Review: Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa

Located at the northern tip of Jumeirah Beach Residence, Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa is one of the original hotels in ‘new Dubai’ and still remains among the very best.

It may not have the astounding height or glamorous shiny façade of its younger rivals, but that in turn is what sets it apart. Understated, low-key class can be hard to find in Dubai and along with the hotel’s service, offerings and execution, it’s what keeps Le Royal Méridien’s visitors coming back year after year.

What offerings am I referring to? Let’s start with breakfast.

It may not be possible to sample an authentic breakfast dish from every nation on earth in a single morning, but Le Royal Méridien certainly gives you the opportunity to. Traditional full-English, bread-filled continental Europe, Arabic mezzehs, cereals, cooked fish, cheeseboards, salads, fruits, pancakes, waffles and even sushi are all options of sustenance to start your day.

Taken outside the hotel’s main Brasserie restaurant overlooking the resort’s extensive, sun lounger-soaked grounds, it’s the perfect way to begin your day while contemplating how many sins you will inevitably commit — gluttony is already achieved; sloth is on the horizon.

The rooms, like the rest of the hotel, are refreshingly understated and uncomplicated compared to the large majority of boudoirs in Dubai’s hotels. Simple yet modern the environment avoids foreignness in its design, immediately feeling homely and welcoming from the first time you step inside.

The huge, soft mattresses and even softer pillows ensure an extremely comfortable sleep — one befitting of a luxury holiday.

The real surprise of Le Royal Méridien is the sheer size of its grounds. As you approach the gentle-looking hotel from the busy roads of Dubai Marina, you would never expect the abundance of greenery and wildlife that encompasses three swimming pools, 13 restaurants and bars, a games area including badminton court and mini-football pitch and a long, inviting, palm tree-strewn path leading to the private beach.

Guests are spoilt for choice in the evening with restaurant options including the fantastic Mexican, Maya, by Richard Sandoval and Gary Rhodes’ signature restaurant Twenty10, alongside Italian, Lebanese and seafood eateries.

The spa pulls no punches either with authentic hammam pools alongside traditional saunas, steam rooms and a first-class fitness centre.

The word ‘resort’ is used all too frequently in today’s hospitality scene, but Le Royal Méridien is the perfect example of what the term should stand for; a place you should never have to leave.

If Dubai’s modern retreats embody the youth of the 21st century, then Le Royal Méridien is that familiar, warm, welcoming grandparent that you look forward to visiting. It simply gets better with age.