Grosvenor House: Dubai's latest five-star sensation

At night the 45-storey Grosvenor House at the Dubai Marina is wrapped in blue light. Within guests are swathed in ultra-modern luxury which combines the delicacy of a fine boutique hotel with a restaurant whose chef-patron was the former personal chef to Britain's Prince Charles alongside 12 other innnovative restaurant and bar concepts.

AME Info joined guests from the media for a tour early this summer, and found this property outstanding in a city accustomed to the finest in new hotels, and ahead of the competition in many respects.

The hotel has 217 sea-facing rooms, and 205 apartments have views over the Dubai Marina, a very attractive aspect with the added possibility of a long walk around the 1.8-kilometre man-made harbour. Three of the signature touches are plasma televisions in all rooms, personalised butler service and 24-hour room service, in addition to the use of beach and pool facilities at the adjacent resort.

The top 11 floors are dedicated to the Grosvenor Club, premium executive accommodation whose guests will also have access to the 44th floor dedicated lounge and its extensive views over the Palm Jumeirah.

Interior design is of the highest international standards, a little minimalist in places but complemented by a wealth of marble in all the bathrooms and the immaginative use of public spaces. Room sizes of up to 55 square metres are quite exceptional even in the Middle East.

Finest of fine dining

Fine dining is also very much part of the Grosvenor House experience. Gary Robinson, the former personal chef to Prince Charles is chef patron of the Mezzanine which features modern French and British fare, while celebrity chef Vineet Bhatia heads up the modern Indian restaurant Indego. Both restaurants are cool and elegant places to eat.

Then there is the Persian restaurant with ancient recipes gleaned from the days of the Ottoman empire which is due to open this summer. This promises to be something of a culinary first with the recreation of authetic Turkish and Persian cuisine and will also have an unrivalled observation deck over the Palm Island.

For apres indulgence, the health and spa has a total of seven treatment rooms for men and ladies offering the latest spa treatments as well as a hair and nail studio, hydropools, steam, sauna and jacuzzi, plus private rooms for those who seek an indulgent day of pampering.

Whether for business or pleasure the Grosvenor House will not disappoint its guests, and more than lives up to its illustrious Hyde Park namesake in London whose rooms are smaller and less lavishly appointed. It is a sign of the times that the better of the two is now in Dubai rather than London.