- Trip Report: UAE in the Summer
- Review: Star Alliance First Class Lounge LAX
- Review: Etihad First Class LAX-AUH (Los Angeles to Abu Dhabi)
- Review: Ajman Saray, A Luxury Collection Resort
- Le Meridien Fairway Dubai Review
- Review: Sheraton Deira
- Review: Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi
- Review: Hilton Al Ain
- Review: Crown Plaza Sohar
- Review: Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort
- Emirates First Class Lounge DXB Review
- Qantas First Class Review DXB-LHR
- Review: British Airways Concorde Room (First Class Lounge) LHR
- British Airways 747-400 First Class Review LHR-DFW
We headed to Dubai after a great stay at the Ajman Saray Resort, and our first hotel there was the Le Meridien Fairway that was close to the airport since we were meeting with one more friend. My friend Jamison and I each got a room and were both upgraded to suites at this hotel.
We both booked this hotel on a Best Rate Guarantee for under $80 for the night. We also got 2,000 Starpoints since we found a lower competing rate, and I value those Starpoints at $40-$50, so this was a great value for us. This hotel costs 7,000 Starpoints per night if you wanted to use only points.
Le Meridien Fairway Dubai
Getting to this hotel was a bit of a challenge. Google maps has the location incorrectly listed and the taxi driver did not know where it was (he took us to the other Le Meridien in Dubai at first). To make things even more confusing, there are two streets going the same direction separated by a median right in front of the hotel, so if you’re on the wrong side of the median then you’re going to have to circle back. And by the way…the address listed on the hotel’s website is PO Box. Really?!
My advice: know EXACTLY where the hotel is before getting there!
We entered to a small but nicely decorated lobby. There were fresh flowers and plenty of areas to sit.
There was a slight issue at check-in as it looked like I booked the room for one person, when there was actually going to be a second person staying with me. Usually this isn’t an issue because the nightly rate is the same for single and double occupancy, whereas it gets more expensive for third and fourth persons, but the front desk agent made an issue of it. After a couple of minutes of back and forth, the Manager came over and asked what was going on, then told the front desk agent that it didn’t matter and just change it to a two person reservation.
Thankfully we were upgraded to a suite, and I was handed my keys to “The Marina Suite” on the third floor. We took the elevators up and as soon as we got to the hallway we noticed the hotel looked a bit old. This was different from the lobby that seemed up-to-date, or at the very least not overly dated. The Marina Suite was at the end of the hall on the highway-side (front entrance side) of the hotel.
Le Meridien Fairway Dubai: The Marina Suite
We entered the room and found it to be clean, but definitely dated. There was a separate living room and bedroom with a small hallway connecting the two.
The living room also had a sliding door that lead to a massive balcony, but unfortunately it wasn’t one that you’d want to hang out on. There was no furniture and not much of a view. It was also about 110F outside, so that might have had something to do with it :P.
The bedroom was similarly sized and furnished, and featured a King bed with two night stands, a desk, and a TV.
Again, all the furniture was a bit dated but not so bad. The bed turned out to be very comfortable so I have no complaints about the room. Internet was free as a Platinum member but there was a restriction to only 3 devices. There were some minor connectivity issues given the room was at the edge of the hotel, but nothing bad enough to really complain about.
As you can see in the pictures, there were plenty of windows throughout the room. I love getting some natural light in my rooms and was hoping for a great view, but it was a bit too smoggy to have one. You can’t tell in the image below, but we were able to see a faint outline of the Burj Khalifa and other large, downtown buildings in the distance.
The bathroom was in the hallway between the bedroom and living room and had a single sink, huge tub, separate shower, and of course the toilet and bidet.
The bath amenities were by Cinq Mondes, as is the standard for many Le Meridien hotels. The shower was long but narrow, and the shower head was placed kind of awkwardly so that you’re up against the glass. There was a window in the bathroom for more natural light.
Speaking of natural light, let’s not forget that it was literally 110F outside. That meant that the AC better be doing it’s job with the sun shining in all day. Thankfully it was, but the thermostat gives you an idea of how old the hotel is. Oh, and there was also a switch to turn on the water heater for the bathroom! Not that we needed it…
Le Meridien Fairway Dubai:Â Breakfast
We received complimentary breakfast due to our Platinum status, and there was a small breakfast area on one of the lower floors.
Options were pretty limited and included the basics – bread, cereals, pastries, fruits, juices, hummus, and a couple of hot items. A the table we noticed a sign for a few made-to-order items as well.
I decided to order both an omelet and waffle. There isn’t a waiter – it was just one person that occasionally walked around the room to clear plates and take drink orders. I put my order in and after about 10 minutes my food came out.
An omelet is hard to mess up, so no complaints there. A waffle, on the other hand, is much easier to mess up. To put it simply, the waffle was not good. I like waffles, and this thing was tasteless and so soft it had the consistency of a slice of bread. Take a pass on this one if you visit the hotel.
Le Meridien Fairway Dubai Review: Summary
Our one night stay came to an end rather quickly and we were on the move to our next hotel, the Sheraton Deira that I’ll review in the next post. The Le Meridien Fairway Dubai isn’t a fancy hotel and the rates are fair. My friend Jamison was able to find a great Best Rate Guarantee that saved us a lot of money and got us extra points, so I feel we got good value for our stay. It might be a tough hotel to find, but it’s convenient to the airport.
I wouldn’t stay here if you’re being a tourist as it’s very far from most of the popular attractions Dubai has to offer. At the same time, if you’re looking to save some money then this hotel is definitely worth considering. The elite recognition was great as we both were upgraded to suites without having to ask. Breakfast could have been better but wasn’t bad for what we paid.