To say that Dubai has a ton of  hotels would be an understatement.  I believe there are almost 600 hotels in this city state that covers 1,588 square miles, that’s roughly the size of Rhode Island which covers an area of 1,544 square miles.  And the hotel count is growing with 140 more set to open in 2016 and still more during  the next 4 years to accommodate visitors expected to flock to Dubai during the World Expo in 2020.

So there definitely isn’t a shortage of hotel rooms! There are hotels to fit all types of travelers and budgets.  From low end hotels in the old city to super luxury resorts on Palm Island Dubai has it all. We’ve stayed in several different hotels there, including the JW Marriot Hotel Dubai in Deira,  the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach Hotel & Resort,  and the Westin Mina Seyahi Resort & Marina.

All three are great hotels.  They’re comfortable, luxurious, have awesome service, and great locations.  But our all time favorite is the Westin Mina Seyahi Resort & Marina, specially when the kids and grandkids are with us, they love the Westin.

Most of the resorts in Dubai, special those located in Jumeirah or on Palm Island are very kid friendly, but from my experience the Westin is the least expensive for the this class of hotel, depending on the season rates start at about $250 – 350 per night for a standard room.  Believe me other luxury hotels in the area charge more.

We usually book Executive Club Rooms that have sea views and come with perks like breakfast, afternoon tea, cocktail hour, and all day drinks at the Executive Lounge located on the 8th. floor.

An Executive Club room starts at about $350 a night.  When you have kids it’s sometimes worth the extra dollars spent on the Executive room to have access to free drinks and snacks all day.  [spacer height=”20px” id=”2″]

 

 

 

We also try to book the room to include breakfast, yes the Executive Club rooms include breakfast at the Lounge, but we love the buffet breakfast at the Blue Orange Restaurant located on the ground floor.

The space is much larger with a greater variety of food choices, and has a play area for the kids.  I did say the hotel was very kid friendly![spacer height=”-20px”]

 

Not to mention their crepes are amazing!

The buffet breakfast is pretty pricey if it’s not included in the room rate.  It’s about $40 per person and children under 12 are half price.

If you can’t get the breakfast package when you make your reservation you can splurge on the breakfast buffet at least a couple of times during your stay.  It’s so worth it![spacer height=”20px” id=”2″]

 

 

Ok other than the amazing breakfast buffet here are other reasons why we love this resort.

The rooms are spacious with ample storage, the beds very comfortable, and the bathroom luxurious with plush towels, robes, and slippers. Each room is equipped with a handy Nespresso coffee machine which housekeeping restocks at least once a day.  Did I mention they clean the rooms twice daily and have turn down service?  The kids love the little chocolates they leave on the pillows!  So yes the resort is luxurious and has awesome service.

On a tangent the kids loved the welcome gifts they receive when we check -in.  They each got a little backpack filled with vacation essentials; a disposable camera, water bottle, and beach toys.  I think the concierge gave them the gifts while we were checking in.  I can’t quite remember I was busy with the welcome drink and snack they let you munch on while checking in.  The cold towels they offer at check in was much appreciated too.  I told you they were awesome!

Oh and speaking of awesome the concierge will loan you a child’s car seat if you need one, free!  They add a small deposit to your room charge until you return the seat, then they remove the charge.  Fair enough because it was a very nice car seat.  Saved us a bundle too, Hertz was going to charge us $20 a day to rent Jett’s car seat and we were there for 2 weeks!

The concierge will also handle lost luggage, I mean luggage that the airlines very nicely lost for you on your way to Dubai.  A couple of years ago the airlines (not Emirates) somehow misplaced all our luggage.  The Westin’s concierge followed up for us and as they were delivered we found them already in our rooms.  It took the airlines  3 days to finally deliver them all.  The concierge kept us appraised of our luggage situation daily until they were all delivered, took the stress of arguing with the airlines away!

Among the best features of this hotel is the beautiful stretch of beach on the property, it’s quite a long stretch as the Westin is connected to its sister property Le Meridien, another great hotel.  Guests at either resort have access to both resorts amenities including the pools, kids’ club and play area, and restaurants.

It’s a private beach and from there you can see across to Palm Island.   The kids loved splashing in the very warm Gulf water and collecting the many shells scattered on the beach.

 

When they’re not at the beach the kids love the pools.  The children’s pool is shaded by a tarp.  It has a small water slide and a little cave the kids can play in.  The lifeguards are very friendly and attentive.   By the end of our last stay they were calling the kids by name!

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And whether you’re on the beach or at the pool the pool valets are always around.  They pass around cold water and small cups of cold juices and the always welcome cold towels and misters, all free of charge.  You can also order drinks, snacks, or lunch.  Just ask for a menu and they’ll be happy to bring it.  Food and beverages are charged to your room of course.   How much more pampered can you be?

While you’re at the pool you can enjoy some adult time with out the kids by dropping them off at the kids’ club, it’s located by the beach between the 2 resorts. A schedule of kids’ activities is posted by the towel kiosk as you enter the pool area.  There’re many different activities through out the day.

The Kids’ Club staff are very good.  When you first sign up the manager will let you know what the activities are and will list down any special needs your child may have including food allergies.  Snacks are provided and you can arrange for your child to have lunch there as well.  They will also ask for a list of people who you authorize to sign your child in and out of the club.

The Kids’ Club area is very safe and secure.  There’s an out door play area with play ground equipment on the beach side, but you don’t have to worry, it’s fenced in and has no beach exits.  The indoor play areas is air conditioned and has books, toys, video games, and movies for your child to use.    For younger children they have art activities and story time, for older kids they have sports including soccer and basketball.  Did I mention most activities are free?[spacer height=”-20px”]

 

 

 

My grandson Dion participated in the Banana Boat ride.  The activity cost about $8 and was scheduled for one afternoon a week.  He had a blast!

We watched him from the comfort of the beach lounges!

But the water fun isn’t limited to kids! The water sports center rents jet skis, kayaks, speedboats, and more. Remember it is a Resort & Marina!

And of course there’s a gym and their Heavenly Spa.[spacer height=”-20px”]

 

 

 

The Westin Mina Seyahi Resort & Marina really does have something for everyone.  It’s a great family friendly hotel at a great location.   It’s fun and comfortable resort at a great location, with excellent service, and great restaurants.  That’s why it’s our favorite reasonably priced resort in Dubai!

For other kid friendly hotels in Dubai click here!  For budget friendly Dubai hotels click here!