Could this be the best family accommodation in central Dubai?
OK, a big call I know. But what exactly is it that you look for in great family accommodation in a city? And why are you in Dubai?
For us, our Dubai staycation visits are always fleeting but action-packed. When we visit we are normally cramming in attractions, brunches and a myriad of activities in central Dubai and do not want the long freeway drive home at the end. Location, convenience, a great price and ability to fit our family of 5 means everything to us.
I don’t know what’s taken us so long to discover Roda Al Murooj Hotel & Residences, but it’s perfectly ticked every box for us:
- Immediately adjacent to Dubai Mall & Burj Khalifa / Downtown area of Dubai
- 2 bedroom apartment with enough space to easily fit five
- Self-catering option
- Large swimming pool area and playground
- Several dining choices within the complex, even a mini supermarket
Read on to see exactly why we think it might fit the bill for you too.
This post is part of our family accommodation review series and Discover the UAE – detailed family attraction reviews and recommendations
5-star Roda al Murooj Hotel and Residences
What was not entirely clear at the time we booked Roda Al Murooj was that we were, in fact, staying in a separate building to the Roda Al Murooj Hotel, but part of a much larger complex.
The large Roda Al Murooj Hotel sits on the corner with a grand ramp entrance, whilst the Roda al Murooj Residence apartments are slightly further on through a smaller, less grand entrance.
The facilities inside, however, are shared between the Hotel and Residences so you don’t miss out on anything by booking the Residences but do gain on space.
Roda Al Murooj location
The hotel entrance is from Happiness Street, which whilst directly across from the Dubai Mall does involve a convoluted driving route to actually get into the complex.
By foot, it is much easier, only crossing one large traffic light then you can take the pedestrian bridge from The Address Boulevard over to the Metro Bridgewalk and connect to the Dubai Mall in under 10 minutes, less than 5 minutes out in the hot air!
Roda Al Murooj facilities
This place as absolute urban oasis inside. Sprawling gardens run between the main hotel and the Residences.
One pool is designated for adults though it did seem to be overrun with children! A second pool which is quite convolutedly accessed through the Clubhouse is also available.
Apparently leisure facilities open from 6am, but we couldn’t get towels until 10am. It still looked like cleaning and maintenance time when we tried to take the kids for a morning dip around 9am before it was too hot. That aside, there was no objection to the kids jumping in, just two towels to share between five of us seemed a little odd and stingy for a luxury hotel.
The large outdoor kids play area was also a real hit – and yes, no matter how many times our kids have seen the Burj Khalifa it still excited them to no end to spot it in all its grace right next door!
Babysitting could also be arranged in advance at a charge, though we did not investigate this option it would be great if you’re seeking a little parent timeout too.
Those with more time to enjoy the facilities will also find an on-site fitness centre with sauna and hot tub as well as a spa, hair salon and tennis courts.
Roda Al Murooj Residence rooms
We stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment in the Residence with views of the Dubai Mall. The bedrooms are large and you get a huge living space and kitchen. 2 bathrooms and a toilet (always so important for a family!!!) and ample space to bring an extra bed in, you could turn the couch into a bed too and easily fit 6.
Unfortunately, due to the exact position of our room the Address Boulevard completely blocked our view of the Burj Khalifa! A tall feat for any building in Dubai to do that!!
A garden view, in this case, was probably our preference as despite soundproofing there was a constant hum of traffic all night, almost drowned out though by the exceptionally noisy airconditioning. Even used to 24/7 aircon we couldn’t understand why it was quite so noisy and no amount of fiddling with the control panels could we get the rooms a bit warmer!
One thing we weren’t aware of, though it was in the fine print of our taxes and charges is that the apartment hotels come with a cleaning fee. Just be aware booking any Dubai hotel room you will have added municipality charges, VAT, service fee and with apartments, possibly a cleaning fee.
The additional bed was also chargeable based on kids ages – another to read the fine print.
Mealtimes at Roda Al Murooj Hotel
There are three on-site restaurants and two coffee shops as well as 24-hour room service available. In addition, you will find restaurants immediately attached to the Residence outside and the conveniences of Dubai Mall minutes away.
Brunch at Pergolas
The hotel offers two Friday Brunch options, one billed as their Family Brunch in the all-day dining restaurant Pergolas, and a rowdier affair at English Pub, Double Deckers.
Needless to say with kids in tow we went the Pergolas Family Brunch option, which doesn’t do nearly enough to show off its kid-friendly facilities. There is an entirely separate wing of the hotel set up for kids on a Friday involving arts and crafts, a small bouncy castle and computer games, as well as separate kids buffet.
Fair to say the Globetrotters didn’t rave about it initially, apparently most things are already too babyish for them. They did warm to it over the afternoon, however, and were soon involved in cooking activities and make your own kite, even make your own slime!
The food offering was extensive with a variety of cuisines and live cooking stations – obligatory chocolate fountain – as you would expect of a Dubai quality brunch. It was all the sweeter though at 50% discount for hotel guests making it a superb value for money spread.
Double Deckers Pub
Although we skipped the Brunch, the remainder of the week brings a much less rowdy crowd. We attended on a Thursday night and although they won’t let under 18’s into the main bar, we were able to enjoy the beer garden in the cooling autumn weather, a great pub menu (including pork) and a live musician for a thoroughly enjoyable family evening.
Double Deckers is on The Entertainer too for more great value savings.
Self Catering at Roda Al Murooj Residences
You can optionally book with our without breakfast at Pergolas if you are staying in the Residence with a self-catering kitchen. They were well-equipped with fridge, stovetop and microwave. There’s a minimart within the Residences complex or in Dubai Mall, you will find a large Waitrose in the basement.
As it was a special occasion we did take advantage of the breakfast buffet which added about 120AED ($33USD) per night for the 2-night stay which in Dubai standards is very reasonable.
Nearby attractions to Roda Al Murooj
This hotel is all about the convenience of location without the slightly terrifying price tags for families. The only way you can get any closer to the action is to stay in one of the Address hotels that are actually attached to Dubai Mall.
This is great option for couples on a special occasion, but families simply need more space and value for money.
You are walking distance (yes even in mid-summer as the outside walk is very short) to:
- Dubai Mall (8 mins)
- Dubai Metro (8 mins)
- Burj Khalifa (13 mins)
- Dubai Fountain Show (15 mins)
- Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo (9 minutes)
- Kidzania (12 minutes)
- VR Park (12 minutes)
- Reel Cinemas (12 minutes)
Distances are approximate – we know with kids in tow and strollers this can take longer and Friday peak crowds, wow! (you’ve been warned!!!)
You’re approximately 15 minutes drive from DXB airport, plentiful taxies are available or you can arrange an airport transfer (paid).
Try these nearby attractions
Globetrotters Recommend
If you are looking for a great urban hotel in a superbly central location to fit all your family and provide a luxurious urban retreat, the 5-star Roda Al Murooj will deliver something special for your family.
We mentioned before checking in it was our anniversary and we got extra special touches including rose petals on our bed and a congratulations cake – we always appreciate when the hotel tries that little bit harder to please. We certainly felt throughout the staff were attentive and made sure we had a weekend to remember, even if we’re just neighbouring visitors for the weekend! (And no, they did not know we were doing a review)
What it doesn’t have and you will compromise on as a city hotel is beachfront. We would suggest if you are only in Dubai for a few days and trying to cram in the attractions, a beach is an unnecessary extra. A large pool and playground like you will find in Roda Al Murooj will be more than enough. If the beach is essential to your stay, we can suggest trying Roda Amwaj Suites in JBR.
One criticism if we had any would be on sustainability. It would be good to see them do away with excessive straws on every drink order, the individual toiletries in every bathroom and in some way address the sub-artic temperatures in the rooms.
For both staycations and overseas visitors on a short city break, we would highly recommend this hotel as one of our top Dubai picks for families.
Fast facts & booking Roda al Murooj Hotel & Residences
Rooms: 136 1,2 &3 bedroom apartments in the Residences and 392 rooms in the Hotel.
Price: Starting from 385AED++ per night in a Hotel twin room, through to two-bedroom apartments 565AED++ in the Residences.
You can pay a premium for higher floor rooms with better rooms and access to the Executive Lounge (but no children).
Booking:
- We always recommend you compare price options first using comparison tool Hotels Combined
- Book using popular online booking tools booking.com (Genius members get a further 10% discount)
- Or hotels.com (Where you can cash in on every 10th night FREE!)
Location: Corner of Financial Centre Road, but entrance Happiness Street in Dubai. Less than 15 minutes to DXB and 10 minutes on foot to the Metro or Dubai Mall.
Other Roda Hotels in Dubai: There are further Roda Hotel branches in Dubai at Roda Amwaj Suites JBR, (in the very heart of the action for beach-goers on The Walk), Roda Beach Resort (further up Jumeirah Beach), Roda Al Bustan Hotel (adjacent to the airport) and Roda Links Al Nasr (value offering in Bur Dubai).
Other inclusions: Free valet & wifi
See More Dubai Family Hotel Reviews
- On the banks of Dubai Creek, The Grand Hyatt Dubai is excellent for short stopovers when you want to stay close to the airport but not miss out on resort-style facilities.
- Want to stay as close to the Dubai Parks and Resorts Theme parks? Try the value choice Rove At The Park
- Are you coming to Dubai for a convention? The Novotel World Trade Centre should be your first choice for convenience and facilities.
- If you’re still not sure about what area of Dubai to stay in, check out this complete guide to the best places to stay in Dubai.
Disclosure: We were full paying guests of Roda Al Murooj Residences and did not receive any additional compensation for writing this review. This page contains affiliate links that may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. Our full disclosures policy can be found here.
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