Dukes The Palm Dubai Hotel — Hotel in Dubai

The Worst Hotel Experience of My Life – Deception, Discrimination, Dirt, and Zero Hospitality

Deceptive Meal Policy The booking included breakfast, with the option to prepay for lunch and dinner — which I did for the entire stay. However, there was no clear indication that drinks, including water, were not included in lunch or dinner. This is a deceptive and unacceptable practice. At breakfast, only poor-quality, non-bottled water was available.

Awful Beach Service Guests must collect and return their own towels. The staff member handing out towels did so rudely, using a commanding tone: “Bring it back when you finish” — with no “please” or any form of courtesy. This behavior is unacceptable for a hotel claiming five-star standards. Guests also have to open heavy umbrellas themselves with no assistance.

Discrimination Against Hotel Guests on Saturdays On Saturdays, the hotel sells all restaurant tables to outside visitors. Hotel guests are forbidden from sitting indoors and are forced to eat outside in extreme heat (39°C). Outsiders receive red wristbands, free drinks, and preferential treatment, while hotel guests wear blue wristbands and are denied basic comfort and dignity. This discrimination against paying guests is absolutely disgraceful.

No Basic Hospitality Staff barely greet guests, creating a cold and unwelcoming atmosphere. Tables for hotel guests are left dirty while outside visitors are prioritized. All outdoor chairs at the restaurant were filthy and clearly not cleaned between guest seatings.

Aggressive Tipping Procedures After each meal, even without a bill, staff chased guests with receipts demanding signatures and tips — even when we ate from the prepaid buffet.

Dirty and Poorly Maintained Rooms • Stained towels (photo attached) • Dirty carpet • Filthy balcony and windows • Constantly malfunctioning TV • Extremely dim bathroom lighting — impossible for grooming • Beds not properly made • Trash was not removed, and room cleaning was poor

Unacceptable Spa Experience Spa staff demanded immediate payment for a massage and even followed me to my room when I said I needed to get my card — a humiliating experience that showed a complete lack of trust toward guests.

Violation of Guest Privacy and Property One morning at breakfast, I left my bag on the floor while getting food. A cream leaked from the bag. Instead of informing me or offering to help, staff placed my bag into a trash bag, turning it upside down and dumping all contents — including room keys, medication, and cosmetics — into the garbage without my permission. If I hadn’t returned in time, they would have thrown away my expensive bag and everything in it. While the cream caused a mess, nothing justified this invasion of privacy or destruction of personal property.

Final Insult Before Departure The final insult came the evening before my departure, when I went to reception to settle my bill early, as I had to leave for the airport at 5 a.m. Instead of finalizing the payment, the staff insisted they would send someone to my room late in the evening to remove the entire minibar — as if I couldn’t be trusted after paying in full. Only after I firmly refused to allow anyone into my room did they agree to simply charge my card from the deposit. This lack of trust, and the idea that I should wait late in the evening for someone to enter my room to remove minibar items, was degrading and unacceptable for any hotel.

Summary This hotel offers no genuine hospitality, no professionalism, and no respect for paying guests. It is falsely presented as a five-star hotel but falls far below even three-star standards. It was the worst hotel experience I...

Dukes The Palm has become one of those hotels that feels really special to us. From the first time we stayed back in 2022, we loved the mix of classic British charm with that unmistakable Dubai energy, and being right on the Palm just makes it all the more memorable. What’s great is that it looks and feels stylish without ever being over the top, it’s classy but still cozy and welcoming, which is exactly the kind of vibe we enjoy. That first trip set the bar high, and we’re so happy to say this year’s stay lived up to it all over again.

But what truly makes Dukes stand out isn’t just the location or the facilities, it’s the people. Every stay, the staff have been incredible. Akram is always super helpful, going out of his way to make sure everything runs smoothly and that you feel looked after. Kevin at concierge has this happy energy that immediately puts you in a good mood. The security team, especially Humayun Islam and Lopchan, deserve a big shout-out too, Lopchan might just be one of the friendliest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. Housekeeping is spotless thanks to Aqueeb, who is consistent and thorough every single time.

Mark took the time to come over for a chat, and it really made us feel so welcome, his friendliness and genuine interest in how our stay was going really stood out. Ali keeps the gym in perfect condition, always attentive and ready to help with a smile, which doesn’t go unnoticed and makes such a difference. And then there’s Afwar and Ayas at the front desk, the kind of people who make a lasting impression. Afwar’s warmth, attentiveness, and ability to make everyone feel valued is exceptional, while Ayas combines professionalism with genuine friendliness in a way that immediately puts you at ease. Both of them go above and beyond, making the whole experience feel personal and memorable. Their incredible care is one of the biggest reasons we returned, because they turn a stay into a true home-away-from-home experience.

The hotel itself has everything you could want. The rooms are clean, modern, and comfortable, with that little “treat yourself” feeling as soon as you walk in. Beds are super comfy, breakfasts are delicious, and everything feels well looked after. And when you’re ready to relax, you’ve got choices, whether it’s floating along the lazy river, enjoying the indoor or outdoor pools, or just lying back on the private beach with those unbeatable Palm views. Plus, the location is spot on, with a mall right across the road and Atlantis waterpark just a quick ride away.

Breakfast deserves its own mention because it’s such a highlight. The buffet is huge, with something for everyone; English, mezze, dim sum, pastries, breads, live cooking stations, North African, Indian, fresh fruit, yogurt, and cereal, you name it. We loved starting every day there, and it always set the tone for the rest of our stay.

If I had to point out anything, it would only be the little touches, things like new carpets, fixing curtains, or a bit of freshening up in the bathrooms, that would make the place even better. But honestly, those are tiny details compared to everything else Dukes gets so right.

For us, this hotel isn’t just about the pools, the beach, or the location. It’s about the people who make you feel like you’re part of the family every time you walk through the door. That’s rare, and it’s the reason Dukes the Palm isn’t just where we stay in Dubai, it’s where we feel at home, and where we’ll keep...

Sahil did an amazing job at cleaning our room! He worked nicely around my toddler who kept getting in the way! Very polite and efficient! Changed our bedding and was very lovely to speak to! Thanks so much Sahil!

Also, Kyaw, thank you for the beautiful display on our bed, it was a lovely surprise when we came back to our room! I didn’t want to ruin it and get into bed!

Breakfast staff are the least helpful staff members at the hotel. I travelled solo with my toddler, so getting breakfast was the most stressful part of our holiday. No help from staff. I had to ask numerous times for a high chair. One staff member even rolled her eyes at me when I asked! (I tried to get her name, she was an oriental young lady) No offer to help with carrying drinks to the table when they could clearly see I was struggling. I wasn’t asked if I would like a hot drink majority of the times I went down for breakfast. It wasn’t even like they were busy, because most of them are just standing around doing nothing at 8am.

The food was lovely though, lots of variety, all cooked to perfection, very tasty and opportunity to try new things!

Security at the hotel are wonderful, very helpful, always say hello and walk us to the lift if they aren’t doing anything!

The people at the door that help you get into the hotel from your taxi are also, very delightful humans! Very helpful and friendly, always do their best to make it a less stressful experience getting everything out of the taxi and into the hotel. Especially as it was very hot and I had a pushchair along with bags!

Hotel is in a great location, with beautiful facilities, everything is very clean and housekeeping come and change the sheets and clean the rooms daily at anytime that is convenient for you. The pool is lovely and cool, although quite deep, with no shallow area at all! But, stunning views from the infinity pool, my son loved going in the pool! And the beach is lovely also!

The mall is only 5 minutes walk. There is lots to do at the mall! Especially for children! With a big arcade and soft play on the top floor! We have spent many mornings there, when we wanted a break from the sun!

The main downfall (besides breakfast staff) is the main road. The room I was in had a lovely view from one balcony. But the other balcony had a view of the marina but also the main road. I am on the 9th floor and the road is very loud. Especially with the particular cars speeding and zooming past. It is very loud.

I would stay here again at this hotel, however, I would request a room away from the main road.

I would have given the hotels service 5 stars if the breakfast staff were more helpful. But honestly, because of the lack of kindness from them, I actually have anxiety going down to breakfast with my toddler, because I just knew it was going to be...