Hyatt Regency Dubai

Built in 1980 this Creekside hotel is old by Dubai standards but it is still popular with business travellers Discuss this article

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Built in 1980, this vast 400-room stalwart sits close to the mouth of the Creek in downtown Deira. Tried and tested, the Regency is an unashamed courter of business guests, and a successful one at that.

Wheeler-dealers, in particular those from East Asia, are wooed in their droves by the hotel’s reputation, professionalism and plush suites. The out-of-the-way location – around 7km (4 miles) from the city center and out of easy reach of Jumeirah’s beaches – has created something of a siege mentality, and the hotel has every leisure facility going, including a revolving restaurant, nightclub, cinema, ice-skating rink, mini golf course and its very own shopping centre.

The rooms are dominated by large glass windows offering fine views of Dubai, the Corniche and and Sharjah, with fresh flowers and plants to spruce the slightly dated furniture. It’s a nice hotel, but its location proves off-putting to many, especially since the traffic outside its front doors is near-solid for much of the day.

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