By Kerry van der Jagt
Quiet elegance is a signature of the St Regis.
THE HOTEL
The St Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor City, Sheikh Zayad Road, Dubai.
THE LOCATION
All of The St Regis rooms come with butler service.
The St Regis Dubai is part of the new Habtoor City, a multi-use precinct on the banks of the Dubai Water Canal that's a 15-minute taxi ride from downtown Dubai and 30 minutes from Dubai International Airport. The Business Bay metro station is a few minutes' walk. While the three Starwood hotels making up Al Habtoor City – The St Regis Dubai, The Westin Dubai and the W Dubai – have opened over the last 18 months, the residential towers, shopping and leisure facilities are still under construction. The man-made Dubai Water Canal, which connects Business Bay to Jumeirah, opened in November 2016. Overall, this is an exciting location set to boom.
THE SPACE
If you're in Dubai for a few days, you have a taste for low-rise luxury – perhaps with a butler service, Bentley transfers and a Bloody Mary with afternoon tea – and you're partial to French beaux-arts architecture, a champagne lounge and roof garden with a shady chaise, then you'll love St Regis. Modelled on the St Regis New York – the brand's original hotel, which opened in 1904 – this grand entry is topped with a 1200-piece crystal chandelier, afternoon teas are a tradition and the concierge remembers your name. There's an Iridium Spa, 24-hour fitness centre, two rooftop swimming pools and a private helipad. Yes, it's a bit fancy.
The rooms have a plush yet homely feel.
THE ROOM
The hotel's 234 rooms over five floors range from the standard deluxe to the three-bedroom Sir Winston Churchill Suite. My executive suite (90 square metres) is huge, with a separate, sunny living area and a dark, den-like bedroom, perfect for jet-lagged sleep-ins. All rooms come with the signature St Regis Butler Service (I received an email days before my arrival, confirming flights and transfers, allergies and any special requests). As befitting a five-star hotel of this standing, the King-sized bed is swoon-worthy comfortable, the work desk functional, storage space ample and the deep bath just the ticket for a lazy soak. A well-stocked mini-bar, large TV, Nespresso machine and complimentary fruit and Arabian sweets all add to the plush yet homely feel. Most importantly the power points, and hair dryer are easy to find.
THE FOOD
The spacious roof garden.
With eight dining venues you may never need to leave. At J&G Steakhouse (winner of Time Out's Best Steakhouse in Dubai for 2017) I pass up the 1.4-kilogram "tomahawk" for a 220g Australian wagyu, served with grilled asparagus and accompanied by my choice of house-made sauces, mustards and salts. Equally impressive is the wooden cas brought to my table so I can select my own style of steak knife. Don't miss afternoon tea at Sidra, the evening ritual of champagne sabering (with a complimentary glass of R. Pouillon Reserve) and the traditional Arabic snacks at The Roof Gardens.
STEPPING OUT
The 3.2-kilometre Dubai Water Canal with meandering boardwalk, landscaped gardens and pedestrian bridges is next to the hotel. The bar on the 30th floor of the W Dubai (next door) is a top spot for a sunset cocktail, but a sunset camel trek with Arabian Adventures (arabian-adventures.com) at the Desert Conservation Reserve is hard to beat. For shoppers, the Dubai Mall is a 10-minute drive (thedubaimall.com). When the Taste of Dubai Food Festival is in full swing (tasteofdubaifestival.com), the stalls and food trucks at the nightly Beach Canteen at Jumeirah are a highlight. An afternoon trip to the industrial art hub of Alserkal Avenue (alserkalavenue.ae) reaffirms my opinion that Dubai is a worthy stopover.
THE VERDICT
The quiet elegance, impeccable service and personal touches are a welcome antidote to the outrageous glitz and glamour of the rest of the city. If the room-rate is beyond your means, come for a cocktail, Friday brunch or dining experience.
ESSENTIALS
Executive Suites are AED3140 a room, a night during high season including butler service, breakfast, Wi-Fi and all charges and taxes. Specials can be found during the low season. See stregisdubai.com
Kerry van der Jagt was a guest of The St Regis Dubai, Dubai Tourism and Bunnik Tours
HIGHLIGHT
The location by the Dubai Water Canal, splashes of contemporary art throughout the hotel and any steak at J&G Steakhouse.
LOWLIGHT
As Al Habtoor City is still being developed, there's not a lot to do in the immediate area. Yet.
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