Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection

We had a great stay. The staff were polite and helpful, and every request was handled straight away. The food was really tasty too. The grounds are huge and include a private beach. There's also an unsupervised beach next to the hotel beach, and we actually preferred swimming there. The pools are heated and warm. There is construction nearby, though that's common all over Dubai. We upgraded on the spot to a room with a beautiful panoramic view, and it was quiet. The upgrade didn't cost much. Greetings to the staff, we'll definitely come back!

Great service and kind staff, and it's a very kid-friendly place. They made travelling with a baby pretty easy. The location is excellent, and you can get a taxi into the city at any time. Use Careem to order hala taxis, they're much cheaper. The hotel has its own beach. A new hotel building is going up beside the two current towers, so there can be some noise, but I didn't find it too bad.

The kids had a brilliant time at the pool, especially on the water slides, and the facilities for children are excellent. The breakfast also had a very impressive range of tasty options. I found the staff incredibly kind and welcoming, always ready to help with a smile. In the evening I went to Horizon Bar for shisha. It was relaxing and a lovely way to end the day. A fantastic stay for families, with great service and memorable moments. Highly recommended!

We arrived from Abu Dhabi at 2:46 PM, paid, and were told our room would be ready soon. Instead we waited in the lobby for 1 hour 40 minutes, with no clear updates, and left the hotel at 4:26 PM. Several other families were waiting too, which points to poor planning and management. The lobby was extremely hot, even though we were there with our two children, aged 11 and 5. Nobody tried to make us comfortable or apologized. The reception staff, Mohammed and Maya, were dismissive and unprofessional, with no empathy. When we asked for a manager, nobody came. We also saw what seemed to be discriminatory treatment: white or Arab guests were checked in quickly while we and others waited without an explanation. Another family there had the same experience, which raises serious concerns about fairness and professionalism. Then the valet misplaced our car keys, so we spent another 30 minutes outside in the heat. By then we were exhausted, dehydrated and completely disheartened. This ruined what was meant to be a joyful family weekend. The lack of basic courtesy and service was shocking. This hotel doesn't deserve a 5-star rating, or even half of one. We left after the refund was processed, with no apology or remorse, and checked into DOUBLETREE BY HILTON instead. They welcomed us warmly, checked us in without delay and made us comfortable right away. The difference in service made it even clearer how badly Al Habtoor Grand handled our experience. We would never recommend it, and strongly advise others to reconsider booking. A hotel with service this poor has no business presenting itself as 5-star.