Maaeen Hotel

For a low-cost stay with plenty of ways to get around, this hotel works well. Gold Souq is very close, there’s a good market nearby, and the metro takes about 7 minutes to reach on foot. You can also take a boat to Dur Dubai for 1 AED per person, and there’s a bus station with buses to Abu Dhabi. For everyday purchases, I’d suggest checking prices at the Day to Day store first, which can help with bargaining. The food here is good and budget friendly too. It’s a good fit if you want somewhere livable and accessible without spending much. Just don’t expect luxury. If saving money matters, it’s a strong option; if cost isn’t a concern, I’d skip booking here.

The location was good, and breakfast was good too, though the selection was limited. The room problems made the stay disappointing. In room 205, the shower floor was soaking wet. When I told the housekeeper, he said he had just cleaned it, but the basin was leaking, and later the toilet started leaking as well. The manager blamed me and had a bad attitude, even though I hadn’t caused the problem. Rooms should be checked before guests are put in them. After we argued, I was moved to room 210. It was better than 205, but still not really good. I was only there for 3 nights. I also found the manager and reception staff’s attitude frustrating, as they seemed to think they were very clever. I wouldn’t recommend booking here.

You get what you pay for. The hotel could do better on security: the second lock in my room didn’t work, and the key card was faulty, so they had to give me a physical key. Staff could also be more courteous. It’s on a busy street lined with shops, but I couldn’t find a restaurant within a 5 minute walk.

We stopped by the restaurant and liked the cozy little room. The food was very nice, and the fresh natural fruit juices were lovely. We'll come again.