REVIEW | Mövenpick Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai
Mövenpick Jumeirah Beach Hotel has been one of my favourites to stay at (abroad) so far. The staff at the hotel really did make our stay extra special which made writing this review so much easier :)
FIRST IMPRESSIONS - 9/10
Upon arriving at the hotel we were treated by the front of house staff who very quickly opened our taxi doors, gathered our luggage and lead us to the main reception desk. The lobby interior was just marvellous! Huge pillars, marble-like floors which were polished to perfection, very well presented staff with not a hair out of place and very well air conditioned (which is always a bonus for me when travelling to a hot country).
Check-in was very easy as my sister had already pre-book and also had already put a tab on our room. The reception staff were so friendly and explained pretty much everything we needed to know about the hotel, amenities, our room etc. We were then given our room keys and our luggage soon followed.
LOCATION - 8/10
The hotel’s location couldn’t have been better for me! Everything we needed was pretty much on our doorstep, however I must point out that I didn’t really spot any supermarkets within close walking distance to the hotel. Having said that, our hotel package was half board so when we did venture out for a spot of lunch it was usually further away from the area after whichever activity we were going that day. I’m sure there probably were supermarkets closer to the hotel but as most of our meals and snacks were accessible within the hotel, this wasn’t really a necessary factor. Places within easy walking distance included the beach, the marina/marina yacht club, corner shops, jewellery stores, fast food joints, restaurants, bars, shisha lounges, options, etc. The airport was also about 20-25 mins drive away.
Me, Mum & Lou
THE ROOM - 8/10
Our room was delightful. Just the right size for three adults. The room layout consisted of:
The bedroom: two single beds, a sofa bed, desk and chair, mini Bar, access to the bathroom and balcony and wardrobes
The balcony: with (partial) sea view
The bathroom: the main bathroom area with a stone-like bath tub and separate shower cubicle and WC/bidet cubicle
After our luggage had been brought up to the room, another member of staff kindly set up the sofa bed for us and added bedding. Someone also explained about the mini bar and we also noticed that we had a snack drawer and another drawer with extra cutlery/crockery in case we wanted to order room service or bring outside food into our rooms. Very handy.
The beds were extremely comfy, for a little extra space, my sister and I pushed our beds together (something I later regretted as she snores just as loudly as I do lol).
The balcony view was lovely but a little shaded by the (very beautiful) glass building which stood opposite us. We were still able to see the beach though and were also left little ashtrays on the table along with some chairs.
View from the 20th Floor
Bathroom
Hotel Room
Bathroom
THE RESTAURANT(S) - 8/10
There are two restaurants in the hotel - The Talk and Soul. The Talk is where we ate breakfast and dinner on most evening (included in our half board package) and I must say, we were satisfied after every visit! To list a few, some of the breakfast choices included cereal, porridge, toast, fresh bread, croissants, eggs (fried/ scrambled/ omelettes), spring rolls, beans, mushrooms, fruits, pancakes, waffles, etc. Dinner options included soups, breads, sausages, meats, fish, veggies, rice, pasta, noodles, and so on. There were also themed nights - Caribbean night for example would include all the usual foods plus culture specific foods such as curry, plantain, fish cakes, mac and cheese, etc. You also have the option to try a range of tasty desserts - all buffet of course.
Soul restaurant (I believe) required pre-booking and was not included in our package so we only ate here on one or two occasions. This menu was Á La Carte and we had a menu to choose from (no buffet).
Both restaurants were beautifully decorated - The Talk was a little more quirky and colourful, whereas Soul had a more dark and romantic look with twinkly little lights which hung from the ceiling. The staff in both restaurants were so friendly and helpful (I’m sure I have said this a lot and probably will continue to say it in the next couple of Dubai posts but honestly they were great). The always asked if we needed our water or wine topping up, always ushered us to our seats and pulled the chairs out for us and served us with a smile on their faces. They even brought a cake for my mum and myself as we were celebrating our 25th and 60th birthdays!!
Chocolate Marshmallows
Dinner at Soul
Freshly Cooked Salmon
First Time Trying Sushi - Still Not Convinced Yet!
Breakfast Time!
Fresh Tasty Bread
Twinkly Lights at Soul
Birthday Cake for Me and Mum!
OTHER FACILITIES/AMENITIES - 9/10
Even if we didn’t venture out to explore and do different activities each day, I can safely say that we probably still would not have been bored at Movenpick as there was just so much to do within the hotel grounds! Such as...
The pool: sadly as my sister had so many things planned for us, we didn’t get to use the pool but it looked great and also had an infinity edge overlooking the beach! Next to the pool however, there was a pool bar with snacks and drinks. You can also smoke shisha in the evenings and there are also designated smoking areas close to the pool.
The spa: the spa was great! Very tranquil and peaceful with calm spa music playing gently in the background. Here you could have a massage or facial, use the sauna, steam room, changing rooms and the gym! We had an hour long bamboo massage which consisted of Thai massage, aromatherapy and rolling techniques with short bamboo rods. After our massage we were greeted with a cup of tea or water.
Jewellery store: it’s not every day you have a jewellery store inside of your hotel now is it? Sadly, my pockets were far too empty to purchase real gold and diamonds but the rings and necklaces were pretty to look at :)
The pool bar: as well as an outdoor pool bar area, there was also an indoor pool bar. Here you can try your hand at a game of pool/snooker, watch the sports on the big screen or simply enjoy a pint or cocktail. You are also allowed to smoke indoors but only in this pool bar.
Before my Relaxing Massage (Which Sent me to Sleep!!!)
OVERALL - 8/10
Overall I would say that this is a great hotel to stay at if you are travelling to Jumeirah. The staff made our stay extra special with their helpfulness and general ‘can-do’ attitudes. The hotel was generally spotless so we had no concerns about hygiene or cleanliness and it was very centrally located. I would totally recommend Movenpick Hotel (Jumeirah Beach) and would really love to visit again!
Although we were guests at Mövenpick, all opinions in this post are 100% my own! :)
