The Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, and The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, are all luxurious five-star resorts located in Dubai. We outline which is best below.
1. Best Location: Four Seasons Vs. Waldorf Astoria Vs. Ritz-Carlton Dubai
To be completely confusing, there are actually two Four Seasons hotels in Dubai. Four Seasons Hotel Dubai International Financial Centre which is more of a conference hotel and does not have a beach, and Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach which is more of a resort hotel and is the one we are focusing in on for this comparison.
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is situated on Jumeirah Beach, one of Dubai’s most prestigious and picturesque beachfront areas. It offers direct access to the beach and beautiful views of the Arabian Gulf. The resort is conveniently close to the city’s major attractions. It is a short drive from the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and the vibrant Downtown Dubai area. It’s also near cultural sites like the Jumeirah Mosque.
The Waldorf Astoria Dubai is located on the far edge of the iconic Palm Jumeirah, an artificial island shaped like a palm tree. The resort is positioned on the crescent of the Palm, offering stunning panoramic views of the Dubai skyline, Dubai Marina, the Arabian Gulf, and the Palm itself.
The Waldorf is the most secluded of these three resorts and offers a peaceful and exclusive environment. It’s about a 30-minute drive to Downtown Dubai and major attractions such as the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, and it’s a slightly longer ride to Dubai airport. The resort is closer to attractions on the Palm, such as Atlantis The Palm and its Aquaventure Waterpark.
The Ritz-Carlton Dubai is nestled in the lively Dubai Marina area, with direct access to JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) Walk, a popular beachfront promenade lined with shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. The resort is close to many of Dubai’s key attractions. It’s within walking distance of The Walk at JBR, Dubai Marina Mall, and the bustling marina with its yacht-filled waters. It’s also a short drive from the Palm Jumeirah and about 20 minutes from Downtown Dubai.
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is brilliantly located, blending beachfront tranquility with close proximity to major city attractions. We think it has the best location of all three resorts. Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah has spectacular views, but the iconic Palm Jumeirah is a pain to get on and off, so if you want to explore beyond the resort, you must be prepared for long traffic jams at busy times. The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, is great if you like a vibrant, energetic area with a wide range of dining, shopping, and entertainment options in Dubai Marina, but it is a little remote from the heart of the city and its attractions, kind of like Canary Wharf compared to the center of London. Hence, this is not our top choice.
2. Style & Character
The Four Seasons is a fantastic beach resort with a huge spa and an Arabian nights feel to it. It has 237 rooms and a beautiful setting with trees and greenery.
Ritz-Carlton Dubai is fronted by extensive tropical grounds that lead onto the beach. The hotel is gorgeous but feels a bit formal and slightly conference-orientated because of its clientele.
The Waldorf Astoria should be a beautiful hotel, but it feels unloved compared to the other two hotels. Inside, everything is pearly white and oatmeal, and when you look out onto the grounds, the palm trees and greenery offer a green fuzz at the bottom of your eyeline, which is particularly lovely in the crazy heat in Dubai. Beyond the greenery is a lovely beach with views, and within the greenery is a family and an adult pool, both of which are stylish and modern.
Again, the Four Seasons wins with the most loved, relaxed, and stylish hotel.
3. Beach & Pools
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach offers multiple pool options and a pristine, exclusive beach with soft golden sand. This is our favorite beach and pool area of these three hotels.
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah has a luxurious and really good beach and a great pool experience with stunning views of the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai skyline. This comes in at number two. There is a fun decked area between the gardens and the pools, which is shaded by palms and is a wonderful place to enjoy a cocktail in a lounger.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai has great grounds and combines a luxurious beach and pool experience with a vibrant atmosphere due to its location near JBR Walk. Conference bookers favor the Ritz-Carlton, and the grounds are sometimes roped off for events, which can be noisy. It is also annoying not to be allowed free reign of the hotel grounds when you’ve paid a hefty room rate for your room. However, the access to JBR Walk makes this hotel a fun base as there’s loads of stuff to walk to.
5. The Club Floor
The Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach does not have a club lounge.
The Waldarf Astoria has The Pearl Club Lounge, a room high up at the top of the hotel with stunning views and decorated in pearly whites. It is available to guests who book Pearl Club rooms, Pearl Club suites, Waldorf Astoria suites, Chairman’s Suite, or Royal Suite. Pearl Club access can also be purchased as an add-on for guests staying in standard rooms and suites at AED 450 per person. The lounge is open daily from 8:00 am – 9:30 pm.
This lounge is one of the best club lounges in Dubai and is fairly traditional in design. It has plenty of comfy sofas, cafe seating and a lovely terrace for fresh air and sunsets. It definitely feels like a luxurious space, and the food offerings match the luxurious feel.
From 8:00 am – 10:30 am, breakfast is served with freshly prepared egg dishes such as Eggs Benedict and a large cold buffet. There is more choice downstairs in the Mezzerie restaurant, but the Club Lounge is much less hectic and chaotic. Throughout the day, non-alcoholic drinks and coffee are available. Afternoon tea is served with sandwiches and sweets from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm. There is a cocktail hour in the evening from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm with beer, wine, sparkling wine, and cocktails. There is also a buffet with soup, cheeses, meats, fresh rolls, salads, sandwiches, and canapés – enough to fill you up. This club lounge is great but not a patch on the Ritz-Carlton club lounge with its five daily food offerings.
The Ritz-Carlton has more and better food offerings than the Waldorf, but the lounge can be overly busy. We rate the lounges at the Waldorf and the Ritz-Carlton as being around the same level of luxury.
Best Executive Or Club Lounges At Hotels In Dubai
We have reviewed hotels in Dubai, UAE, with the best club or executive lounges by the beach, downtown, and at the airport DBX to help you decide on the best choice, whether you are traveling as a couple, a family, or as a single business traveler. By reviewing each of these club lounges, in turn, I conclude which hotel club lounge comes in at the top and which hotel I would select as having the best club lounge in Dubai.
6. Food & Drink
Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach has great service, the best of these hotels, and a restaurant village with Jean George, Nusret, Coya, and FS restaurants, so it has the best restaurants, too. The Ritz-Carlton restaurants and service aren’t noteworthy.
The Waldorf reportedly has the worst service and a zoo-like breakfast buffet that is very messy and uncouth, and not cleared at speed. None of the food and drink outlets at the Waldorf are particularly great, so this comes at the bottom of the pile.
7. Price
The Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah typically offers the cheapest prices among the three luxury resorts, followed by The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai. On average, the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is the most expensive.
Our luxury travel concierge offers a brilliant deal at all these resorts. We can gift you priority room upgrades, hotel credit, free breakfast, and more. You also get your usual loyalty points when you book via our agency.
8. Conclusion
The Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach is superior in location, beach, restaurants, setting and pool. The Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria remain great luxury hotels each with their own individual advantages. if you prefer to have plenty to walk to, from your hotel, the Ritz-Carlton is probvably the one to go for. If you want a stylish and peaceful resort grounds, go for the Waldorf Astoria.
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