It is easy to find a good hotel in Dubai. But finding low key, charming accommodation that won’t break the bank, is not so straightforward. Which makes the XVA Art Hotel a very special little gem. More a boutique guesthouse and art gallery than hotel, it is rather different to other accommodation options in Dubai.
BOOK YOUR STAY
Need to Know
The Headline A Genuine Hidden Gem
Best For Art lovers and travellers looking for a bit more tranquillity and character than Dubai’s hotels usually offer.
Amenities Art gallery and a design shop, three shaded courtyards, vegetarian café. All of which are worth visiting even if you aren’t staying.
Getting There Dubai International Airport is a 15-minute drive, and Downtown Dubai and the beaches are about 20 minutes.
Getting Around In a small pedestrianised area, the closet metro station is a ten minute walk.
Price Doubles from £112 per night
THE LOCATION
In the heart of the tranquil old Al Fahidi (formally known as Bastakiya) quarter, XVA is set in a pedestrianised warren of alleyways. Park on Al Fahidi Street and walk the last few hundred metres. There is a small car park with valet parking (private, unaffiliated with the hotel). The closet metro station (Sharaf DG) is a ten minute walk. Dubai International Airport is a 15-minute drive, and Downtown Dubai and the beaches are about 20 minutes.
THE ROOMS
There are only 15 bedrooms, all decorated by a different local designer. Rooms are small, but filled with character, and all are ensuite. Rooms were all individually decorated by guest designers, but generally think more minimalist, white washed walls and wooden detailing.
Every room has an en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, and an alcohol-free minibar. You can choose between single, standard and deluxe rooms, with either single or queen-sized beds. The deluxe rooms have their own seating areas in the internal courtyards.
The building itself is made up of 3 Iranian style wind towers, offering natural cooling and ventilation. It is over 100 years old – not bad for country that is officially only just over 50 years old.
THE EXTRAS
Onsite is also a highly acclaimed art gallery and a design shop, three shaded courtyards, a wonderful vegetarian café – all of which are worth visiting even if you aren’t staying.
The general vibe is something akin to a desert oasis. A large, gnarled old tree dominates the centre of the courtyard, with the hotel and art gallery set in a square around it. It is not dissimilar in style to the riads of Morocco.
Contemporary art covers almost every wall, and residents are welcome to visit the gallery after hours. There are multiple communal seating spaces, tempting you to simply sit and soak up the atmosphere with a book for a few hours. Night time stargazing from the from the roof terrace is a fairly unique activity in Dubai – although the amount of light pollution does rather limit the show.
The XVA Café is open 7am to 9pm daily, and serves a predominantly vegetarian menu. Breakfast is included in the room rate, and is traditional Arabian affair – a generous, filling spread of labneh, hummus, ful medames, fruit, breads, pancakes and eggs. The date syrup served with the pancakes was addictive. No alcohol.
THE LESS LOVEABLE
The standard rooms are quite small, so if you need a bit more space you might want to book one of the deluxe options. Given how old the building is, and the authentic restoration, the wooden doors to the bedrooms do not seal tight. Whilst the ceiling fan and air conditioning could cope with this in the cooler months, in the summer it could be quite stuffy.
Check out my other guides to the United Arab Emirates to plan your Middle Eastern adventures. Have a look at my sleep series for more inspiration for some of the world’s best hotels and guesthouses.
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