Jumeirah Emirates Towers

The Jumeirah Emirates Tower is in the top handful of luxury business hotels in downtown Dubai. If business in the Dubai Financial Center is the reason for visiting, this is one of the best options. On our visit, we spotted zero tourists in the entire hotel but lots of business meetings going on. The lobby is several stories high with glass elevators rushing up steel structures inside the lobby for a modern and imposing view. The tower is a five-minute-walk to the metro, making many tourist destinations accessible. Some leisure travelers may feel out of place. The lobby is renowned as a barometer for the business climate in Dubai in general with lots of cushy gold chairs clustered around tables that are clearly meant for meetings and not people watching.

The hotel is central to most business spots in Dubai including the World Trade Center and many other comparable hotels. It is surrounded by a series of service roads and is most easily reached by taxi, though the metro is a short walk away. It is a five-minute drive from the Dubai Convention Centre, the Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, and Sheikh Zayed Road. Another couple minutes in a taxi will get you to the Dubai World Trade Centre. The hotel is 15 minutes from Ski Dubai and 40 minutes drive from the largest Palm Jebel Ali Isalnd. As it is closer to the airport (13 minutes) than Dubai's most popular tourist sights it is best for business travelers. Those who want to see Dubai's sights or set off on foot will be in the wrong place.

Rooms at the Jumeirah Emirates Tower are surprisingly understated and relaxing considering the excess Dubai often cannot resist. Traditional Arabic design elements are subtly worked in until you get to the Presidential suite -- which is appropriately gilded with gold and one black, tufted velvet wall. Comfort control features like lighting and thermostat along with messages for the staff such as "do not disturb" are built into touch screens in the wall of most suites and every room comes with iPod/iPad docking stations and media hubs.Slippers, water, and fresh fruit are provided. Bathrooms are wall-to-wall marble and every room has a separate shower and bath and comes with a rubber duck wearing sunglasses.

Activities at the Jumeirah are targeted to the business clientele, and there are golf and shopping in abundance. The hotel has relationships with three courses and offers child care from morning 'til evening. Boulevard mall is essentially part of the hotel and contains the Talise gym and spa, which serves as the gym for the hotel. It offers varied spa services and services not usually available in hotel gyms such as a full schedule of group fitness classes including yoga and Zumba. Shopping at the Boulevard is quite high-end with a heavy focus on fashion and fine jewelry, but grooming, electronics and even fine cigars are available as well. There are 15 restaurants and bars ranging from Japanese to Lebanese, and a karaoke bar too. Japanese and South Asian food make up a third of the choices with a couple Italian restaurants and a steak house in tow. Most restaurants are elegant though there are a few casual options, and while the daytime dress code is buttoned up, the 51st floor bar becomes quite the scene at night.

From the large pool, you can see the tops of the palm trees lining the surrounding service roads and the pool deck and bar are necessarily almost completely covered to protect form the heat. The hotel offers free access and a shuttle to Wild Wadi Waterpark, a major draw for leisure visitors; the park features 30 different rides and private cabanas that can be rented for a fee. Access and shuttles to the beaches at both the Madinat Jumeirah and Jumeirah Beach Hotel are also free for guests. Both beaches have lounge chairs and umbrellas provided and food and drink service as well.