From Luxury Hotels to Old District Tea Rooms: Dubai Tourism Board FAM Pt.1
Last Thursday, ITTN’s Katie Doyle travelled to Dubai with the Dubai Tourism Board, ahead of Arabian Travel Market happening this week.
Her eight-day trip has already taken her into the heart of Dubai’s luxurious hotels, immersive experiences and exceptional dining. From the top of the Burj Kalifa, to the Ciel Dubai Marina – the World’s Tallest Hotel – Katie has sped down waterslides in Aquaventure World and tasted true Arabian dining in tea houses in the Old District. This is the first in a seven-piece series about her time in Dubai.
Early Friday, I arrived in Dubai off the 14.20 direct DUB-DXB with Emirates on an easy seven-hour flight with world-class entertainment and fantastic food offerings that included a tasty biryani for dinner, and a warm turkey sandwich served two hours before landing.
While the country recovers from the global impacts of the Middle East conflict, Dubai remains a staunch and strong reflection of the region’s durability. His Excellency Issam Kazim (CEO, DCTCM and DET), who spoke at the 2026 ATM Gala Ball on Sunday night, made this message abundantly clear: “we are a city that stood together, responded together and will continue to grow together”. Kazim spoke to the close collaboration between the government and their private sector partners whom they engaged early; offering immediate support and closely aligning them with future planning. This resulted in a resilient partnership that I’ve seen across Dubai in my couple of days here. Some hotels have taken the time to reimagine spaces and build on their offerings, the representatives we meet are welcoming and enthusiastic about their products.
As the market picks up, Dubai is eager and confident: ready for tourism to boom again and they have the accommodation to prove it.
The Ciel Dubai Marina
On Friday, I (your faithful Irish representative) joined a group of ATM buyers – comprised of UK travel agents and tour operators – as we began our Dubai adventure. I was lucky enough to spend three amazing nights in the Ciel Dubai Marina – the world’s tallest hotel. In a city known for its record-breaking achievements, this certainly is the highest on Dubai’s list of recent triumphs. Ciel Dubai Marina, as part of the Vignette Collection by IHG, was opened less than a year ago – in November 2025 – and stretching 377 meters above the Dubai Marina, it’s redefining luxury on every level. The hotel has 1,004 rooms and suites, each with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, taking in a birds-eye view across the Arabian capital. The hotel boasts exceptional restaurants and lounges, three stunning outdoor pools, a modern gym, and a spa. The gym is a favourite with the group – modern technology will give you a full body and mind evaluation in less than twenty minutes. It has all the technologically advanced equipment you’d expect for a gym this new and high in the sky, with dramatic views of Dubai’s skyline to motivate your daily exercise. The design of the Ciel Dubai is unique – its cosy atriums offer a boutique feel on the lobby floor; you wouldn’t expect the lifts to reach upwards of 83 levels until your ears start popping. The Sky Pool is Ciel’s crowning glory: the world’s highest rooftop infinity pool. Above it, TATTU restaurant offers colourful small plates, dim sum, sushi and sharing dishes. Their menu is rooted in the culinary traditions of the Far East, Executive Chef Evgenios Papadimitriou and Chef de Cuisine David Pang combine “bold flavours, refined technique and creative presentation to deliver an immersive dining experience”. Find out more about the hotel at https://www.cieldubai.com/.
The Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai
First up for site visits on Friday was The Mandarin Oriental Downtown Dubai. This 303-metre-high hotel hosts 259 rooms that offer panoramic views across the city’s skyline. Originally opened in November 2025, the hotel had a small window of opportunity to showcase its luxurious offering and is now planning a marketing relaunch this year. It joins 46 hotels operated by the group globally and is a faithful representation of the luxurious, private and sophisticated ambience that the brand is known for. The hotel is ideally located just minutes from Dubai’s renowned attractions, connected directly to the Dubai Mall through a covered, air-conditioned passageway that leads guests into the heart of downtown including the Burj Khalifa and Burj Lakes, alongside a plethora of food and shopping options.
The hotel features 73 suites, with a diverse range of layouts designed for both business and leisure travellers alike. One and two-bedroom suites have built-in kitchenettes, spacious living areas and a calming ambience achieved through soft-textures alongside golden and auburn undertones. Aside from the suites, each room offers marble bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, deep soak tubs and exclusive Natura Bissé amenities. While connecting rooms (secured at the time of booking) are a safe bet for travel agents looking to lock in their luxury clients’ next trip.
The wellness section of the Mandarin Oriental Downtown spans two floors and focuses on four holistic pillars: nourishment, in-room wellness, beauty and intelligent movement. There are nine treatment rooms, vitality pools, tepidarium lounges, experience showers, saunas and steam rooms. The fitness centre features Mandarin Oriental Technogym equipment – designed specifically for the brand and designed to give guests a personal and adaptive approach to their wellness regimes. With spectacular views of Dubai, the landscaped rooftop pool terrace offers a 25-metre lap pool, leisure pool, and dedicated children’s pool.
The Downtown Dubai Mandarin also showcases a return to its oriental routes with Yù & Mì – a modern Chinese bar and restaurant inspired by 1960s Hong Kong. There’s also a cosy Italian offering in Chitarra, the Lobby Lounge for light dining and the Club Lounge that offers an intimate, private space reserved for Club room and Suite guests. On Friday, I was lucky enough to lunch in Noia By The Pool – the rooftop, poolside Greek restaurant. In this relaxed, open-air restaurant, the menu consisted of classic Mediterranean favourites: hummus dips and feta salads, zucchini balls, souvlaki and grilled seabass among others.
You can find out more about the hotel at https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/dubai/downtown.
Raffles The Palm Dubai
On Friday evening, we took in a site visit of Raffles The Palm Dubai. The regality of the hotel hits you straight away under a golden, domed ceiling with a dazzling chandelier, stretching carpets and tiled floors. You’d think you were in 18th-century Europe if not for the luxury fast cars parked outside – not to mention the heat. An intricate, gold and silver-leaf design frames every wall of the hotel, in each room there’s a Swarovski chandelier above the bed and everything else is velvet and fresh. The hotel features 340 rooms, suites, and private villas – some are owned by the hotel and are popular with big-name celebrities, others have lifetime residents.
There are six restaurants and bars to indulge in, from Le Jardin buffet dining to the Italian Piatti by the Beach, Blüthner Hall for afternoon tea and Matagi – their Japanese concept – that hosted us for an indulgent dinner (but more on that when I do my Food in Dubai deep dive). The hotel has an indoor swimming pool and 1,600-foot private beach past the lawns that were inspired by the Garden of Versailles.
Each five-star hotel in Dubai has something unique to offer but the feeling here is of old money, decadence and classic luxury but of course, Raffles the Palm offers all the modern conveniences your guests could need. There’s Sola Jazz Lounge and a Karaoke Bar, the Cinq Mondes Spa offers innovative treatments and a Moroccan hammam and the cocktail list is a standalone reason to visit. Visit https://www.raffles.com/thepalm-dubai/ for more information.
All that to say, I’m enjoying myself immensely – stay tuned for more!
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