As I arrive at the soaring – truly, it is the world’s tallest hotel – JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, I’m taken by its statuesque presence among the city’s ever-growing skyline. Situated on buzzing Sheikh Zayed Road and next to what will soon be the expanded Dubai Creek, its 355 metres of 72-storey twin glass towers offer expansive views of the city and Arabian Gulf from almost any room. But I’m not here to experience just any room; it’s nothing but the best for me tonight as I check into the Penthouse Suite.
Entering the space, it’s cavernous and spread over 624 square metres and two floors connected by a grand spiral staircase, marrying modish style and traditional touches from the region throughout. Creamy walls and upholstery are complemented by dark wood accents and intricate mashrabiya atop soft mood lighting. Following the lead of the Arab culture, I’m welcomed in the suite’s majlis, where floor-to-ceiling windows drench ample seating with the Gulf’s warm light. A discreet enclave in the suite, it is ideal for entertaining. Should I decide to throw a bash, guests could spill out of the majlis to the lower level’s adjoining rooms.
Wandering down the corridor, dark wooden sliding doors hide a dining room with a large table and leather chairs, providing an intimate dining space while that ubiquitous city view remains on display – there’s also a kitchenette should you have a hunger for cooking, although that’s likely best left to a catering team who can ably whip up some canapés while you host your own personal VIPs. A living room beckons with a large, plush L-shaped sofa, from where I peruse an iPad that holds the key to all of the suite’s state-of-the-art features, such as the Bose speakers, Bang & Olufson televisions and mood-lighting themes – the latter of which I toy with as the sun sets, settling on a serene atmosphere that suits my mood.
I find two bedrooms upstairs that sleep up to six guests. The twin room can accommodate two guests or more, but it’s the elegant master bedroom that I’m unsurprisingly drawn to. An enormous four-poster bed surrounded by gauzy drapes and dressed in sumptuous cotton sheets sits atop a slightly raised platform, and window seating makes for an excellent perch from which to drink a latte in the morning. Equipped with its own bathroom, I find it to be rather average in size in comparison to the rest of the expansive suite, but what it lacks in space it makes up for in indulgence. I make a mental note to begin filling up its opulent free-standing bathtub well in advance of when I actually decide to sink into it, and a shower with an integrated steam sauna is especially tempting. What doesn’t disappoint in size, however, is the walk-in wardrobe that will be handily put to use after a marathon day of retail therapy in the nearby Dubai Mall.
In a suite this size, it’s a given that no aspect of life has been overlooked; there’s also a spacious office with a flat-screen television and additional seating for hosting meetings. If relaxing is the focus of the agenda, bespoke treatments and pampering can be done in the privacy of the suite’s spa. Equipped with a professional treatment table, it’s a tranquil environment that provides exactly the respite I need after a day amid Dubai’s electric atmosphere. While you could spend your entire stay cosied up in the penthouse, it’s worth venturing out to taste test some of the hotel’s five lounges and nine restaurants. Take my advice and book a table at the exquisite 68th-floor steakhouse, Prime68 – and by the time you’ve finished, that bathtub may just be ready for your luxuriating soak.
Stay:
WHAT: Penthouse Suite
WHERE: Business Bay, Dubai
PRICE: From AED35,000 (US$9,529 per night)
TEL: +971 4 414 0000
www.jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com