Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah sits on the East Crescent of Palm Jumeirah, a curved white building open since December 2013. It holds 312 rooms and suites around 2 free-form pools, with Downtown Dubai and the sail of Burj Al Arab both visible across the water from the beach. The desk asks for 18 years or over from whoever checks in.

Every grade here chooses a king bed or two queens, and most choose a view too: Palm Jumeirah and its own sunset on one side of the building, the double Burj skyline on the other. Superior Room and its accessible twin turn neither way, 57 to 62 square metres with a marble bathroom and a private balcony. The Deluxe pairs run 58 to 61, a balcony each, facing Palm or skyline; Pearl Club Room matches them in size and adds access to the Pearl Club lounge on the 5th floor. Family Connecting Room joins a king room to a two-queen one for a party of 6. Above the rooms, 3 one-bedroom suites run 113 to 160 square metres with a separate living and dining room, 2 of them on the Pearl Club floor and the largest with its own Bentley for the road to the airport. Two of the two-bedroom suites split a king and a pair of queens between 2 rooms with no published size; Chairman Two Bedroom Suite Pearl Club does the same at 386, with its own kitchen and terrace. Royal Suite takes the whole top floor at 1,500 square metres, reached by a private lift, with a majlis for 20 and a second bedroom of its own.

A dedicated Pearl Club lounge sits on the 5th floor, open to the rooms and suites that carry its name, with breakfast, afternoon tea and evening canapés built into the stay along with a run of drinks after 5. Two of the suites, both carrying the Waldorf Astoria name, add a complimentary Bentley Bentayga for drop-offs around Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, JBR, Burj Al Arab and the Mall of the Emirates. Cots and extra beds go into every room and suite on request. Self and valet parking are both free, and WiFi is complimentary throughout.