IanDioDubai, Emirate of Dubai
10.0“She still has her charms.”
My friend and I needed a place to decompress, given the situation we are in, as well as his own health challenges. I had a totally different choice but he convinced me to join him at the One & Only Royal Mirage due to its prestige as one of the OGs of Dubai's upscale hotel brands. We were given a notification that we could check in before noon so we aimed to be there at 11:00am. However, our room was not ready so we waited a little bit. There was an area with beverages and small bites, which was a welcome treat. The staff were warm and friendly, especially the Asian man (I failed to get his name but he looked like he was SouthEast Asian) The property is not overly huge, but what was wonderful was it was divided into smaller areas (Palace, Arabian Court and Residence) which gave it a cozier, more intimate feel. To fill in our time, we asked for advise on how to go to one of the malls at The Palm and was directed to take the buggy to the monorail. It was a bit messy, as the buggy driver had to pick up other guests somewhere but didn't really explain to us why there was a bit of a wait since he was not fluent in English. Finally, we arrived at the monorail station only to find out that it was closed... and that it was closed for the last 2-3 months. That detail should have been told us by the staff at the reception. But that was the only hiccup in the entire stay. Our room was fairly well sized, with two queen sized beds, a coffee maker (Nespresso... a nice touch). The TV was a little on the small side but no issue there. The bathroom had a tub, but had a separate shower. His and hers sink was well appreciated. The toiletries were made from a local brand, Montroi. The pool was not too crowded but that was probably because I went there an hour before closing. The gym was well equipped and the staff were amazing. Access to the sauna and steam room gave me a total relaxing cool down. Breakfast was decent, with both decadent and healthy options. It was nice to start the day with the bright and sunny Hakima and Phoo welcoming you and the all-smiling man at the egg station making your special plate. Checkout was a breeze.
March 2026