XVA Art Hotel — Hotel in Dubai

We planned our second honeymoon in Dubai, and not wanting to be in the city, we found this beautiful arts hotel downtown. When we first arrived, it was a maze to find the hotel, and we were slightly surprised by the size of the rooms; coming from the US, we expected a larger space. After bringing our concerns to the owner, Chander, he quickly accommodated us into their largest room. We also learned the room sizes are quaint due to the hotel being created after the historic area was built, leaving no room for restructuring. If any concerns came up, Chander came to the rescue! Once we were settled in, our adventure began. |The Arts Hotel was picturesque. We ordered the breakfast package, which was delicious and filling. Additionally, each morning, we were greeted with Joy's smile. Joy works in the cafe and ensured we were taken care of and showed us the different areas we can walk around in the hotel. Outside of the hotel, there were many areas that we could walk to; there were countless restaurants and markets nearby, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the culture. Lastly, we were able to get our gift shopping done nearby as there were so many vendors offering many deals. |When it was time to leave, we preordered an Uber, which continued to give us the runaround and eventually canceled 20 minutes after the pickup time. In a state of panic, we rushed to the front desk for help at midnight, and they quickly ordered a taxi for us, which arrived minutes later. |The staff at the Arts Hotel made this experience memorable and comfortable. We will definitely be staying...

The inspired owner, Mona Hauser, has create 14 unique and individual guest rooms which showcase architectural and cultural motifs of the region. Within an internationally acclaimed art gallery, the hotel also boasts an award-winning restaurant. The hotel is located in the heart of the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, the oldest community in Dubai. Unique for its Persian architectural heritage, the mystery of its traditional maze-like alleyways and proximity to the Creek, Al Fahidi is viewed as one of the most important heritage sites in Dubai. XVA occupies the former home of the Seddiqi family.

The public areas consisting of three courtyards, which are air-conditioned in the summer months, are tree-shaded and tranquil, offering quiet corners for poets, artists and visitors alike. Many of the works on display, including those by resident artist, Halim Al Karim, provide an insight into the art of the Middle East for which XVA Gallery is known.

With its three original wind towers, a sumptuous lounge and starry rooftop for the solace-seeking guests, this centrally located hotspot is the city’s sexiest and best-kept secret retreat.

Condé Nast Traveler featured XVA as the no.1 place “not to miss” in Dubai. In Wallpaper Dubai city guide, XVA is listed as THE boutique hotel in which to stay whilst visiting Dubai. Qantas In Flight magazine listed XVA high on their “10 reasons to visit...

I admit, it was my own expectation of Xva Art Hotel that was a root of a headache.

I thought a boutique hotel so obviously crafted with love and a lot of thought would be equally mindful of their guests. Unfortunately, it’s def missing the mark of putting themselves in their guests shoes. And a lot of their guests are exhausted from multi-hour travel and really don’t have no energy to search for hotel for 30 minutes under the midday sun.

Xva hotel is hard to find if you’ve never stayed in it. For a hotel that has been in business multiple years and that has heard their guess express the same “hard to find” grievance, you’d expect an action - maybe sending you a map with marked directions or a video walk through - even my nail tech has done that and she is a much smaller business. But no welcome email or a video upon request.

Due to construction in the area, the Google maps directions for the hotel are wrong. You need to put Al Farooq Mosque as destination.

Again, this is partially a me-thing since I like my hotels to over-communicate rather under-communicate but I believe this is not an unreasonable expectation for a boutique hotel.

The place itself is gorgeous and the welcome fruit was a lovely touch. Although our room didn’t have windows it was cozy! I was pleasantly surprised by robes and slippers, the little details here and there were...