Dubai is a city that prides itself on its superlatives. After all, it’s home to the world’s tallest skyscraper, largest shopping mall, highest dancing fountain, and tallest observation wheel. So it should come as no surprise that the city’s top hotels boast suites that are bigger and better than just about anywhere else on earth. With palatial digs and luxe amenities like gold coffee machines, museum-worthy art, private hammams, infinity pools, and even a private beach, these five suites are the kind of accommodations you could only imagine in your wildest dreams.
This fabulous resort is just 45 minutes from Dubai in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, but feels a world away. Here, amid the dunes of the royal Arabian desert, in the largest protected area in the Gulf, oryx and gazelles wander freely. Guests who want to immerse themselves in the desert culture without sacrificing any of the comforts of home should book the presidential suite, a tented suite spread over 5,700 square feet, with a large private deck, temperature-controlled pool, spacious courtyard, living room, dining area, and a kitchen equipped with two minibars and coffee- and tea-making facilities. Each of the three bedrooms has its own bathroom and there are separate quarters for guests’ private staff. The suite is outfitted with handcrafted furnishings, antiques, and artifacts. Marriott.com; starting from $8,032 per night
Classic Four Seasons style melds with lavish Emirati touches at this five-star property on the beach near downtown Dubai. The entry-level rooms are some of the largest in Dubai, but for guests who won’t settle for anything less than the best, the suite to book is the royal suite, which extends over 6,458 square feet on the penthouse level. Guests staying here will be whisked up by private elevator to their quarters, which feature blue chip art, a baby grand piano, a show kitchen with live-cooking station, ten-seat dining room, wood-paneled study, private bar, bedroom, marble bathroom, and his-and-hers dressing rooms. There’s also a private gym with massage tables. Fourseasons.com; starting from $21,781 per night
Set on its own private island, the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab Jumeirah epitomizes the over-the-top glitz and glamor that Dubai is known for. So, needless to say, the hotel’s presidential suite is one of the most opulent suites in the city. At 7,178 square feet, it’s essentially a spacious apartment, with two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, library, private kitchen, en suite marble-and-gold staircase, and ocean views. There’s no shortage of gold here, from 24k detailing, golden lampshades, a gold Dyson hair dryer and gold coffee machine tailor-made for the hotel’s suites. Other perks include two en suite bars personalized to your taste, silk kimonos, round-the-clock e-butler and in person butler service, Hermès bath products, and your choice of 17 pillow styles. Jumeirah.com; starting from $40,000 per night
The Bulgari Resort brings chic Italian style to Dubai, with a restaurant by lauded chef Niko Romito, a beach club, and Bulgari’s first yacht club. There are rooms and suites in the main building as well as stand-alone villas, the largest and most luxurious being the Bulgari Villa. The 5,812-square-foot villa has a 5,381-square-foot garden and decked terrace, its own private beach, and an oval pool overlooking the sea. With three bedrooms and a 14-seat dining table under a glittering crystal light fixture, it can host a crowd. A live cooking station and bar make it ideal for entertaining. The living room features floor-to-ceiling windows on one side, and, on the other, a piece of art by Italian calligrapher Monica Dengo. The coolest detail? The Bulgari Villa is the resort’s only villa with its own hammam, private indoor hydromassage, and gym. Bulgarihotels.com; starting from $50,000 per night with a 7-night minimum
Eight years in the making, Dubai’s most talked about new hotel debuted earlier this year in a strikingly modern building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. Everything about it is on a massive scale—think 17 restaurants and bars, 17 high-end boutiques, a 32,000-square-foot wellness center, and 795 rooms and suites, 44 of which have a private infinity pool. The 12,141-square-foot Royal Mansion is completely over-the-top, with four bedrooms (two of which have private steam rooms), 12-seat dining room, indoor and outdoor kitchens, library and bar area, 10-seat Arabian-style sunken majlis, temperature-controlled infinity pool, and private deck with 360-degree views. Did we mention there are 100-year-old olive trees in the double-height foyer? Atlantis.com; starting from $100,000 per night
