Sonder Business Bay Apartments — Hotel in Dubai

Extremely Disappointing Experience – Far Below Dubai’s Hospitality Standards

As a frequent traveler and entrepreneur with extensive experience in luxury hospitality industry, I find it deeply unfortunate to report that my recent stay at this property was profoundly disappointing and shockingly misaligned with the standards typically associated with Dubai's world-renowned hospitality industry.

To begin with, the pricing structure of the hotel is entirely unjustifiable given the dismal level of service provided. The guest service falls significantly short of even a mid-tier property in the region. Despite a confirmed booking for four adults, we arrived to find no proper sleeping arrangements—only to be met with a completely unprofessional response: "You can sleep on the sofa." This statement, in both tone and delivery, was not only inappropriate but entirely unacceptable in any hospitality context, let alone one positioning itself as a luxury establishment.

Upon check-in, we were told our room—scheduled to be ready by 2 PM—would be delayed. Shockingly, we were only given access to our room after 7 PM, with no sense of urgency, empathy, or compensation. I had requested a higher floor and a pleasant view, yet after being moved twice, we were finally placed in a room with an unsightly view of an active construction site. There were no amenities in the room, no breakfast offered, and to our astonishment, valet parking came at an additional charge—an unusual and disappointing practice in Dubai’s upscale hotel industry.

The room itself had a pervasive bad odor that made it nearly impossible for my family and I to sleep comfortably. At every turn, basic expectations were unmet. Even more concerning was the complete absence of professional leadership. When I requested to speak to the General Manager, I was informed—incorrectly—that there was no GM on duty due to a holiday, despite it being an ordinary Wednesday.

Eventually, a man presenting himself as the "Duty Manager" I think his name Mr.Hani approached us in casual jeans, an unshaven appearance, and lacking any trace of grooming expected from hospitality leadership. His demeanor was dismissive and entirely lacking in service etiquette. After carefully explaining the sequence of issues we had endured, his only response was that "nothing wrong was done," offering neither an apology nor a single gesture of recovery or resolution. However, I should mention the friendly approach from the maintenance technician who came and fix the broken water filter at 1:30 in the morning. He was very polite with smily face . This experience is a stark outlier in Dubai’s otherwise exceptional hospitality landscape. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this hotel to any discerning traveler. The combination of inflated pricing, poor service delivery, lack of accountability, and inadequate facilities makes it, regrettably, one of the worst stays I have ever...

Overall: My recent stay at Sonder was a mixed bag. While the apartment itself was a great size, offering plenty of living space, a bedroom, and a kitchen, the tiny bathroom was a major drawback. Considering the generous size of the other areas, it felt cramped and frankly, a bit unhygienic due to the close proximity of the toilet to everything else in the bathroom.

Room: The apartment itself was a highlight. It was perfect for a longer stay, providing a comfortable and spacious environment. However, the bathroom was disproportionately small, making it difficult to use comfortably.

Service: As a returning guest who booked a longer stay, I continue to be disappointed by the lack of room service options. Given the extended stay, it would make sense for there to be more frequent, complimentary cleaning service, not less. Additionally, as a member of their loyalty program, I felt a bit overlooked. There was no contact from the hotel to see if everything was satisfactory or if we needed anything during our stay.

Value: While the spacious apartment offers good value, the lack of daily housekeeping and the limited or absent room service make it feel more like an Airbnb than a hotel experience.

Sleep Quality: Unfortunately, the soundproofing in the apartment was very poor. Despite being on the 11th floor (which is even higher due to additional podium floors below), we were constantly disturbed by noise. This included loud car noise from the street below, as well as the constant banging of doors from other rooms as guests enter and leave their rooms especially late in the night. This significantly impacted our sleep quality.

Staff: It's important to note that the staff at Sonder were lovely when we interacted with them. In particular, Simba at the front desk gave a warm welcome, and Gabriel at the security was very helpful in giving location specific details when I chatted to him about visiting certain areas of Dubai. Their friendly and informative service was a bright spot in our stay.

Recommendation: If you prioritize a spacious apartment and are comfortable managing your own cleaning and meals, Sonder could be a good option. However, if you value daily housekeeping, room service, a more personalized hotel experience, and especially quiet nights for a good sleep, you might be better suited to a different...

The property is wonderfully decorated throughout.The furniture is of high quality and the colours, textures and design comes together very nicely. Great location and convenient to get around many sites in Dubai. Our apartment was huge, a one bedroom apartment with a sizeable living/dining room, two bathrooms and a large bedroom. Views from the balcony and bathroom overlooked the Burj Khalifa. The apartment was clean and had all the amenities for a comfortable stay. The pool is heated and lovely, although its best to get there before 3pm before the sun goes behind the buildings and doesnt reach the pool. Excellent park for children too. Just wish they had finished the soft play area for kids as this would have made it even better.

One to watch: The lack of housekeeping made the stay unnecessarily uncomfortable. We had to keep calling reception for fresh towels and sheets and even had to change our own bedlinen! Used towels piled up in the apartment as no housekeeping presence to remove them. Sadly this did make the stay not as seamless as it could have been. The hotel exudes luxury and comfort, however the sustainability reasoning for not cleaning guests rooms throughout their stay doesnt fit with their target market nor with the general hospitality sector in the region. You can be sustainable and comfortable and I dont feel they have the balance right here. The general expectation of a hotel is that there is a level of housekeeping included. We stayed for 19 nights and as a long stay guest, I felt that accommodations should have been made for this. We ended up feeling a bit grimey at the end of our stay, which isnt in keeping with the brand image of Sonder. Just not buying the sustainability piece and more a cost reduction technique sadly at the expense of guests experiences.

Overall loved the hotel, just the cleaning would make me reconsider rebooking.

Regarding the soft play area that is unfinished in the hotel, it would be great to finish this and provide this as an amenity during...