United Arab Emirates

Burj Al Arab rises from the Gulf like a private sail, hiding duplex suites, gold-leaf spectacle and butler service behind its famous silhouette. Justin Bieber stayed in the Royal Suite and shared its leopard-print staircase with fans—the rare hotel room extravagant enough to become part of the performance.

At Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm, the address on Sir Bani Yas Island's pristine beachfront supplies the strongest sense of place. The hotel itself stays relaxed, giving guests a composed base in Abu Dhabi.

Bvlgari Resort Dubai turns its Jumeira Bay island into a polished Mediterranean escape, complete with a marina, beach and serene villas. Priyanka Chopra called the resort her home away from home after a sunlit Dubai getaway with Nick Jonas. The appeal is easy to understand: yacht-club glamour, a quiet stretch of waterfront and the feeling of being removed from the city while its skyline remains close.

Beyoncé occupied Atlantis The Royal's Royal Mansion for the resort's Grand Reveal weekend in January 2023, an opening staged on a suitably spectacular scale. The stay fixed the hotel instantly in Dubai's celebrity mythology. With sky pools, dramatic architecture and a dining line-up built for occasion, it is a resort that treats every arrival as part of the show.

Huda Kattan and her family stayed at Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates in 2017, choosing a property that makes Dubai's contrasts part of the experience. Guests can move from city shopping to an indoor ski slope, then retreat to the calm of the hotel. It is an unusual kind of glamour: playful, convenient and unmistakably connected to Dubai's taste for doing things at full scale.

Austin Butler used Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara as a base during a film production, trading the public world for a fortress-like retreat in the Liwa Desert. The setting supplies its own cinematic scale: dunes running to the horizon, quiet courtyards and rooms designed as shelter from the heat. It offers seclusion with a strong sense of place rather than anonymous luxury.

Palazzo Versace Dubai turns the Creek waterfront into an Italianate fantasy of mosaics, silk, gardens and private pools. Shah Rukh Khan checked into its duplex Imperial Suite in 2017 and publicly praised the hospitality and sweeping Dubai Creek view.

Huda Kattan chose Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach for a family weekend in December 2024. The visit suits a resort that offers a softer, more private side of Dubai glamour: gardens, pools and a stretch of beach within easy reach of the city. It is polished enough for a public figure, yet relaxed enough to feel like time genuinely off duty.

One&Only One Za’abeel turns Dubai’s skyline into theatre, with its glass towers joined by The Link, a gravity-defying boulevard of restaurants, bars and a suspended infinity pool. Jennifer Lopez brought that spectacle to life at the hotel’s 2024 grand opening, walking the red carpet before taking over the afterparty with an impromptu performance. The connection captures the hotel at its most magnetic: architectural drama, polished privacy and a night designed to feel larger than the city below.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel turns its wave-shaped Dubai landmark into a private beachfront playground, with pools, restaurants and Burj Al Arab views. Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack stayed here during the 2019 trip on which they became engaged.

Al Wathba A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa draws its character from a spa and a five-star address in Abu Dhabi. The stay remains closely tied to Abu Dhabi.

Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Dubai sits in Dubai, bringing together direct beach access, an outdoor pool and a fitness centre. The result is a five-star stay with a clear sense of place.

Private pools set the tone at 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central, a polished retreat in Dubai. From here, the wider experience of Dubai remains close at hand.

Set on Sharjah's beachfront with magnificent views of the Arabian Gulf, Sharjah Grand Hotel pairs an outdoor pool and tennis courts. It makes a waterfront base for time in Sharjah.

The focus at Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort & Spa is a spa, matched by a waterfront address in the heart of the Sharjah Emirate. It is an uncomplicated way to stay close to Sharjah.