In our previous holidays, we have only got to know Dubai as a classic “stopover destination”. In 2012 we stayed in the city for 3 days as a stopover for the Maldives and in 2016 only for only one day on the way to Australia. We didn’t really have much time to explore the many sights and attractions of the city. In addition, Dubai has developed so rapidly in recent years that we wanted to spend a longer holiday in the desert metropolis on the Persian Gulf. We decided to find a good offer for 10 days at the Swissôtel Al Murooj.
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Our long-haul flight with Emirates & little baby
We have to admit that we were a little nervous before this flight. The first long-haul flight with our 8-month-old mouse, plus a night flight, the time difference – everything completely new for us. Previously, we had only flown with her to Madeira, which worked surprisingly well.
It was important to us that we have a direct flight from Frankfurt to Dubai, even if this was a lot more expensive than a flight with a stopover in Bahrain, Doha or Amsterdam. We didn’t want to spend with a little baby in the middle of the night at any stopover airport and thus extend the travel time by 3 or 4 hours. In the past, we would not have cared, because the cheaper price would have been the decisive criterion for the flight booking. Now with baby, the priorities for us are a bit different.
Our flight with a Boeing 777-300ER from Frankfurt to Dubai started punctually at 22.20 and took just over 6 hours. When selecting seats, we have sat down in a row where it is possible to install a baby cot on the wall. Since we did not know whether the baby cot was automatically included, we briefly called the Emirates hotline. There we were also confirmed that the baby travel cot is reserved for us. Perfect so 🙂
The check in went smoothly and the plane was only perhaps 30% occupied. So everyone really had enough space and our whole row was completely empty. In addition to the baby swimming vest and the baby belt, we then got a sweet baby set with useful utensils such as diaper cream, bebbles and cloths. And as an extra, there was even a cute baby blanket with cuddly toy (Adventure Buddy) for free.
The flight worked surprisingly well again. Our little mouse fell asleep relatively quickly and we were able to gently put it in the baby bed. There she slept almost the whole flight. In terms of size, the bed was just enough. The baby cot at Emirates is 75 cm long, 33 cm wide, about 17 cm deep and designed for a weight of up to 11 kg.
In the morning at 6:30 am we landed well and safely in Dubai. A really great and quiet flight.
The Swissôtel Al Murooj Dubai
We have been to Dubai 2 times so far and each time had a hotel in a different neighborhood. On our first visit we were in the Xclusive Hotel Apartments in the Bur Dubai district, on our stopover to Australia we were in the Ibis Dubai Deira City Centre in the Deira district.
This time we wanted to be a little closer to the center of Dubai and had been looking for a hotel in downtown. It was important to us that this has a larger pool area, so that we can go with our little mouse a little splashing. In times of lockdown, baby swimming in Germany has unfortunately not been possible for months.
In the end, we chose the 5-star Swissôtel Al Murooj Dubai, which is within walking distance of the world-famous Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall.
The location of the Swissôtel Al Murooj in Downtown Dubai
The hotel has 215 guest rooms and suites and is located in the middle of a larger building complex. In addition to the British pub “Double Decker”, there are the restaurants Pergolas and Tabule, as well as the Circle Café in the lobby. The complex also offers an in-house beauty salon, baby/child care, 2 gyms, 3 tennis courts, 2 squash courts, several saunas and steam rooms.
Our Presidential Suite
After check in, we were amazed when we entered our room. Better said our small apartment, because we got an upgrade to one of the Presidential Suites. This 175 sqm suite has a spacious entrance area, a separate living and dining area, two elegant bedrooms with king size beds and its own huge terrace with outdoor jacuzzi (Jacuzzi).
According to the hotel’s booking system, this suite costs over €1,300 – per night! We have stayed in many luxurious accommodations such as in the Maldives, Mauritius,the Seychelles or Bora Bora. But this price was by far the highest 😉
Breakfast
We had booked our hotel booking only with breakfast, as there are enough food options through the nearby Dubai Mall. The breakfast buffet was really very good and varied.
The pool area of the hotel
The hotel has its own pool which we liked. Even if this is not very big, we always got a free place and could splash a little with our little mouse in the water. There is another slightly larger pool in the back of the building complex, which is one of the residences of the complex. However, this can be shared free of charge by the hotel guests of the Swissôtel Al Murooj.
What we didn’t like was the walk to the pool. You had to walk either through the gym or through the main restaurant to get to the pool. With wet clothes and baby on his arm, this is not necessarily advantageous.
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay at the Swissôtel Al Murooj in Downtown Dubai. The location is really perfect to explore the city with its many attractions. The Dubai Mall with the Dubai Fountains can be reached in about 5-10 minutes on foot and it is also not far to the Burj Khalifa. The metro station “Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall” is about 15 minutes (1.1 kilometers). There is also a larger supermarket right at the other end of the building complex, so we could always get our drink or something to eat here.
All the staff of the Swissôtel Al Murooj is very friendly and always helpful and we always got a taxi directly at the hotel without any problems. But you also notice that the hotel and the entire complex are getting a bit old. Here a fundamental renovation would certainly make sense.
A map with all attractions in Dubai
On Google MyMaps we have marked all important sights and attractions in Dubai.
A map with all attractions in Dubai
Our travelogues from Dubai
Dubai is an insanely diverse city and has quite a few attractions to offer. In our previous vacations, we had gotten to know the city only as a classic "stopover destination". Thereby, we didn't really have much time to explore the many sights of the city. And the desert metropolis is a true photo and Instagram paradise. One motif is more beautiful and spectacular than the other. The tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa), the largest building in the world in the form of a picture frame (Dubai Frame), the largest shopping center (Dubai Mall), the largest Ferris wheel (Ain Dubai), the largest flower garden (Dubai Miracle Garden), the tallest hotel (Burj Al Arab) to the largest fountain system in the world (The Plam Fountain) and many more.
In addition, Dubai has developed so rapidly in recent years, so that we now had enough time to explore the desert metropolis on the Persian Gulf a little better due to a longer vacation. Here you can find our travel reports about the city of superlatives.
» The 20 most beautiful Photo Spots & Instagrammable Places in Dubai
» The Swissôtel Al Murooj & our first long-haul flight with baby
» Burj Al Arab – Photo Spots & Tea Time in the Skyview Bar
» Das Hotel Atlantis the Palm, Lost Chambers Aquarium & Aquaventure Waterpark
» Dubai Miracle Garden & the Dubai Butterfly Garden
» The Pointe – The Palm Fountain at Palm Jumeirah
» Al Seef Dubai, Dubai Museum, Spice Souk & Gold Souk
» Dubai Marina – JBR, The Walk, The Beach & Ain Dubai
» Dubai Frame in Zabeel Park & Dubai Garden Glow
» La Mer – Beach, Shopping & Boardwalk in Jumeirah
» Dubai Creek Harbour – The new harbour district in Dubai
» Dubai Mall, Dubai Aquarium & the Underwater Zoo
» Burj Khalifa – The most beautiful Instagram photo spots
» Burj Khalifa – Things to know, At the Top & Dubai Fountain