This is the third time I have stayed at this hotel over the last 4 years. Thought I would point out the pros and cons of Dubai and this hotel.

Pros

Weather is almost guaranteed in Dubai during the winter. Mid Feb was a little chilly in the evening and defintiely take a sweater or pashmina.

No upset tummies

The Ritz Carlton is one of the most comfortable hotels in Dubai. The staff are its greatest assets.

The Ritz Carlton has a Kids Club which is complimentary. Although it would only really be suitable if your children were under the age of 8.

The Club Lounge (free champagne and premimum brand drinks served almost 24 hours a day). You do have to have the drinks in the Club Lounge. No taking them to your sunbed.....

The hotel has a complimentary mini bus to the shopping malls, gold souks etc a couple of times a day.

Taxis are cheap and can take you to say the Royal Mirage Hotel(where all the best restaurants are in my opinion!) for approx £1.50.

The Ritz Carlton gardens and pool area are delightful. Although they were nearly full the hotel always seemed to be quiet.

They always seem to give me an early check in. Do send them a nice email beforehand if you want this. They will always try and do what they can

The private beach is lovely

Cons

There are approx 15 high rise office type blocks behind the hotel completely dwarfing the hotel which is only 6 storeys high!

The restaurants are quite formal and La Baie is very expensive

The price of alcohol and non alcoholic cocktails are verging on the outrageous. Evian water nearly £7 a bottle and no alternative offered. A small beer £6.50.......

The Spa is again too highly priced. A 25 min massage was over £40.

Best mistake ever made! Our tour operator had to book us into the Ritz Carlton as our original hotel had over-booked us. What a place! Hotel is the best ever!!! Room excellent, beach & grounds the business, pure luxury, staff first class (especially Jessica @ front desk & Harmony @ front of hotel), WE WILL DEFINATELY BE GOING BACK - FOR LONGER NEXT TIME !!!!

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton on the 2nd week of our Honeymoon.
The reception staff were very friendly and we did not have to wait for our room even though we arrived early.
We stayed in a delux room which was very spacious the beds were so comfortable I even considered buying the pillows etc to take home with us.
We were Bed & Breakfast and thismore than kept you going throughout the day, amazing selection and the man that made all types of egg dishes was so friendly and he cooked the most perfcet poached eggs which he remembered for us each morning.
The food around the pool was also of a high standard huge portions although I would suggest eating in doors just to get out of the heat. The pool boys constantly came round with ice cold towles and melon pieces to eat.
I would recommend having tea at the ritz we did this a few times the cakes were very nice.
We were treated really well by all the staff and with being on our honeymoon we were treated to a treat each day from our room cleaners, from rose petals in our bath to chocolate dipped strawberrys.
I would recommend this hotel and would stay here again ideal for young couples honeymooners and family holidays truly an amazing place.

This is our fourth visit to the Ritz Carlton Dubai - our previous visit being three years ago.

The reason we love it is because it is a relatively small hotel (for Dubai) and the service has always been excellent and personal. This visit was no exception. The Hotel's biggest asset is their staff - calling you by name and nothing was too much trouble. They are extremely well trained - professional and friendly without being 'over the top'.

Would we go back for a 5th visit?

Probably not. The rooms are looking rather worn and dated. Our room (515) had very dodgy plumbing with a poor shower and a hand held shower that squirted all over the place!! Lip service has been paid to updating the rooms by having flat screen TVs and on the club floor, a coffee making machine and kettle!! Our feeling (and we may be totally wrong) is that they were cutting corners - products not being replenished in the bathroom, night-time turndown service at 3pm in the afternoon (therefore only one service a day rather than 2). What surprised us most though was checking out. We paid our bill and 2 minutes later a gentleman was in our room checking our mini-bar to see whether we had taken anything and not declared it!!! The last time this happended to us was in a dodgy Bangkok airport hotel about 15 years ago!! it made us feel like crooks!!!

There are so many good hotels in Dubai and excellent service and rooms I think they need to pull their socks up a bit and invest a bit on money on refurbishment.

(4* rating because of EXCELLENT staff!)