The Sofitel Dubai Jumeriah Beach hotel

We've recently come back from one of the most fantastic holidays we've ever been on. We had 3 weeks which consisted of 2 nights in Dubai, then on to Australia for 2 weeks and then another 2 nights in Dubai on the way back.

On the first trip to Dubai we chose to stay in the Sofitel Dubai Jumeriah Beach. We chose this after trawling through lots of websites and trip advisor reviews so we couldn't go wrong with our choice. We opted for a half board option as at least we knew we wouldn't have to pay for 2 meals on an already very expensive trip. We'd heard from lots of people who have visited there about how pricey the country can be. We paid a little over £500 for the room and the half board which seems incredibly expensive for 2 nights but when comparing with most other hotels in a prime location, it was coming up about the same. I think an important thing to remember also when booking a hotel in Dubai is that the majority of hotels are 4* plus, so you do get what you pay for.

As soon as you enter the hotel reception you are astounded by the decor and grandness of the hotel. It's simply luxurious whilst still feeling welcoming. Immediately you get the feel for how you are going to be treated for the rest of the stay as there is not a member of staff who will not hesitate to help you in any way you wish. All of the staff are very friendly whilst remaining professional and they are all absolutely wonderful with the children. This is obviously a big plus when travelling with your kids. We did worry about staying in a luxury hotel with a toddler and whether staff and other guests would be annoyed at it but it was quite the opposite. 

We stayed in one of their normal priced rooms but did pay a bit extra for a sea view. Dubai is full of high rise buildings and we could see from some of the reviews that you could be sat on a balcony and staring at a wall. The view was worth the extra as it was a beautiful picture of Jumeriah Beach. The only down side is that they are building the Dubai eye (like the London eye but a LOT bigger) in view of the hotel but as with most areas of Dubai there is always construction going on somewhere. This didn't spoil or evenings of sitting on the balcony.

The room itself was simply stunning. No other words for it. My pictures don't do it justice at all. I can't imagine what the more upgraded rooms or suites look like as this was perfect. You can view the room on their website here, Room. Again the decor is lovely. The room itself is a good size and in no means felt too small for the 3 of us. There were tea and coffee making facilities (no hotel is worthy in my opinion if they don't supply you with this) and plenty of bottled water. The bathroom was gorgeous. By far my favourite part of the room. It had a fantastic big bath and an amazing shower area which could have comfortably fitted about 5 people in it. The hotel also comes to turn down the room which is great as it's always nice to get into a freshly made bed with a chocolate. 

We were really happy with the half board option. It suited us much better. Eva loves nothing more than a bit of variety so a buffet style breakfast and dinner was right up her street. The restaurant where the buffet area was, was big. It never felt overcrowded and you didn't have to wait for a table. The food was always really tasty and there was a huge selection. I was a particular fan of the pancake station for breakfast!

The pool area was very nice and had lovely views of the sea and a swim up bar. The only downside for us was that it was a little on the small side and there wasn't enough sunloungers for people.

The location is perfect for families. It is literally a stones throw away from the beach and all of the bars, restaurants and shops on the walk. There was also a park on the beach that was very close to the hotel. This was a great place to take Eva in the night.

Overall we would definitely recommend this hotel to anybody whether it be families or couples and we hope to stay there again in the future. 

Have you ever been to Dubai? Have you stayed in a Sofitel hotel before?