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Review: the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah hotel

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This is an update on the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah following my brief return visit.

I was in Dubai for 36 hours this week, a trip which was heavily disrupted by the Curve / Amex news breaking.  I will run a few lounge and flight reviews next week, but as Saturday is always a quiet day on HFP I thought I’d do a couple of hotel updates too.

My schedule had me landing at 11.30pm and leaving at 9.30am 34 hours later.  This wasn’t great from a hotel point of view as I would need to pay for two nights without getting much benefit from it.

After much prevarication, I decided to do one night at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah for 80,000 Hilton Honors points, try to get a late check-out to allow me to enjoy the resort and then spend the final evening somewhere cheaper.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah

The Waldorf Astoria had three things going for it:

I have stayed there before, so I wouldn’t be wasting my (very limited) time finding my way around

I would get free breakfast as a Hilton Honors Diamond

As a Diamond I am due some sort of late check-out, although it is not guaranteed.  As it happened, my request for 3pm was met without any trouble.  I could possibly have got later but I didn’t want to risk getting caught in the evening traffic.

My full 2018 review of Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah is here, so I won’t repeat myself.  If you want to see pictures of the pool etc then go the review from last February.  In general, it has a decent beach (but with buildings fairly close to you across the water), decent restaurants and very high quality rooms.

What was different this time is that I was given a h-u-g-e suite on the first floor.  This had the added advantage of being in the centre of the building and not stuck out in one of the wings like last time:

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah review

and

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah review

…. plus a bathroom:

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah review

…. with a shower which could take six people happily:

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah review

It was just a shame I was leaving 15 hours after checking in.  My only gripe was the coffee machine, which was the cheapest possible Nespresso domestic version.  The hotel didn’t give you genuine Nespresso capsules either.  It was a weird bit of penny pinching given that the room was full of Ferragamo toiletries, fruit and a special delivery of free red velvet cupcakes!

The staff were very pleasant and on the ball and I felt they had upped their game.  Unlike last year my room was not full of marketing material for property developments being undertaken by the hotel owner.  The only problem I have, apart from the long drive to get off The Palm, is that the desalination plant and electricity substation next door are not exactly attractive.  The beach also faces buildings on the other side of The Palm, not open water.

It’s not Madinat Jumeirah, by a long way, but it remains a classy beach resort and a good use of Hilton Honors points.

At 3pm I jumped in an Uber and headed over to Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights which was a) fairly new, b) cheap on points and c) by the airport.  Part 2 of this hotel update – click here – reviews the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights.

For my full 2018 review of Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, click here.  The official hotel website is here.

Looking for a hotel in Dubai?

The Dubai travel boom continues with new hotels opening every year. We’ve managed to review many in person (click to read):

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards

How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (October 2024)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit and debit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

There are two dedicated Hilton Honors debit cards. These are especially attractive when spending abroad due to the 0% or 0.5% FX fee, depending on card.

You also receive FREE Hilton Honors status for as long as you hold the debit cards – Gold status with the Plus card and Silver status with the basic card. This is a great reason to apply even if you rarely use it.

We reviewed the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card here and the Hilton Honors Debit Card here. You can apply for either card here.

NEW: Hilton Honors Plus Debit

12,000 bonus points (special offer), Hilton Gold status and NO FX fees Read our full review

NEW: Hilton Honors Debit

3,500 bonus points (special offer), Hilton Silver status and 0.5% FX fees Read our full review

There is another way of getting Hilton Honors status, and earning Hilton Honors points, from a payment card.

Holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card.  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.  We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

The Platinum Card from American Express

40,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

and for small business owners:

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 22nd October 2024, the bonus on American Express Business Platinum is increased to up to 80,000 Membership Rewards points, worth 80,000 Avios. You will receive 8 points per £1 spent for the first three months, on up to £10,000 of spending. Click here to read our full card review. Click here to apply.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 22nd October 2024, the bonus on American Express Business Gold is increased to up to 40,000 Membership Rewards points, worth 40,000 Avios. You will receive 4 points per £1 spent for the first three months, on up to £10,000 of spending. The card is FREE for your first year. Click here to read our full card review. Click here to apply.

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points. 

(Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.)

Category

Hilton Honors

Comments (73)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • The Chief says:
    2 Feb2 February 16:38

    I think this pretty much hit the nail on the head – “All this means Dubai is like a smorgasbord of the despicable. A legal system that jails rape victims. Modern slavery? Ghastly bad taste. An utter contempt for the environment. A hideous fusion of hyper-capitalism and repressive theocracy? I can only assume that if you enjoy holidaying in Dubai, you are the kind of person who weighs all these up and then shrugs and says, “But on the other hand, there is really great shopping.”

    Human rights aside, it is really a soulless turd of a place, a shiny, well polished turd with waterslides and theme parks, but a turd nonetheless. I’ll happily pay over the odds to avoid the place even in transit now.

    • Thomas Howard says:
      2 Feb2 February 18:39

      Chief, if you’re ever in Hertfordshire, London or west Cornwall I have to buy you beverage.

    • Chrisasaurus says:
      2 Feb2 February 21:20

      See I’m sure the people referred to would absolutely *love* to have principles but you see they’re just so terribly inconveient.

      I mean if it turned out to be Iceland doing something immoral then they’d be all over that, no bother at all to boycott them but tell me how can you expect them to put respect for other human beings above a specific holiday location?

    • RR says:
      3 Feb3 February 00:00

      I suppose this is not such a bad thing as bad publicity, the less of you lot attend the more F upgrade availability I get and more affoordabe unsold 5star luxury hotels. Dubai will not suffer without you there

      • I love Dubai says:
        3 Feb3 February 01:06

        Make sure you make the most of those free drinks in F on the way, even though it’s illegal to do so and should you find yourself banged up for having one drink on Emirates like the lady and her 4 year old daughter did recently, Detained in Dubai will get you out eventually, after you’ve spent a tidy amount of your own money of course 🙂 You may just end up in a 0 star jail cell instead of that unsold 5 star room.

        A fine example of the paradise that is Dubai. Who wouldn’t want to visit a country that serves you booze on the way, then detains and mistreats you for it?

        Detained in Dubai’s chief executive, said: “We are very happy for Dr Holman that the government of Dubai decided not to pursue the charges they brought against her for consuming the complimentary glass of wine provided by their own government-owned airline.
        The dentist and her young daughter were initially denied access to a toilet, water and food while being held in a cell for three days, according to the human rights group.

        Holman said: “I am shocked and excited to be returning home to England and that this nightmare is coming to an end.

      • I love Dubai says:
        3 Feb3 February 01:22

        “British travellers have been warned that they are liable to arrest if they are found with alcohol in their blood when transiting through the United Arab Emirates.

        That means passengers who consume alcohol on flights to the UAE could face arrest when they land.

        The warning was posted by the British consulate in the UAE, where Dubai is a major tourist destination. The consulate also warned that visitors could be arrested as a passenger in a car driven by somebody with alcohol in their blood.

        “Tourists cannot be blamed for believing that the Emirates are tolerant of western drinking habits, but this is far from reality.It is wholly illegal for any tourist to have any level of alcohol in their blood, even if consumed in flight and provided by Dubai’s own airline. It is illegal to consume alcohol at a bar, a hotel and a restaurant, and if breathalysed, that person will be jailed.”

  • TripRep says:
    3 Feb3 February 09:14

    “Saturday is always a quiet day on HFP”

    HfPers debating merits of Dubai put paid to that… 😀

  • Rob says:
    3 Feb3 February 10:05

    Of course they do. Emirates gave me virtually a full bottle of Dom Perignon 2009 on Thursday!

    • TripRep says:
      3 Feb3 February 10:10

      And without a warning you could go to prison for consuming it?

    • TripRep says:
      3 Feb3 February 10:31

      Rob were you aware you were likely committing in a crime on arrival with alcohol still in your bloodstream?in

      Got a pal travelling there soon, he would have no idea of this unless the airline issues advice. Obviously I will be informing him.

  • C77 says:
    3 Feb3 February 11:19

    Calm down and have a drink Triprep, we get the message you’re bored today.

    • Salam says:
      3 Feb3 February 11:45

      Triprep – If your friend doesn’t arouse suspicion by doing any number of ‘normal’ activities it’s unlikely he’ll be breath tested and jailed. I love the advice below for avoiding arrest – Maybe Emirates could communicate it via the medium of song and dance, in a style similar to those safety videos with the dancing cabin crew, to really put you in the holiday spirit ready for arrival.

      Once you’ve checked into a hotel, refer to each other and “husband” and “wife” rather than saying “my boyfriend” or “my fiance.” This could help prevent potential problems.Keep in mind that if you’re stopped by the police because you’re holding hands and you’re not married, you might run into trouble. If you’re staying at a hotel with a lot of Muslim visitors, it’s always possible for them to alert the authorities about inappropriate behavior. If the police then discover you’re not married, you might be in legal trouble.

  • Alex Sm says:
    3 Feb3 February 17:45

    Rob, I’m not applying to be your sub-editor but…

    «My only gripe was the coffee machine…»
    and in the next para:

    «My only gripe, apart from the long drive to get off The Palm, is that the desalination plant and electricity substation next door are not exactly attractive…»

    So, at least three different gripes in total! 🙂

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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