URBAN RICHES
Something of a city stalwart, The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre, has prime position in the beating heart of Dubai’s business, culture and cuisine neighbourhood of DIFC. Just 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport, a five-minute stroll to two Metro stations, with Downtown Dubai and The Dubai Mall a stone’s throw away, it’s perfect for leisure travellers.
The limestone façade cuts a striking silhouette against DIFC’s more modernistic buildings and provides a contemporary urban oasis away from crowds when respite calls. The hotel is home to 341 guest rooms, including beautiful suites and two spectacular Royal Suites. Book the latter, and you’ll be transported to and from the airport in a Bentley, and have a luxurious 220sqm space to call home, complete with a large Master bedroom and guest bedroom, a study, living room, dining room and kitchen, plus access to The Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge.
When hunger strikes, venture out of your suite to feast your senses in one of the hotel’s six restaurants. Start the day at Cake, aptly-named for its beautiful breakfasts and pastry persuasions. Then enter the golden era of the 1920s for lunch at Café Belge, with its Art Deco interiors and traditional Belgian cuisine, seafood and steak. A restaurant that focuses on rich family-friendly experiences, the Sunday Family Roast Brunch at Café Belge promises to keep children entertained.
The kid-friendly feast features pasta, salads, an ice cream station and a miniature dessert corner, with a magician, balloon bending, face painting, arts and crafts and a princess performance too. For dinner, head to Flair 5 for a floral-inspired evening, with a design that reflects the al fresco garden setting, and a sharing menu infused with fruits, herbs and botanicals.
Now the little ones are looked after, you can turn your attention back to some grown-up R‘n’R at The Ritz-Carlton Spa. Try one of the spa’s new collection of holistic therapies, with private guided meditation, reiki energy healing and Tibetan sound healing. Each 60-minute session is designed to alleviate stress, release energy blocks and promote harmony and balance within mind, body and spirit. Or indulge in the 120-minute Desert Reviver treatment, inspired by Dubai, which starts with a hot stone massage, followed by a full-body sand exfoliation, and a refreshing and revitalising cooling balm to relax the body and awaken the mind.
For those needing to burn off calories or business-induced stress, the hotel has two swimming pools - one indoor and one on the rooftop - and a state-of-the-art Fitness Centre too, with world-class equipment courtesy of Matrix. Guests really wanting to commit to their fitness can take out an annual membership, and enjoy benefits throughout the year, including a complimentary spa treatment, discounts on massages, products and restaurants, and special rates for private classes.
When you decide to step out from the hotel, the vibrant arts, culture and restaurant scene of DIFC is on your doorstep. Visit the new Museum of the Future, amble around the art galleries in Gate Village, then head to the nearby Frame Dubai for sunset views over the city, before retiring for a regal night’s sleep in your Royal Suite.