Ok, full confession: this trip report has taken probably a month longer than it should have.  It’s almost done though.  Let’s get everyone caught up:

Planning
DFW-Venice on US Airways
Venice
Paris: A Stroll
Park Hyatt Paris Vendome
Going to the French Open
Where to go in Dubai if it’s too hot outside
Afternoon Tea at the Burj Al Arab: A Guide for Posers

Everyone caught up?  Good.  Let’s continue with a fantastic hotel: the Park Hyatt Dubai.

Let’s face it, if you happen to sneeze in Dubai odds are you’ll be sneezing on a luxury hotel.  They are EVERYWHERE.  “Jim’s Luxury Desert Hotel” could turn a great business simply by putting up a sign and pointing people at sand dunes to go sleep on.  While that’s probably not entirely true, it’s close enough.  It has to be really hard for these luxury hotels to differentiate themselves since next door inevitably there will be something newer, nicer, and Dubai-er.  Being a points enthusiast (or really just “a guy with a lot of points”) I had a bunch of options from which to choose.  So why did I stay at the Park Hyatt Dubai?

Let’s look at the typical forecast for Dubai during the summer months.

“Fire02” by Fir0002 – Own work. Licensed under GNU Free Documentation License 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fire02.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Fire02.jpg

I know what you’re thinking, “Andy, that’s not accurate.  Notice how the flames don’t fill the entire frame,” and you’re correct, best image I could find on short notice.  Anyway, the point remains, Dubai is HOT in the summer.  Therefore, it’s not a huge surprise that hotel occupancy tends to drop then, as people don’t typically like being on fire while vacationing.

What does that have to do with the Park Hyatt Dubai?  Their prices were INCREDIBLY CHEAP.  Cheap enough that, instead of using points, I actually PURCHASED A HOTEL RESERVATION.  $200/night for a 2-night stay was very worth it, in my opinion.  It became even more worth it when I was able to use my confirmed suite upgrades received as part of my Hyatt Diamond Status Challenge to upgrade to a Park Terrace Suite!  (Lucky from One Mile At a Time does a great overview of the Hyatt Diamond Status Challenge here)

So all of the above led me to the Park Hyatt Dubai, which is unique among the luxury hotels in Dubai.  It sits in a golf course community in the Dubai Creek area, which is close to everything else in Dubai.  What’s great (or bad, depending on your preference) is that the Park Hyatt is set back pretty far in the community, over a kilometer away from the main road.  This helps it be a restful respite from the hustle and bustle and also gave Hyatt some space to work with so they didn’t have to necessarily build a skyscraper like everyone else.

On to the hotel!
I checked in really late on Thursday night, it was probably about midnight by the time I made it to the hotel.  After a brief mixup with my reservation, they confirmed that I’d be staying in a Park Terrace Suite (technically a double upgrade, but I’m fairly sure it was because of said brief mixup).  They introduced me to Mohammed, who would show me to my room.  I usually decline these things, and tried to this time, but the gentleman at the desk said “trust us, it is a long walk to the room, Mohammed will show you.”

Boy was I thankful for Mohammed.  The Park Hyatt Dubai is a sprawling complex that seemingly covers millions of square miles (that number is probably slightly off).  I was staying in the room farthest from the check-in area.  When I say it was a long walk, I’m pretty sure we passed through Frankfurt Airport at one point.  We eventually reached the suite, and I was blown away.  The thing was enormous and the view incredible.  The next morning I snapped away.

My suite door

When you first walk into the suite, you enter a spacious living room that has a balcony facing Dubai Creek.  The decor was arabic in nature, but very tasteful, it didn’t feel overdone in any way (the same could be said for the entire resort, they used amazing restraint).

There was a fresh fruit plate on the coffee table that was refreshed a few times during my stay as well, a nice touch.

Living room

Living room

From the living room I walked through a hallway with a huge closet space to my left and the amazing bathroom to my right.

Closet

Sinks

Tub

Shower

(my photo captions are getting better and more descriptive right?)

From the bathroom you walk to the enormous bedroom (that sentence is phrased awkwardly, but you know what I mean).

Bedroom

The bedroom is huge, the bed comfy, but then you walk out onto the terrace.  WHAT A TERRACE.

Terrace

View from the Terrace

The view was incredible and the space was enormous.  It was literally bigger than some entire hotel rooms I’ve stayed in elsewhere.

So I did what I usually do and get a picture of my Aggie Ring from Texas A&M University with the view.

Aggie Ring

And then did some modeling for my buddy’s clothing/lifestyle brand.

Some guy blocking downtown Dubai

I then decided, after all of this, to get some breakfast, which was included for Hyatt Diamond members (I didn’t ask about any other levels, sorry).

I walked a few miles over to the main area of the hotel and found Cafe Arabesque, where I got breakfasted in the face.

Entryway to Cafe Arabesque

The spread was mind-blowing, they had all sorts of varieties of food from around the world.  The food wasn’t as nice as it was at the Park Hyatt Vendome, but the sheer quantity and variety made up for it.

Pastry area

Fruit area

Then I saw one of the coolest breakfast things I’ve ever seen at a hotel.

Area with FREAKING HONEYCOMB

I sampled and dabbled from each of the stations, then the waiter came by and asked if I’d like anything from the menu.  So I got some waffles.

Pre-belly area

All in all a delicious breakfast in a lovely restaurant.

Later that day
If you’ve kept up with this report (which admittedly is tough, because even I haven’t) you’ll know that I went out to the Dubai Mall and ended up at the Burj Al Arab for afternoon tea.  After the tea, I came back to the hotel and did a little photowalk around the hotel grounds as the sun began to set.  Again, it’s an immense property, which made the grounds even more impressive, everything was very well cared for.

Hallway between wings

Decorations

Scenery at the Park Hyatt

Scenery at the Park Hyatt

Scenery at the Park Hyatt

Scenery at the Park Hyatt

Looking up at my terrace

Hookahs!

Summary
I really enjoyed my stay here.  I found the Park Hyatt Dubai relaxing and luxurious without some of the overstated exaggeratedness of the rest of Dubai.  If you’re going to be in the area and want a nice restful getaway, this is your place.

Scenery at the Park Hyatt

Onward
Well, it’s finally next: Etihad Diamond First Class.  Look for it soon!

Best,
Andy