BEST FOR…ULTIMATE LUXURY
One & Only Royal Mirage is one of the most luxurious hotels the city. The resort comprises three separate hotels in an extensively landscaped 60-hectare complex. There’s the original 246-room Palace that is surrounded by palms; the newer and more intimate 172-room Arabian Court; and the low-key 48-room Residence and Spa, which offers a residential feel.

What sets One & Only Royal Mirage apart is its wide variety of restaurants, such as Tagine. It also features one of only a handful of Givenchy-run spas worldwide.

BEST FOR…UNIQUE EVENT SPACE
Kempinski is attached to the Mall of the Emirates, which is also home to the UAE’s only indoor ski slope, Ski Dubai. For groups that can’t bear to be far from the cold and snow for long, Kempinski recently opened its new three-storey chalets overlooking the slopes.

The chalets, 15 in total, can be hired for smaller, higher-end meetings for up to ten delegates and come fully equipped with audiovisual equipment. Chalets come with flatscreen TVs and DVD players. The decor is homely yet modern and top-class service is guaranteed. After meetings, delegates can also enjoy a group ski lesson.

BEST FOR…OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
The 294-room Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina has a beachfront location, which means there’s no shortage of watersports available. Groups can choose from water-skiing and windsurfing to chartering a yacht and almost anything in between. There’s also a pool, tennis courts and fitness centre to keep you busy.

Wining and dining choices are abundant, with eight bars and restaurants offering Italian, Asian, Spanish, contemporary and international fare. Large-scale events can be held in the hotel’s 1,500 sqm function space.



BEST FOR…LARGE EVENTS
InterContinental Dubai Festival City’s meeting facilities are unsurpassed with a 3,800 sqm event centre spread across two floors, plus an additional five meeting rooms that can be divided into eight breakout rooms.

InterContinental has also opened an igloo-inspired event space. The 650 sqm Igloo has a capacity for 400 guests and offers views of Dubai Creek, the city skyline and a luxury marina. It is connected to the hotel by a landscaped waterfront promenade.

InterContinental Dubai Festival City and Crowne Plaza Dubai are located between the airport and Jumeirah Beach area.

BEST FOR…GOURMET RESTAURANTS
At the 217-room Grosvenor House Dubai, corporate groups have an extensive choice of dining options for events. The hotel recently welcomed British chef Gary Hollihead on board. Hollihead oversees all the restaurants in Grosvenor House and is helping develop menus and improve standards.

There’s Mezzanine, which has been taken over by British celebrity chef Gary Rhodes; the Indian Indego, which boasts consultant chef Vineet Bhatia; the Turkish Ottoman’s; and expat favourite, Buddha Bar.

BEST FOR…THEMED STAYS
Raffles Dubai is an Egyptian pyramid-shaped building on Sheikh Rashid Road, Wafi, with direct access to Wafi Shopping Mall. Raffles’ 19 storeys contain 248 suites that range in size from 70 sqm to a huge 650 sqm.

The Middle Eastern and Asian design influenced rooms feature balconies, TVs, iPod docking stations, free WiFi internet access and Raffles Amrita Spa amenities in the bathrooms.

There’s plenty of space for business events — 11 meeting rooms, a 750 sqm ballroom and a botanical garden, that holds 2,000 for cocktails or 800 for banquets.



BEST FOR…GREEN GROUPS
Finding a hotel in Dubai with environmental accreditation for corporate groups is no easy task. Or for that matter, no easy task in the whole of the Middle East. Then Le Royal Meridien became the first eco-hotel in the Middle East in November 1999.

The hotel has been audited by German technical services company TUV Rheinland on four occasions, each time scoring above 97 per cent. The hotel ensures eco-friendly practices in their day-to-day operations for environmentally conscious groups.