JA Ocean View Hotel

The ultramodern JA Ocean View Hotel -- opened in 2012 -- pays attention to design at almost every turn, evident from the curved exterior structure that allows all rooms to have balconies with sea views. Inside, the striking lobby incorporates wide spaces, glossy white floors, blue- and-cream contemporary furniture, a round atrium, grand curving staircase, and hanging spherical lights. Le Rivege, the hotel’s French-style brassiere, exudes chicness with a black-and-white scene and minimal lines. Girders goes for an upbeat vibe with neon red and green chairs and Girders Garden goes rustic with an outdoor wooden patio theme. Live entertainment or music in the bars can get a little loud for some lower-level rooms. As it’s a large hotel with almost 350 rooms, it’s no surprise that some guests note a cold atmosphere from staff. Guests are mostly couples, though with a lot of kid-friendly amenities like a kids’ club, families are a considerable part of the clientele too. 

JA Ocean View Hotel is situated in a prime location just a two-minute walk from the beach on the Walk, Dubai’s famous promenade by the sea. It’s easy to explore the city from the hotel because the property offers a free shuttle to malls, top attractions, and to their sister hotel where guests can enjoy a private beach club. Note that the shuttle to the sister hotel doesn’t run during the weekends or holidays. As far as on foot, it’s a bit difficult to walk to major attractions. However, the Dubai Marina Mall is a 22-minute walk away and there’s plenty of restaurants and bars on the promenade to keep guests well-fed. Most attractions like the Mall of the Emirates, Burj Khalifa, Palm Jumeirah, and Wild Wadi Water Park are a 10- to 20-minute drive away. It takes 25 minutes by car to reach Dubai International Airport. 

The hotel's rooms are contemporary in style with clean minimal lines, a white, turquoise, and yellow color scheme, and carpeting. It’s a fresh, upbeat design accented by dark wooden furniture and interesting strips of mirrors or abstract artwork. The highlight of the rooms is that they all have balconies with sea views. In-room amenities include flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, free bottled water, kettles, and safes. They all lack minibars. Some upper-level rooms have pullout sofas, while Club Rooms and Suites get access to the Executive Lounge. Cream and brown bathrooms are modern with bidets, shower/tub combos, Elemis toiletries, and hairdryers. Junior Suites have walk-in rain showers, as do One-Bedroom Family Suites with an additional separate bath. Wii stations can be requested for Family Suites. Note that lower-floor rooms maybe be subjected to bothersome noise from the bars, and therefore an upper-floor room is more suitable for a peaceful night’s sleep. 

JA Ocean View Hotel has a desirable, central location and nice amenities to match. There’s a large rooftop infinity pool that’s temperature-controlled. It’s complemented by a pool bar called The Deck, ocean views, and a children’s pool. As far as other relaxing amenities, Calm Spa has a sauna, hot tub, steam room, massages, and a hair salon. The hotel’s gym is well-equipped with cardio and weight equipment, plus a SpeedFlex circuit. 

For families, there are kid-friendly amenities like a kids’ club and playground. Babysitting services can be arranged for a fee.

Dining options are plentiful here. There’s a hot breakfast buffet provided each morning (for a fee) that includes a variety of breakfast options for people from all over the world. Le Rivage is a French-style brassiere with indoor and outdoor dining, buffets, and themed nights. Girder’s is a popular British-style sports bar, while Girder’s Garden has a lovely outdoor garden terrace. Caffe Via is a coffee shop with grab-and-go items, while Corral Lounge is a small restaurant in the Executive Lounge, an area that has free drinks, breakfast, afternoon snacks, and business amenities reserved for guests in Club Rooms and Suites. 

The hotel has three-fully-equipped meeting rooms and free Wi-Fi. On-site parking costs a fee.