Park Hyatt Dubai [In-depth Review]

Dubai is strewn with 5-star hotels, many of which adorn the city’s skyline with glitz and glamour.

When planning my first trip to Dubai, I asked friends who had lived there and did a lot of my own research to determine where I should stay. The multitude of high-end hotels in Dubai means that visitors have a dizzying number of options when considering their accommodations. In the end, I decided to split my stay between 2 hotels in 2 distinct neighborhoods.

I spent the first 2 nights at the Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai in the Dubai Marina — a busy waterfront neighborhood close to the beach with lots of restaurants and nightlife — and the last night at the Park Hyatt Dubai, located on the banks of the majestic Dubai Creek, where I was looking forward to some rest before our 20+ hour journey home the next day.

Read on to find out what it’s like to stay at the Park Hyatt Dubai!

Hotel Location

This tranquil creekside Park Hyatt Dubai is situated next to the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and is just a 10-minute drive from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and minutes from The Dubai Mall and the tallest skyscraper in the world (and top attraction in the city) — the Burj Khalifa.

While being a short drive from many of the city’s major attractions, the Park Hyatt Dubai feels more like a secluded resort due to its position along Dubai Creek.

Booking

At first, I had booked all 3 of our nights at the Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai, which is part of Marriott Bonvoy’s The Luxury Collection, because my wife had earned some Free Night Awards worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points each on her Marriott Bonvoy Boundless^® Credit Card. These awards would cover our entire 3-night stay at the Grosvenor House, where an award night cost 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for our dates.

Yet among the world’s major hotel chains, Park Hyatt is my favorite luxury hotel brand, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend a night at the Park Hyatt Dubai. Because of this, I decided to cut my original 3-night stay at the Grosvenor House to just 2 nights, and I booked a room at the Park Hyatt Dubai for our last night.

I made a reservation for a standard room with 2 twin beds for 23,000 World of Hyatt points per night since standard king rooms were unavailable at the time of booking.

As it was only my wife and me on this trip, I contacted the hotel via email to request a room with a king bed. They responded promptly and courteously by switching our bed type to a room with a king-size bed.

If I had paid cash for my 1-night stay, the cost would have been $544, taxes and fees included. Because I chose to redeem 23,000 Hyatt points instead, my redemption yielded a value of 2.3 cents per point, which is much greater than our 1.5-cent-per-point valuation of World of Hyatt points.

Hot Tip: If you find reasonable rates and prefer to pay cash for your Hyatt stay, consider using a card like The World of Hyatt Credit Card that can earn you up to 9x points on Hyatt stays booked with your card (4 Bonus Points per $1 spent at Hyatt hotels and 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member) and offers access to an array of other benefits, including a Category 1-4 free night certificate per card year, a second free night certificate when you spend $15,000 on the card every year, Hyatt Discoverist elite status, and more.

Checking In

The day before our planned 1-night visit, I curiously checked the World of Hyatt app on my phone to see whether the hotel had, as they often do for World of Hyatt top-tier elite status Globalist members, pre-assigned me a room. As luck would have it, my room type had been upgraded from a 1 King Bed standard room to a 1 King Bed Family Lagoon Beach room situated on the property’s Lagoon Beach, only feet from the sand.

As I was getting ready for bed later that evening, I decided to use the World of Hyatt app to check in from my phone. As I went through the app’s check-in process, the room type had changed again. This time, I saw the words “Presidential Suite” and assumed the app had prompted an invitation to upgrade to this opulent room. But there was nowhere else to click in the app’s check-in process and no upgrade cost amount, so I just proceeded to the next screen.

As the shock of discovering that I had been assigned the Presidential Suite at the Park Hyatt Dubai lessened, I quickly realized that my 1-night stay was going to be a real treat.

I couldn’t believe we’d have this $3,500 room all to ourselves!

We arrived at the hotel in the early afternoon after a morning touring the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. As we pulled into the resort grounds, our driver stopped at the guard gate and told the security guard we were guests checking in.

As we pulled up to the front entrance, the hotel immediately reminded me of an urban oasis, combining Moroccan and Mediterranean designs.

As soon as we arrived, a bellman retrieved our bags from our Uber and kept them for us in the circular lobby while we checked in.

The check-in attendant grinned as he reaffirmed the room type we were allocated (which I took to be an encouraging sign), supplied us with a map of the property, and informed us of where breakfast would be served. Moments after, we were on our way down the hall to see our much-anticipated Presidential Suite.

Elite Benefits

I cherish my top-tier World of Hyatt Globalist status and would contend that no other hotel chain treats its elites as well as Hyatt does.

In addition to the surprising room upgrade and a kind welcome note from the Director of Rooms, we were provided a few nice welcome gifts as Globalists when we got to our room.

First, there was a bottle of wine, which we, unfortunately, didn’t have time to finish.

There were also several bottles of Evian water — much appreciated as we drink a lot of water.

There were even some delectable treats waiting for us.

Note that if you hold top-tier Globalist status and want to apply a suite upgrade award to your stay, you likely will be upgraded to the Park Suite, a 1,100-square-foot suite, more than twice the size of a standard room. Therefore, the suite upgrade award may be of good use at this hotel.

Hot Tip: Interested in learning more about World of Hyatt’s top-tier Globalist elite status? Read our guide on how to earn Globalist status with World of Hyatt card spending!

Amenities

Fitness Center

The fitness center at the Park Hyatt Dubai was open 24 hours a day and was accessible only to hotel guests. The gym was outfitted with high-tech Technogym equipment and provided a variety of workout options to accommodate your training preferences.

Whether you prefer free weights or exercise machines, there was no shortage of workout equipment available for use.

An attractive climbing wall greeted visitors.

Spa

Even though we didn’t have time for a spa treatment, we stopped by the hotel’s Amara Spa to check it out.

We were immediately drawn to the gorgeous courtyard just outside the spa entrance and the serene environment inside.

The spa offered a wide range of spa treatments, such as luxurious massages, rejuvenating facials, and unique local rituals.

The Amara Spa at Park Hyatt Dubai was open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Pools and Lagoon Beach

The Park Hyatt Dubai boasts a variety of pools and beachy areas where you can cool off on those steamy Dubai days.

Amara Pool

The first pool we’ll discuss is the Amara Pool. Sandwiched between several buildings in the interior of the resort and named after the onsite spa just a few steps away, this pool was flanked by palm trees and 4 hot tubs — 1 in each corner.

This pool was located in the property’s interior rather than along the creek like the other pools, and it had an abundance of loungers and shaded sections, as well as an outdoor enclosed lounge area with a dedicated bar.

There was a game area with several activities for kids (and adults) to enjoy around it, including ping-pong, a big chessboard, and playhouses for children.

Get into the competitive spirit and challenge your loved one to a game of foosball …

… or start a rally with some ping-pong.

If chess is your thing, you don’t want to miss the giant chessboard parallel to the interior pool.

This was the least crowded pool, and the atmosphere was peaceful and tranquil while being family-friendly. This pool was open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and was staffed by lifeguards.

The Lagoon Beach by Twiggy

The 2 Lagoon Beach infinity pools were without a doubt the most popular pools at the Park Hyatt Dubai. The first we’ll discuss is the adults-only The Lagoon Beach by Twiggy pool.

This pool boasts stunning views of Dubai’s downtown skyline and on a clear day, you can see the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.

There was also a man-made sandy beach with a variety of lounging options, including sun loungers, chic gazebos, and private cabanas.

The Lagoon Beach pool staff informed us during our stay that a portion of the adults-only pool was allocated for non-hotel guests who may purchase day passes to access the beach and pool facilities. There were a significant number of non-guests, yet it never seemed crowded or noisy.

Al Porto

Al Porto is the most recent addition to Park Hyatt Dubai’s amenities. The family-friendly Lagoon Beach pool was added to the property in late 2022 after recent renovations — with sand imported from Saudi Arabia and the Maldives.

Over 120 sunbeds surround the lagoon of the 360-foot-long pool, which is up to 4 feet deep and has beautiful views of the marina. In addition, there’s a splash pad for youngsters.

The family-friendly Al Porto infinity pool sits in front of the wide Dubai Creek. Regardless of which side you choose to lie on, you’ll have stunning views of the Dubai Creek Marina and the city’s skyline.

Golf Course and Tennis Courts

Guests who enjoy golf will be pleased to know that the hotel is located right next to the world-famous Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, which has a 9-hole par 3 course, a driving range with Toptracer technology, and the 18-hole championship Dubai Creek Golf Course.

The resort also has tennis and padel courts with certified instructors, if that’s more your style.

Kids’ Club

While we were without our daughters on this trip, I’m positive they would have had fun at The Cave Kids Club. The kids’ club offered supervised activities for 3- to 12-year-olds from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Park Hyatt Dubai guests receive complimentary access.

Parking

If you’re renting a car in Dubai, the Park Hyatt Dubai offers a secure indoor parking facility with valet service at no additional cost for hotel guests.

Wi-Fi

The hotel offered free Wi-Fi in all areas of the property, and the speeds were fast regardless of whether you were lounging by the Lagoon Beach pool or checking emails in your room.

Our Room — Presidential Suite

There are 223 rooms at the Park Hyatt Dubai, including 34 suites with balconies and breathtaking views of Dubai Creek and downtown.

The 2,368-square-foot Presidential Suite we were assigned was on the top floor and had a separate living room, dining room, and office, as well as a bar counter, a kitchen, and 3 private terraces with panoramic views.

As soon as I walked through the double wooden doors into the room, I was taken aback by its size.

Foyer

The foyer beyond the entrance doors included a sitting room and sliding glass doors leading to 1 of the 3 terraces with views of Dubai Creek and the city.

The views struck us the moment we stepped through the double doors.

Living Room

The living room featured multiple seating configurations, including 2 couches and 2 chairs with a round coffee table in the middle of all the furniture.

The living room space also included a 46-inch flatscreen TV and a DVD player within a large armoire. Admittedly, we spent little time in the living room, but if we had guests visiting or had traveled with our children, this would have been a great entertainment space where we could also plop down rollaway beds for extra sleeping capacity.

The main terrace of the suite was accessible via the living room’s sliding glass doors, and it had 2 loungers with beautiful views of the city and harbor.

Dining Room

The reoccurring theme of the penthouse suite was that it felt much more like an expansive condo than a hotel room. Nowhere was this more apparent than the 6-seat dining table in the formal dining area.

You could even see the yachts sailing away from the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club from this grand table.

Kitchen

While we were only at the property for 1 night, if we had an extended stay, the full kitchen would have very much come in handy — particularly with kids. The kitchen included appliances such as a full-size refrigerator, stovetop burners, a conventional oven, and a microwave.

The refrigerator was packed with refreshments and alcoholic beverages, including, soda, juices, water, beer, and liquor, that were available for purchase.

A Nespresso machine accompanied by coffee pods and tea was available to use.

Office

I didn’t work during this trip, though if I’d wanted to, I would have had a full office with a desk, chair, and beautiful views at my disposal.

Each room, including the office, featured a television.

Bedroom

In the bedroom, there was a king bed, 2 chairs with small tables and fresh flowers on top, and a TV. Behind the bed was an opening where the bathroom vanity and sinks were located. This connection with the bathroom gave the bedroom a larger feel.

The bedroom size was more than adequate for us and the king-size bed was very comfortable.

A huge walk-in closet next to the bedroom gave us plenty of space for our clothes and luggage. This was probably the biggest closet I’ve ever seen in a hotel room.

The bedroom TV was attached to the wall unit and had 2 speakers.

We spent some time sitting in the chairs on the terrace outside the bedroom.

Bathrooms

Master Bathroom

My favorite room in the Presidential Suite was this open-concept master bathroom with a double vanity.

A freestanding bathtub sat in the middle between the shower and water closet — and there were 2 robes hanging just behind the tub.

I’m a huge fan of rainfall shower heads and this one didn’t disappoint. The power of the water’s pressure was tremendous.

The open concept between the bedroom and bathroom was also a big plus, as it allowed my wife and I to easily carry on conversations while being in separate rooms.

Beside the freestanding tub was a separate room for the toilet and bidet.

The shower included L’Occitane toiletries, which was a pleasant surprise.

Second Bathroom

The Presidential Suite had a second bathroom with a long single-vanity sink and a separate water closet with a bidet, but no shower.

Food and Beverage

The Park Hyatt Dubai has a great selection of restaurants on-site, but guests can also dine at more than a half dozen restaurants at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, which is right next to the hotel and open to hotel guests.

The prices vary depending on the restaurant, but generally, the food costs are slightly higher than normal, which is to be assumed from an upmarket hotel like this.

Here’s a look at what’s offered on the property.

The Cinnamon Club

The Cinnamon Club is a London-based restaurant chain that serves modern Indian food with international flavors. The cuisine showcases dishes from various parts of India and the Middle East.

Cinnamon Club was open from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Twiggy by La Cantine

On our last night, before going to the airport for our 2:30 a.m. flight, we had dinner at Twiggy by La Cantine, an open-air restaurant and beach club with a Mediterranean theme. The dining experience was enjoyable but pricey. However, the outdoor setting and views of Dubai’s downtown skyline at night were memorable.

We ordered 2 fish entrees (grilled sea bass and grilled salmon), 1 appetizer (clams), and 2 glasses of red wine and the total bill came out to $195 with tip.

Twiggy by La Cantine was open daily for lunch and dinner from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m.

NOÉPE

NOÉPE sits in the middle of the beautiful and charming marina, with a stunning panoramic view of the creek. It serves Californian and Nikkei cuisine, as well as a distinctive beverage menu.

NOÉPE was open every day from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.

The Thai Kitchen

I had heard really good things about Park Hyatt Dubai’s The Thai Kitchen, but sadly I didn’t get the chance to dine here. The Thai Kitchen promotes that it uses the freshest ingredients to produce traditional Thai cuisine, giving visitors an authentic experience of Thai food in Dubai.

The Thai Kitchen was open every day from 6 p.m. until 12 a.m.

Brasserie du Park

Brasserie du Park is a modern French restaurant that serves a wide range of dishes in the brasserie style. Every morning, breakfast was served here and a special brunch on weekends is popular with locals, albeit a bit pricey at 495 AED (approximately $135 per person).

Guests can either order from a menu or enjoy the buffet. While the menu didn’t disclose prices for individual dishes or the buffet, you can always ask your server before ordering to determine which option is best for you.

Thanks to my Globalist breakfast benefit, we opted to order egg dishes and helped ourselves to food from the buffet as well.

The restaurant was open daily for breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Service

The Park Hyatt Dubai delivered amazing service during our quick stay. The staff was friendly and attentive, and they were eager to assist us in any way that we needed it.

They even gave us a late checkout of 7 p.m. which was incredibly helpful as we had an extremely early flight departure of 2:30 a.m. Having room access until the evening saved us from roaming around Dubai with luggage and needlessly passing time before our flight.

Final Thoughts

Of course, when you’re upgraded to the Presidential Suite at a hotel as a complete surprise, you have high expectations for your stay. And still, when viewed objectively, the Park Hyatt Dubai’s grounds are breathtaking, its restaurants are excellent, and the entire staff is welcoming and friendly.

Next time I’m passing through Dubai, you can bet that I’ll be spending at least a few nights at the Park Hyatt Dubai so I’m able to fully take advantage of all the amenities and dining options that the hotel has to offer.