Fodor's Expert Review Meliá Dubai

Italian-designed (Marco Mangili), Spanish-owned, with an Indian flagship restaurant, sleek and yet in an undeveloped area of Dubai, the Meliá is certainly a hotel of contrasts. There are few five-star hotels in this older part of Dubai, so when Meliá opened in 2011 it was a pleasant surprise. Public areas are dramatic, well sculpted, and sophisticated. The large rooms are plush and contemporary, and have exceptional oval baths. There is a small rooftop pool and bar with skyline views of Dubai's space-age towers, shipyards, and the Persian Gulf. The spa is well worth a visit, offering hydrotherapy, Moroccan bath, and a wide range of treatments.