Work commitments brought me back for another stay.

This time our team upgraded to the Horizon Club.

I got the same type of deluxe room on the 38th floor, but this time facing the Sheik Zayed Road - altogether better than being out the back.

Generally the Hozion Club experience is good. The limited choice of breakfast suited me before rushing off to work, but might not be enough choice for someone wanting a more leisurely blow-out.

At busy breakfast times the staff are under pressure and on one occasion I gave up waiting for my order and walked out.

There are a limited number of tables in the HC buffet area (one with a great view out to the sea) and the new no-smoking rules hadn't kicked quite kicked in meaning you could be sitting in the smoking part of the lounge.

In the evening it was a good place to have a pre-dinner drink. Either help yourself to drink or ask the staff. Good choice of drinks. If anything runs out just ask and the'll refresh the limited stock on display.

Some of the evening hot and cold snacks were delicious but most items on display were not popular and seemed to go to waste. Great presentation but more crisps and nuts please!

HC members have exclusive access to a gym and small pool. It's empty most of the time - the main gym is much better equipped.

Stay in in the HC for long enough and they get to know your name - the personal greeting from the staff is a nice touch.

The food in the main restuarants is good quality and service. The Marrakech and Amwaj are espeically good.

A new evening bar has been opened by the pool called Eye Candy. I really enjoyed chilling out here - outside with a shisa and cool music.

It was only on this trip that I realised the Balcony Bar fills up with hookers after midnight. Weird set up where they are tolerated by the hotel but must be on strict instructions not not initiate conversation with guests.

The hotel was pretty much full during our stay and when we had to extend our stay there were problems finding rooms. I had to upgrade to an "Executive" room at the back of the hotel. Larger in floor space but all other furniture exactly the same.
Having been woken up by the mosque at dawn I then thought I heard aeroplanes taking off every few seconds.
It turned out to be the lifts - the Exec rooms are all next to the lift shafts. This was costing another 700 AED per day.

After 16 nights it was time to check out and move the team to the newly opened Raffles which had a great opening offer.

My wife and I stayed for 5 nights at the end of August 2007, obtaining a special end-of-summer rate we found on a Dubai based website (not the hotel's). It was very hot in Dubai at that time of year and, as this was our second visit to the city, we spent most of our time at the hotel, under umbrellas around the lovely pool.

It is certainly the best hotel we have stayed at. The room was large and comfortable and all the staff were friendly, professional and very attentive. The choice of food for breakfast was amazing in its variety and quality.

We don't have a single criticism of the Shangri-La and would recommend it wholeheartedly.

Peter
Wellington, New Zealand

This hotel is strictly a business hotel, and I think is one of the best in Dubai. The Horizon Club Floor is worth staying at as this gives you many facilities such as complimentary internet in the business center plus many other facilities on the Horizon Health Club. So now, the details.

Location:
Located on Sheikh Zayed Road, being right across from the DIFC makes it an excellent location if you want to visit the banks there. Only trouble is, the DIFC is across the road, and you need to cab it there. Also, be careful during rush hour as it may take 30-40 minutes to overcome this short distance. As for Malls, I did not go shopping much, but it is easy to get to Wafi Mall and Mall of the Emirates.

Rooms:
My first room was a basic room. It was fairly small, and did not have a desk. I upgraded to a Horizon Club room, and this made a huge difference. It even had a desk and was much larger than the room before. The service here is also better, as you can visit, have breakfast, cocktails and relax in the club room. The bed linen is awesome, and probably competes with the Westin's Heavenly Bed. The housekeeping attendant was very helpful to ensure all my room needs were in perfect order. I'd have to commend Priya for that!

Club Lounge:
Like I mentioned before, the people there have been very kind and hospitable. The whole team, from the Director of Rooms, F&B, Front Office Manager and the Horizon Club team (Wiwiek, Fitriani, Maria, Varun, Leah, Jhune and many others) made my stay enjoyable. They knew what I wanted to drink and how to even cure a hangover! They all make a remarkable team. As for decor, the smoking area looks very classy, with soft leather chairs and soft lighting. There is a huge sofa where you can sit and watch tv on a plasma tv.

Food:
I did not manage to try many of the restaurants. As it was a business trip, I only had room service and the food in the lounge. Again, there were simple, yet very good. The bircher muesli was excellent too.

Conclusion:
This is an excellent business hotel. I think one of the top 3 in Dubai. Although the rates are high, consider staying here. You will not be disappointed, especially on the Horizon Floor.

The Shangri-La Dubai was built on a very small and narrow site, but with all the constraints, it was designed innovatively. As a business hotel, it delivers what it promises. Nice rooms (though smallish), good amenities (all toiletries are Aigner), excellent breakfast at the Horizon Lounge, friendly staff, good coffee shop.

You can't fault much, really. It is one hotel you would go back to without a thought. In its segment, it has all it takes.

Good location too on Sheikh Zayed Road.

Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, which is under construction is close by and can be viewed from some of the rooms..