The weather in Dubai in December and January is just lovely. It’s warm enough to just wear a t-shirt, but without being oppressively hot yet. I’m here to give another course, so I’ll be indoors most of the time. But it’s nice not to have to wrap up warmly to go outside. The humidity is also not too bad at this time of the year.

Location

On this trip to Dubai I’m staying at the Sheraton on Dubai creek because it’s closer to where I’ll be working this week. This is not a bad location to be based at on a visit to Dubai. The hotels on the Deira side of Dubai creek are much closer to the airport than those on Sheikh Zayed Road, and the views of the creek are quite nice. And at this time of the year, you might even risk going out for a walk in the evening without catching heatstroke! 

You enter the hotel into a large hall with the concierge’s desk. Reception is one floor up and accessible by escalators. This is where the lobby is. In one corner is the reception area. Four restaurants and the lobby bar are situated around a large atrium.

Check-In

Check-in is something that really doesn’t work very well with Marriott Bonvoy. A few days before arrival, I receive an invitation to check-in online. In theory, the idea would be that you could go head straight to your room upon arrival and unlock it with the app if you have bluetooth activated. In practice, though, in most countries they still require you to stop at reception first, so there really isn’t much point. In any case, the guy checking me in is a chirpy Philippino. He’s quick and efficient. He gives me the opening times for breakfast at Hatta Restaurant and then wishes me a pleasant stay.

The Service & Staff

The Sheraton is a well managed property with properly trained staff. Everyone I deal with at the hotel is friendly. The staff are very customer oriented. For example, at breakfast on the first day I can’t find the coffee machines (I forgot my glasses). I inquire with one of the waiters, but instead of just showing me where they are, he asks me what kind of coffee I’d like and tells me he’ll bring it to me while I go find some food.

Deluxe Room with Creek View

I’ve booked a deluxe room with a creek view. I had to make a tough choice here. It was either the creek view or a room facing inland from which I would be able to see the airplanes taking off from Dubai Airport. I suspect that the Sheraton is a fairly old property, though it’s very well maintained. It’s just that, for example, there are no USB charger sockets in the room, just the clunky British standard issue electric plugs. The room is quite large and spacious. There is a dresser with a flat screen tv on one side, and the bed opposite.

The bed is a king double with a good, firm mattress and nice fluffy pillows with good support. Lying in bed with the curtains open, I can see out the window to the other side of the creek.

Right next to the window is a small seating area with a divan and a coffee table. There’s also a good size working desk.

The bathroom is also quite spacious and features a separate bath and shower. The cosmetics are by Gilchrist and Soames. They’re nice and have a rather subtle scent. The Knight of Malta shower test is a success. The door to the shower closes firmly to prevent spillage, the pressure and volume are good and the temperature control works well.

The view of the creek is very nice. I’m glad I went for this view instead of the airplanes. The view reminds me a bit of the old Nile Hilton in Cairo, which sat right on the bank of the Nile on the Mohandeseen side.

Amenities

There are slippers in the wardrobe, but no bathrobes, which is a bit strange. Other than that, there is a kettle and a coffee machine. The minibar is fully stocked, which is a bit unusual. Very often in the UAE they will only stock the minibar on request.

When I return to my room on the first day of my stay, there’s also a small welcome gift for me to thank me for being a Bonvoy member.

Dining

There are several dining options at the Sheraton Dubai Creek. At lobby level there is the lobby bar which serves snacks throughout the day. They also serve afternoon tea here. Then there are two Japanese restaurants, an Italian restaurant and a pub style restaurant. Breakfast is served one floor down at Hatta Restaurant next to the pool. The breakfast at the Sheraton is just lovely, with a vast buffet that includes Western, Arab, and some gorgeous Indian options like palak paneer, sambar, idli, and a variety of chutneys. I basically end up overindulging on a different Indian dish every day!

Conclusion

Generally, I’m not much of a fan of Marriott hotels. I must say, though, that I’m positively surprised by the Sheraton Dubai Creek. It’s a well managed property with friendly staff and a good location, especially if you can get a room overlooking the creek. On a side note, I’m experimenting with a larger font size for the body of the text in my posts. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Let me know what you think, if I should keep this font size, or revert to the previous one. Thank you!