Dubai is long and narrow: some 40 km of coast from the Creek and the old town to the Marina, with the Burj Khalifa in between. Where you sleep decides whether your days start on a beach, in a mall or on the metro. Here is what each area is like, with a map of its hotels and prices for your dates from the main booking sites.
Hotels, resorts and apartments across Dubai, with prices for your dates. The map loads from our partner Stay22.
Dubai’s areas, one by one
Downtown Dubai
Best for a first visit, the sights, shopping
The Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall and the Dubai Fountain stand in the middle of Downtown, and the hotels around them range from five-star towers to apartments in the residential blocks. Evenings are lively: the fountain shows, the mall’s restaurants, Souk Al Bahar.
The Burj Khalifa / Dubai Mall metro station is on the Red Line, so the old town and the Marina are a ride away. What Downtown lacks is a beach: count 15 to 20 minutes by taxi to Jumeirah.
Towers of offices, hotels and apartments along Dubai Creek’s extension and the Water Canal, right next to Downtown: many hotels are a 10 to 15-minute walk or a short taxi ride from the Dubai Mall, often for less than Downtown itself.
The canal promenade is pleasant in the evening, and Business Bay metro station is on the Red Line. Some blocks are still being built, so check where exactly your hotel stands.
Dubai Marina
Best for restaurants, nightlife, the sea close by
Towers around a canal full of yachts, with Marina Walk’s cafés and restaurants at their feet and the beach of JBR a few streets away. Many stays here are apartments — good for families and longer trips.
The metro’s Red Line and the tram both stop in the Marina; Downtown is 30 to 40 minutes away. Yacht charters and the Marina’s dinner cruises leave from the doorstep.
The beachfront strip next to the Marina: hotels and apartments look onto a wide public beach, with The Walk’s shops and restaurants behind it and Bluewaters Island across the bridge.
It is the city’s liveliest beach, busy at weekends. The tram links JBR with the Marina’s metro stations.
Palm Jumeirah
Best for beach resorts, families, a special trip
The palm-shaped island holds many of Dubai’s big resorts — Atlantis The Palm at its tip, and hotels with private beaches along the fronds and the crescent. Many come with pools, kids’ clubs and restaurants enough to stay in all day.
It is further from everything else: the monorail runs down the trunk to the Marina’s tram, and a taxi to Downtown takes 25 to 40 minutes.
The coast between Downtown and the Marina: low-rise villas, public beaches and some of the city’s best-known resorts around the Burj Al Arab and Madinat Jumeirah, with its canals and souk.
It is calm and green, halfway between the sights and the Marina — but there is no metro along the beach, so you will take taxis.
Old Dubai — Deira & Bur Dubai
Best for a tighter budget, the souks, the airport close by
The two banks of Dubai Creek, where the city began: the gold and spice souks in Deira, the Al Fahidi historical district in Bur Dubai, and the abras crossing between them for a coin. Hotels here are the most affordable in Dubai, and the airport is 10 to 15 minutes away.
The metro serves both banks; Downtown is 15 to 20 minutes away, the beaches further. The streets are busy and traditional rather than glossy — which is the point.
Pick one base for the trip rather than moving between hotels. The beach areas — Dubai Marina, JBR, Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah — suit a holiday built around the sea; Downtown and Business Bay suit a first visit with the sights, the malls and the fountain; Old Dubai suits a tighter budget and anyone who wants the souks and the Creek.
Downtown and the Marina are about 25 km apart: 30 to 40 minutes by taxi outside rush hour, a little more on the metro’s Red Line, which links both with the airport.
When to book
November to March is high season — warm days, mild evenings — and prices peak around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when the best-placed rooms go early. From June to September it is very hot and rooms are at their cheapest; resorts with pools and beach clubs make the most of it.
Big events fill the city too: trade fairs, the Dubai Shopping Festival, Formula 1 weekend in Abu Dhabi. If your dates fall on one, book early.
What the price includes
Hotels in Dubai add a Tourism Dirham fee per room and night, paid at the hotel; booking sites usually show it apart from the room rate. Check whether breakfast is included and, at beach resorts, whether the beach and pools are free for guests.
Apartments are common in the Marina, JBR and Downtown and pay off for families and longer stays: a kitchen, a washing machine, often a pool in the building.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best area to stay in Dubai for a first visit?
Downtown Dubai: the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall and the fountain are on the doorstep, the metro takes you to the old town and the Marina, and most tours pick up there. If the beach matters more than the sights, choose Dubai Marina or JBR.
Where should I stay in Dubai for the beach?
JBR, where the hotels open onto a wide public beach and The Walk, or Palm Jumeirah, where most resorts have a beach of their own. Jumeirah, around the Burj Al Arab, is quieter, with resorts on long private beaches.
Which area of Dubai is best for families?
Palm Jumeirah and JBR: beach resorts with kids’ clubs and pools, Aquaventure on the Palm and a flat beachfront promenade at JBR. An apartment in Dubai Marina is a good alternative for a longer stay.
Where to stay in Dubai on a budget?
Old Dubai — Deira and Bur Dubai — has the most affordable hotels, close to the airport, the souks and the metro. Business Bay is a mid-range option within reach of Downtown.
How do I get around between the areas?
The metro’s Red Line runs from the airport through Deira, Bur Dubai, Downtown and Business Bay to the Marina; a tram links the Marina, JBR and the Palm’s monorail. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are everywhere.
Do you sell rooms?
No. The map and the “See hotels” buttons show offers from the main booking sites through our partner Stay22; you choose, book and pay on the booking site, under its own conditions. We may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.