6
Total Rooms	242
Elevators	8 (4 each in the East and west Wing
Rooms per Elevator	30
Total Staff	451
Staff per Room	1.9

Check-in Time	15:00
Check-out Time	12:00
Late Checkout	Subject to availability at an additional charge.
Smoking Rooms	There are a total of 82 rooms designated as non smoking rooms. They are situated on the second, third and fourth floors.
Room Service	Full menu served 24 hours a day.
Laundry Service	Same day service for laundry collected before 10:00. Express service between 07:00 and 19:00 where laundry will be returned within 4 hours at a 50% surcharge. Overnight service for collection between 18:00 and 00:00. Laundry will be returned by 08:00 at a 50% surcharge.
Unique Features	24 hour personalised butler service for each suite. Guest relations desk on every floor.

Club or Executive Facilities

The Executive Lounge is available for all guests occupying the 28 "The Palace" rooms. The lounge offers comfortable seating and includes a library and a television for its guests. Bar services are available as well as breakfast, light meals and refreshments throughout the day both in the lounge and on its outdoor terraced area. The small business centre is located within the executive lounge and is available to all hotel guests.

Cranley Comment

The Palace has a wide range of room and suite options. All rooms and suites benefit from having a separate shower and bath and twin basins. The rooms come with views of the Burj Dubai and the lake at the rear of the hotel or the Old Town to the side of the hotel. The accommodation is finished to a high standard with a range of modern amenities and luxury fittings.

Type of Room, Views & Facilities

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Deluxe	131	52 Lake 13 Old Town 68 Burj Dubai	King-size or two queen-size beds 32 inch LCD television DVD player Desk and chair with built in vanity mirror Mini-bar Balcony with table and two chairs Two arm chairs and coffee table Laptop safe Bath Separate rain shower Twin wash basins Luxury bathroom toiletries Bidet Bath robes Slippers Complimentary WiFi internet access	2 Adults and one child under 12	51

Cranley Comment

The Deluxe Rooms are the first room type and are well appointed and spacious at 51 square metres. The rooms have either a king-size bed or twin queen-size beds and come with views of the Old Town, Burj Dubai or the lake. The rooms themselves are well appointed with high quality furnishings and decorated in a light Arabic style that should appeal to most tastes. The bathrooms are a reasonable size and come with a separate rain shower and bath and have twin basins. Adjoining Deluxe Rooms can be partnered together via an additional front door which when in use creates a hallway for the two partnered rooms.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
The Palace	28	7 Lake 10 Old Town 11 Burj Dubai	As per the Deluxe Room with the added benefit of: Executive facilities which include: Complimentary transfers to and from Dubai Airport Complimentary breakfast Access to the Executive lounge with the amenities detailed above.	2 Adults and one child under 12	51

Cranley Comment

The Palace Rooms are the same physical room as the Deluxe Room except they are all located on the third floor and come with access to the executive lounge, offer complimentary breakfast and transfers to and from Dubai airport. The rooms are ideally suited to business guests or guests on longer stays as the Executive Lounge offers a relaxing environment away from the main hotel and a place to work with its business facilities.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Ambassador Suites	3	Lake	As per The Palace Room with the added benefit of: Combined bedroom with lounge Two-seater sofa Two arm chairs Coffee table Dining table for two persons Dressing area	2 Adults and one child under 12	65

Cranley Comment

The Ambassador Suite is the first suite type and benefits from a lounge area with sofa and armchairs. It is spacious at 65 square metres and has a television that is located between the lounge and bedroom area that can be swivelled to be viewed from either the bed or lounge area. The wardrobes are located near to the bed and have full length mirrors and with a small dressing area behind the wardrobes. The suite also benefits from a dining table for two persons located near to the entrance hall. The bathroom is similar to the Deluxe Rooms although marginally larger and the décor is the same styling as the other room types with the same quality of fabrics and finishings.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Diplomatic Suites	6	Lake	As per The Ambassador Suite with the added benefit of: Larger lounge Dining table for four persons	2 Adults and one child under 12	72

Cranley Comment

The Diplomatic Suite has similar facilities and amenities to the Ambassador Suite with the principle difference being additional space and a dining table for four persons. The room is set out in an L-shape. Guests enter the room into the dining area which also has a desk set against the wall. At the far end of the room is the lounge area which is separated from the dining area by an item of furniture. Off to the side of the lounge is the bed and en-suite bathroom. The amenities and furnishings are the same as the Ambassador Suite with the room suited to guests who prefer a suite and who would find the larger dining table for four persons more useful than the table in the smaller Diplomatic Suite.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Apartment/ Palace Suites	68	30 Lake 9 Old Town 29 Burj Dubai	As per The Diplomatic Suite with the added benefit of: Separate lounge Additional television Kitchenette Guest toilet Palace Suites-Executive facilities	2 Adults and one child under 12	105

Cranley Comment

The Apartment Suite and the Palace Suite are the same physical Suites with the only difference being the Palace Suite has Executive facilities which are detailed at the top of this section. The suites' principle benefits are that they have a separate bedroom, kitchenette and a guest toilet. As a result of the separate lounge they are more spacious at 105 square metres and also benefit from a larger bathroom. The kitchenette has a sink, mini bar fridge and cupboards but appliances such as a coffee machine or toaster can be supplied on request. The kitchenette has a serving counter separating it from the dining area and can be closed off from the lounge/dining area with doors.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Royal Suites	3	2 Lake 1 Burj Dubai	As per The Apartment/Palace Suite with the added benefit of: Office area Three-seater sofa Sofa in bedroom Additional DVD player Desk area in bedroom 42 inch LCD television in the lounge Large terrace with table and chairs for four persons Two sun loungers	2 Adults and one child under 12	106

Cranley Comment

The Royal Suite benefits from a large lounge and dining area. Although the suite is a similar size as the Apartment/Palace Suite it does not have a kitchenette so the additional space is utilised in the lounge area. The suite also benefits from a 42 inch LCD television in the lounge. The suite has a range of quality furnishings and artwork and is decorated in the same style as the other room types. The suite also has a large terrace which has a table and chairs for four persons for outside dining as well as two sun loungers for relaxation. The three Royal Suites are directly opposite the Burj Dubai providing excellent views of the world's tallest tower.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
The Imperial Suite	1	Burj Dubai	4 ensuite bedrooms 2 lounges 2 dining rooms 2 offices 2 guest toilets Kitchen Entrance hall Plasma televisions Surround sound systems Range of high quality furnishings and antiques Two sun loungers	8 Persons	500

Cranley Comment

The Imperial Suite is the flagship accommodation at The Palace. The suite is set on two floors with two ensuite bedrooms, a lounge, dining room and an office area on each floor with the ground floor also having a kitchen with its own access for deliveries. Guests enter the suite into a hallway that is two floors high and has a stairway leading up on each side to the top floor with an ornate chandelier in the centre. The two floors are essentially laid out in the same format with a lounge in the centre which leads on one side to a dining room which leads through to a bedroom and on the other side of the lounge is the office area which leads through to the other bedroom. The suite is furnished in an opulent style with a range of artwork and Arabic ornaments. All four bedrooms have televisions with Bose surround sound systems and are all of a similar size.

Restaurants & Cafés

Number of Restaurants

Restaurant Comments

The Palace features three restaurants, all with distinctly different themes, as well as a patisserie in the lobby lounge. Two of the restaurants, Ewaan and Asado, are located inside the main building, whilst the Thiptara restaurant and bar is built in the grounds, adjoining the lake, where it enjoys views of the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai. Ewaan offers all day dining with a choice of European or Middle Eastern cuisine, whilst Asado is a traditional Argentinean grill restaurant, where the emphasis is on meat. Thiptara offers Royal Thai cuisine, with Bangkok-style seafood being its speciality.

Thiptara

Restaurant Type	Thai
Restaurant Capacity	160
Opening Times	Dinner 19:00 to 00:00
Dress Codes	Smart/casual

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	Non smoking
Breakfast Options	N/A

Cranley Comment

Thiptara was opened in November 2007 and will be The Palace's signature restaurant. Thiptara is situated in the hotel grounds away from the main building, adjoining the lake and with an unobstructed view of the Burj Dubai. It is a Thai restaurant, serving Royal Thai cuisine with an emphasis on Bangkok-style seafood. Thiptara will have a separate bar area, where guests can enjoy pre or post dinner cocktails. The restaurant will feature a musician playing traditional Thai instruments.