Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort: A new era for Dubai's oldest JBR hotel

Perched on the southern coast of JBR beach, the pyramid-shaped Sheraton JBR was the first hotel to open in one of Dubai's most popular neighbourhoods. Welcoming guests since 1996, it was the only building back then in what was to become one of Dubai's most bustling shorefronts.

Almost three decades ago, there was only a single lane of tarmac leading to the hotel, which was surrounded by vast sandy expanses and tropical palm trees. Today, the area is recognisable by its district throng of shops, hotels, bars and a dizzying number of restaurants, plus a new-look Sheraton hotel with renovated suites, rooms, restaurants and facilities.

“We are excited to introduce this transformative chapter for Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort,” said Mohamed El Aghoury, general manager of Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort and Aloft Palm Jumeirah. “We’ve reimagined the resort to offer not just comfort, but also a truly immersive atmosphere, where every detail ensures visitors feel like they truly belong in this thoughtfully designed environment.”

The National was invited to write the first paragraph of this stalwart hotel's new chapter.

The welcome

When Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort first opened, getting to it was easy. There were no other hotels in the neighbourhood and plenty of open space. Today, it’s a different story, and my journey to the hotel involves a snail-like crawl along the road leading to JBR. Once I reach the hotel, it’s smooth sailing with a private car park and quick valet service.

I arrive at 3pm on the dot, and reception staff take my ID and process the paperwork efficiently. The room is not quite ready – which is forgivable, given that my family and I will be the first people to stay in the newly renovated duplex garden suite. We’re shown to the Club Lounge, where complimentary soft drinks and snacks are almost enough to keep us happily occupied during the 45-minute wait.

The neighbourhood

JBR is one of Dubai’s busiest waterfront communities and one that has undergone rapid development in the past two decades. As the first hotel to open here, Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort has gone from flying solo to being one of numerous hotels.

Bookending one side of JBR beach, the hotel is in the heart of what is essentially a city within a city, filled with hotels, bars, shops, apartments and a dizzying number of restaurants. One thing is for sure, guests staying in this district are spoilt for choice when it comes to food. It's also not far from Bluewater's Island, with a pedestrian bridge leading to the artificial isle that's home to Ain Dubai.

The room

We’re staying in a two-bedroom duplex family garden suite. Located on the ground level, the room is also accessible from the hotel gardens via a wooden gate leading to a small courtyard. Going inside, the room is huge and feels more like a town house than a hotel suite.

The front door opens to a small washroom and a wide entry hall, which is a convenient place to park prams for those travelling with children. A kitchenette, complete with washing machine, microwave, fridge and utensils is suitable for those staying a while. There’s a circular dining table although, surprisingly for a family suite, only two chairs. A sprawling stylish cream sofa spans the length of the lounge, opening up on one side with an L-shaped cushion. There’s another round table here, with another two chairs, plus a long ledge that can be used as a workspace or storage. Sliding glass doors open out to the courtyard, making it super-convenient to go explore the resort.

The colour palette is inspired by the hotel's seaside surrounds with plenty of white marble and sandy tones complemented by pops of azure. Natural shapes and curves play a big part, with arched coving and free-form mirrors and the lighting throughout is soothing. Up the beautifully illuminated stairs are two bedrooms, one to each side of the staircase. The master has a king bed that is deliciously comfortable, plus plenty of space for a baby cot.

Floor-to-ceiling windows come with views of Ain Dubai and the Arabian Gulf, although there's no upstairs balcony. The twin room on the other side of the suite has its own bathroom and is generously sized with two comfortable beds. The views here aren’t quite as impressive, though, as it overlooks a McDonald's and Starbucks.

The service

It's hit and miss. Reception staff are efficient and friendly, as are those working in the restaurants especially at Peacock, one of Dubai’s oldest Chinese eateries, where staff go above and beyond to make us feel welcome and give us great recommendations on dishes to try. At the pool, though, attendants are hard to track down and there’s a constant lack of towels. During our visit, one of the lifeguards has to leap into the pool to help rescue a little boy who is struggling to swim – so kudos to the lifeguard team.

The scene

A family-friendly resort, Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort is also popular with couples and groups of travellers both from overseas and around the Emirates. Children fit right in and there’s plenty to keep them entertained, including an impressive wooden pirate-ship playground, and a gradual sloping swimming pool that means there’s a depth for every size of swimmer. There’s also a shaded children's pool and the Azure swim-up pool bar.

For travellers staying in a suite or club room, there's complimentary access to the Sheraton Club Lounge. Newly renovated, it has fantastic views and a revolving menu of complimentary soft drinks and snacks. The hotel gym has everything you might need for a holiday workout and the private beach has a host of watersports available, plus plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas.

Located right in front of the beach, Bliss Lounge is the ideal place to enjoy a sunset drink, with good music and a relaxed vibe. From here, it's easy to head out into the wider JBR neighbourhood – with direct access from the hotel gardens leading to a path that winds along the sand to The Walk.

The food

Seafield Mediterranean Eatery is the hotel's newest restaurant, which boasts a resort-inspired look, offers indoor and outdoor seating, plus a wide menu. It’s still getting the final touches during our visit, so instead we dine at Peacock – where the menu has remained largely the same since the hotel first opened.

Tucked away on the mezzanine level and decorated with traditional red Chinese lanterns, water features and lucky cats, the restaurant offers a menu that spans Sichuan and Cantonese dishes. We try the prawn har gow (Dh55), served in a traditional steamer basket and a huge portion of sticky salt and pepper spare ribs (Dh95). For mains, the crispy beef (Dh95) is excellent – perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, while the black bean seafood platter (Dh128) has a lovely umami flavour. The accompanying egg fried rice is also delicious, and there's a distinct sense of authenticity in each dish we try.

Other new dining options in the hotel include Black Goose, an industrial-chic sports bar that serves up a Tex-Mex inspired menu, and & More, the hotel's spacious lobby dining area, where breakfast is served each morning.

Highs and lows

Our room is a beautifully decorated sanctum with plenty of space to spread out despite being in the heart of one of Dubai's buzziest neighbourhoods – that's hard to beat. The newly renovated spaces are very inviting and transport one of the city's oldest hotels into the modern era. The downside of the renovation is that there's a very obvious vibe change between the new parts of the hotel and the older spaces, which could benefit from upgrading.

The insider tip

Dine at Peacock – there's a reason it's been serving up the same dishes for almost 30 years. Order plenty and be prepared to share. Oh, and maybe bring your own pool towels!

The verdict

A classic staycation spot that's been brought up to date with a seaside-inspired makeover.

The bottom line

Winter rates start from Dh1,830 (including breakfast and taxes). Check-in from 3pm; checkout is until noon.

This review was conducted at the invitation of the resort and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future