I tried something different in Dubai, spending my extended layover at the Grand Hyatt Dubai rather than in the Emirates Lounge.
Grand Hyatt Dubai Review – A Nice Layover Hotel
I’ve trained myself to be productive during layovers…it’s generally a time when I can go to a lounge, sit myself down, and get a lot of work done.
We landed in Dubai at 7:00 pm on Air India and our United Airlines flight to Newark did not leave until 2:15 am, a 7-hour layover. Had I been alone I would have just proceeded to the Emirates Lounge, parked myself, probably ate quite a bit, but got my work done for the next day.
My friend (quite understandably) did not feel like sitting in a lounge for several hours, so I booked a room at the nearby Grand Hyatt Dubai…and it worked out to be quite well. Passport control lines were long, but we jumped in an Uber and reached the hotel by 8:15 pm (giving us about five hours).
I booked a room with two single beds (the price was nearly $300 but I had used a category 1-4 free night certificate) and was assinged a room on the Grand Club floor, though oddly the lounge was already closed (not even open for drinks and dessert).
The room was dated…the hotel is dated…but the room was clean and cool.
While my friend slept, I went downstairs and did a heavy workout, went swimming in the indoor pool, then spent an hour in and out of the sauna and steam room…it worked out very well.
I returned to the room, got some work done, then we went back to the airport at 1:00 am (we probably cut it a little too close), arrived at 1:1op, checked dropped off our bags, and headed to the gate where boarding had already begun.
I settled onboard, ordered dinner, and prepared for a relaxing flight, tired from the work and workout.
Yes, I guess I’d still choose the lounge if traveling alone, but booking a hotel room for an extended layover worked out very well in this case. Sorry, no Emirates Lounge review this trip…
Can we make airport with gyms and spas a thing
I can’t believe you flew UAL from Dubai back to the US over Emirates. Given the choice I would invariably choose the latter and have (every chance I got) gladly paid more to do so.
Believe me, had there been any award space, we would have flown Emirates. There was a single seat to IAD, that’s it. We needed two…to any US gateway. There just wasn’tt space.
I’d pick Polaris over the Emirates 2-2-2 business class any day.
Also why no post-workout shirtless pics?
Ich verstehen.
Good on you.
A true friendship! Did not flew back alone in Emirates to IAD nor let the friend but chose United just to fly together to EWR.
Grand Hyatt Dubai, Category 4, outstanding, nicely done.
You should link your previous Emirates lounge review
Have only reviewed first class lounges:
https://liveandletsfly.com/?s=emirates+first+class+lounge+review
How is that a Grand Hyatt? Other than the gym equipment, the hotel looks virtually unchanged since about 2000.
It looks like they gave you old, unrenovated rooms because the photos on the website of the Grand Hyatt Dubai depict completely different and much, much newer rooms.
Even the gym looks different online. Is the same hotel?
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/united-arab-emirates/grand-hyatt-dubai/
I’m just seeing it has been remodeled since my visit – that’s good news. I thought it was fine (esp. the gym).
When were you there?
I had a similar layover earlier this year. I landed more like 5 pm and did the United flight as well. I did a tour around Dubai. You could have had a relaxing dinner experience in this world class city instead of sitting in a hotel and plenty of time to sleep on the plane.
Have been to Dubai many times.
World Class City? I just don’t get the allure of Dubai. It’s a world class connection for one night to break up a trip at a great hotel. Other than that it is fairly soulless, boring, and has nothing beyond shopping malls, crappy beaches, and overpriced (but good) restaurants. Why anyone goes there beyond one or two nights to break up a trip is beyond me. World class is wanting to spend a week or more to explore. London, Tokyo, DC…these are world class cities.
I suppose it depends on where you’re from. I’ve been to Dubai twice. I interacted with a lot of guests at my hotel from other Middle Eastern countries where they could not legally buy alcohol or would have been shamed for wearing a bikini and swimming in a pool with men who weren’t their family members. Believe it or not, there was an Iranian bachelorette party at the hotel the first time I went to Dubai. So, there’s a little bit of that Las Vegas/Sin City aspect.
@ Matthew — With you making stays like this one, I can’t believe you aren’t going for Globalist this year! I guess having a Chase Hyatt card would make it much easier.
I a) would never connect in an Arab country, and b) leave the relative safety of the airport there. I simply don’t trust countries like this.
UAE is probably the safest cities in the planet, probably even for Israelis.
I meant to say Dubai…
That’s a great idea. I did that once in Cebu because a hotel near the airport was less than lounge access since I didn’t have free access with cards, status, or flight class.
It’s a great tip if the circumstances are right. I write of my experience here:
https://www.kirkstravelstories.com/post/lounge-alternative-tip
It’s a tough one. I like the gym workout and pool access but feel like a few hours sleep and then waking up at night and heading to the airport would make me feel worse.
I did a stopover in Colombo recently with a flight out at 1230am. Ended up caving and getting a hotel but just spent most of the time by the pool with a 2 hr nap from 2-4pm
“Passport control lines were long”
No eGates? Immigration in the UAE is usually very fast ime
Not coming in. Going out was automatic.
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