Where to stay in Dubai

Hailed as the most expensive city in the Middle East and one of the top 50 expensive cities in the world, Dubai wows its visitors with luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture, and high-end accommodation options year after year. Known for its skyscrapers, in particular, the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai is a city that was built to impress.

A city that boasts business, tourism, real estate and finance, it’s no surprise that Dubai is one of the most modern and progressive emirates out of the seven that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). What is surprising, however, is that despite this, profound traditions remain at the heart of the city’s culture.

A city full of ambitious futuristic vision, innovation and a go-getting attitude, you can be sure that you will be entertained with the attractions and sights that are on offer here. From an army of robocops and indoor ski slopes to shopping malls made to look like Persian Palaces, Dubai is a place where the only limit is your imagination!

A city full of wonder, Dubai also scores major bonus points for practicality and convenience, providing all the necessary requirements you’d want from a city. Here, you can fill your boots from exploring the wide range of shops to eating your way through the vast culinary scene and burning yourself out from the lively nightlife.

Although a big and daunting city, if you do your research and have a look at its layout, deciding where to stay in Dubai will become much easier. All you have to do then is make the best decision for you!

To help you do just that, we’ve put together this list of where to stay in Dubai as a first-time visitor, including the best hotels to stay in Dubai, different Dubai neighborhoods, best area to stay Dubai, where to stay in Dubai city or beach and much more!

We will cover off all types of Dubai accommodation options from Hostels to luxury Dubai hotels as well as how to decide where to stay in Dubai 2024, the best Dubai hotels, best places in Dubai to visit, the best places to stay in Dubai, hotels near Dubai attractions, Dubai neighborhood guide and many more.

Bur Dubai – Best area to stay in Dubai for nightlife

Downtown Dubai, Bur Dubai, is home to the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, where at the foot of the tower is the impressive Dubai Fountain. As you can imagine, this area is full of high-end luxury hotels, most of which have spectacular views of the building and the giant fountain with its unmissable water shows.

Bur Dubai is a lively area, packed with plenty of hotels and restaurants, and one of the world’s largest shopping centres, Dubai Mall.

It’s only acceptable to drink within licensed venues such as restaurants and bars within Dubai but there are plenty of cool nightclubs in Dubai. Downtown Dubai is one of best places to stay in Dubai for singles due to its location.

If you’re looking for the action in Dubai, you can’t get much more in the middle of it all than this. As well as amazing facilities, the downtown area is also home to the restored historic quarter, Bastakiya as well as the popular wild wadi waterpark.

Wondering where to stay in Dubai for a weekend? Bur Dubai is the best spot as its super centralised, making it easy to get around.

Get your fill of history and culture at one of the museums before moving on to what else the district offers because it is plenty!

From a winding waterfront, complete with monuments, shops, market stalls, and restaurants, to the refreshing oasis that is BCreekside Park, Bur Dubai is a great option for first-time visitors who want to experience Dubai in its entirety.

The Best places to stay in Bur Dubai

Cheapest Hostels in Bur Dubai:
Royal AFH Hostel
Sky inn Hostel

Budget Hotels in Bur Dubai:
Victoria Hotel
Grand Excelsior Hotel
Savoy Park Hotel Apartments
Smana Hotel Al Raffa

Mid-Range Hotels in Bur Dubai:
Al Waleed Holiday Homes
Rove Healthcare City – Bur Dubai
Welcome Hotel Apartments 1
Sitara Hotel Apartment

Family Friendly Hotels in Bur Dubai:
Mövenpick Hotel & Apartments Dubai
Novotel Bur Dubai
City Seasons Towers Hotel Bur Dubai
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Bur Dubai:
Hyatt Regency Creek Heights Residences
DoubleTree by Hilton Dubai M Square Hotel & Residences
Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel
Raffles Dubai

Deira – Where to stay in Dubai on a budget

As the majority of the city’s souqs (market places) are in Deira, this is probably one of the busiest areas in all of Dubai. Situated on the Eastern bank of Dubai Creek, Deira is packed to the brim with shoppers and vendors and wharves filled with traditional Arab sailing dhows.

Although busy, this area is a great place to experience the true culture of Dubai and its merchant past, plus there is nothing like exploring a huge market place and drinking in the sounds and smells of a culture.

In this old part of Dubai, you will find luxurious hotels on the waterfront promenade and historical attractions such as the Heritage House Museum, all within 10-15 minutes away from Dubai International Airport.

For a different side to the city and for the convenience of travel, Deira is another great choice for where to stay in Dubai.

The Best places to stay in Deira

Cheapest Hostels in Deira:
Short Tourist Place

Budget Hotels in Deira:
Union Metro Guest Home
Al Jawhara Metro Hotel
Lotus Grand Hotel
Landmark Grand Hotel

Mid-Range Hotels in Deira:
Swissôtel Living Al Ghurair
Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek
Golden Sands-Dubai Creek
Lavender Hotel Deira

Family Friendly Hotels in Deira:
Asiana Hotel Dubai
Swissôtel Al Ghurair Dubai
Crowne Plaza Dubai Deira
Avani Deira Dubai Hotel

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Deira:
Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers
Carlton Palace Hotel
Al Bandar Rotana – Dubai Creek
Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre

Jumeirah Beach – Where to stay in Dubai with family

Jumeirah Beach is a place full of glamorous resort hotels, lively beach clubs, and a plethora of shopping and restaurant options that will make your head dizzy with the indecision of where to go first.

The fact that it is also home to a seven-star hotel, Burj Al Arab, that is built on its own island, shows the level of luxury to expect here. If your primary goal is to be by the beach and you love to live in style, then you’ve hit the jackpot with Jumeirah Beach.

Boasting white sands and warm, turquoise waters, the beach stretches all the way from the North (from Deira) to the South (to Dubai Marina) and every single patch of sand along the way is as heavenly as the next.

It is also complete with a shopping strip called “The Walk,” so if the beach isn’t for you, well air-conditioned shops, restaurants and bars line the beachfront.

A suitable area for families, the district is also home to Madinat Jumeirah Souk, a place where you can buy traditional products, and Al Wadi Wadi, a massive waterpark perfect for any age!

The best places to stay in Jumeirah Beach

Cheapest Hostels in Jumeirah Beach: 
Lunar Hostel Plus
California Hostel Dubai Beach
Sansa’s Beach Hostel
Bohemian Backpackers

Budget Hotels in Jumeirah Beach: 
Leen Homes-JBR
Ramada Hotel and Suites
Royal Oceanic
Jbr Sadaf and marina

Mid-Range Hotels in Jumeirah Beach:
Address Dubai Marina
JA Ocean View Hotel
Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina
Habtoor Grand Resort

Family Friendly Hotels in Jumeirah Beach:
Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach
Mövenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach
Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort
Delta Hotels by Marriott Jumeirah Beach

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Jumeirah Beach:
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa Dubai
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah

Dubai Marina – Best place to stay in Dubai for tourist

If you head south of Jumeirah Beach, you will find the fairly new district of Dubai Marina. Established in 2003, this district is built alongside a man-made canal and consists of high-rise buildings, including the second tallest building in Dubai, Princess Tower.

A densely populated area, you will find facilities such as a state-of-the-art regional media hub (known as Dubai Media City), a technological park (known as Dubai Internet City), Dubai Marina Walk which is full of restaurants and bars that suit every style and budget.

Dubai Marina Mall (one of the largest malls in Dubai) and  Marina Beach. As you can imagine, this modern district is full of new hotels, housed in skyscrapers that tower over the marina and offer fantastic views all around.

With both Jumeirah Beach and The Palm just a short drive away, this makes Dubai Marina one of the top places to stay while in Dubai.

The Best places to stay in Dubai Marina

Cheapest Hostels in Dubai Marina:
Skyview Host

Budget Hotels in Dubai Marina: 
Marina View Deluxe Hotel Apartment
Marina Hotel Apartments
Millennium Place Dubai Marina
Royal Manor- Marina Diamond 1

Mid-Range Hotels in Dubai Marina:
V Edition
Marina View Tower
Dream Inn Dubai Apartments
Bay Central, Dubai Marina

Family Friendly Hotels in Dubai Marina:
Golden Stay Vacation Homes
Nuran Marina
La Riviera (Marina)
Vida Dubai Marina & Yacht Club

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Dubai Marina
InterContinental Dubai Marina
Westminster Dubai Marina
W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, Adults Only
Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai

The Palm (Palm Jumeirah Islands) – Where to stay in Dubai for couples

Yes, escaping the city is an option whilst staying in Dubai! The Palm is an artificial island built in 2014 and you will find it floating in the Persian Gulf. Although artificial, the relaxation that can be achieved here is very much real.

Offering luxury hotels, sea views, a private white sand beach, and water and marine-animal parks, the island also isn’t short of attractions and entertainment to be had if you so choose.

You’re also not ever far away from the iconic Dubai skyscrapers and buzz of the city if you want just a day or two of exploring the exciting metropolis, so we think that this makes The Palm a worthy place to recommend visitors stay.

The Best places to stay on Palm Islands

Somewhat Budget Hotels in Palm Islands:
Aloft Palm Jumeirah
The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel
Dukes The Palm, a Royal Hideaway Hotel
voco Dubai The Palm, an IHG Hotel

Mid-Range Hotels in Palm Islands:
Th8 Palm by House Of Originals
Wyndham Residences The Palm
Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa
Royal Central Hotel and Resort The Palm

Family Friendly Hotels in Palm Islands:
Adagio Premium The Palm
Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah
Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm, Dubai

Affordable Luxury Hotels in Palm Islands:
Atlantis, The Palm
Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah
Raffles The Palm
W Dubai – The Palm

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