Fraser Suites Dubai

We had wonderful time and the staff where professionals at their jop specially elvis

Hotel was gr Eat and fantastic and Houskeeping doing great Job. Especially Sekh and Rita clean our room very welll. Everything was perfect and fantastic. Thanks all

Expectation vs Reality

This review by no means reflects how hard the staff work to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Every member of staff we encountered — from the security team and front-of-house staff to the cleaning team, lifeguards, hospitality staff and restaurant staff — were polite, helpful and always willing to go above and beyond. The staff genuinely deserve a lot of credit.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the accommodation itself.

We initially booked a 2-bedroom Deluxe Apartment and, upon arrival, were disappointed with the condition of the apartment. The floors were damaged, there was dust around the window areas, the room was very dark and the lighting was extremely poor. In my opinion, the photos online are quite misleading and don’t accurately reflect the condition of the rooms.

Overall, the accommodation looks tired and is desperately in need of refurbishment. The windows were also dirty, and the views certainly didn’t help, particularly in the evenings.

After speaking with the front-of-house team, we were very kindly upgraded to a Premier 2-bedroom Suite, which was somewhat better. It felt more spacious, open and airy, with more natural light. However, the lighting throughout the suite — and the hotel generally — is still very poor and really needs to be upgraded.

The Premier Suite does have all the amenities you would expect, and whenever we needed anything, the staff were more than happy to help.

There were also a few maintenance issues during our stay. The shower in the main bedroom’s bathroom was faulty, with the pipework making a loud banging noise whenever the shower was used. The air-conditioning unit outside the bedroom door was also leaking, leaving a puddle of water outside the room every day. The cooker was dirty when we arrived as well.

Half-Board Food

If you’re considering taking a half-board meal plan, there are a few things worth knowing.

Breakfast is buffet-style, but the selection is more or less the same every day.

With half board, you get a choice of lunch or dinner, and both meals have essentially the same menu. These meals are not buffet-style. Instead, you’re given a set menu each day with around three or four dishes to choose from. Children have a separate menu, although the options are also largely the same each day.

You also cannot order from the main Aqua restaurant menu as part of the standard half-board package.

If you’re staying for a few nights, this probably wouldn’t be much of an issue. However, we stayed for two weeks, and after a while, ordering the same dishes every few days became quite repetitive.

The quality of the food was also inconsistent. Some days it was cooked well and enjoyable, while on other occasions it was cold or not cooked properly.

When we raised our concerns, we were given the option to switch to the Aqua menu. However, even that menu has a relatively limited selection, so over a two-week stay it can still become repetitive.

According to management, the change from buffet-style evening meals was due to lower occupancy and what they described as “saturation”, which is understandable from a business perspective, but it does affect the experience for guests staying for longer periods.

Location

The location is convenient if you’re looking for easy access to transport links. There is free parking and valet parking available on-site, and you can reach the motorway very quickly, making it easy to get around by car.

However, there is currently a new building being constructed next door. As a result, there is considerable construction noise throughout much of the day, with trucks regularly coming and going.

There also isn’t much immediately surrounding the hotel. Personally, I found the area a little too quiet, especially in the evenings.

The hotel does provide a free shuttle service to the metro and Mall of the Emirates. The timetable can change, so it’s worth asking at reception for the latest schedule.

There is also a small convenience store downstairs, which was useful for picking up everyday essentials.

Facilities

The pool can become quite busy in the evenings, but the steam room, sauna and gym were generally fine and weren’t particularly busy during our stay.

Overall

The biggest positive from our stay was undoubtedly the staff. Almost every member of staff we dealt with was friendly, professional and genuinely helpful. They deserve recognition for the effort they put in, and most staff will also encourage guests to leave a review — so here is mine.

Unfortunately, based on the accommodation and overall condition of the hotel, I would personally rate the hotel 2 out of 5 stars.

The main issue is that there is a noticeable difference between the photos advertised online and what you actually encounter on arrival. The hotel feels dark, dated and tired, and in my opinion, is in serious need of refurbishment and modernisation.

We stayed as a family of four for two weeks. If you’re only staying for a couple of nights, some of the issues mentioned above may not bother you as much. However, for a longer family stay, they become much more noticeable.

I hope this review helps others make a more informed decision before booking.