Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa

We have just returned from our second stay here, and it certainly won’t be our last.

I’d like to start by saying that I will be mentioning several members of staff by name in this review. Personally, when I read reviews that mention staff by name, they can sometimes come across as a little conceited or less genuine than intended. However, on this occasion, I genuinely want to give credit where credit is due to the individuals who truly make this hotel what it is.

On arrival, we were immediately greeted by helpful staff who directed us to reception and assured us that they would take care of our luggage. We had just arrived from another hotel where this certainly hadn’t been the response, so the difference was immediately noticeable. Reception was completely empty, with no queues or guests waiting for assistance. It was beautifully clean and we were offered a welcome drink. We were checked in promptly and without any complications, while also being recognised as Titanium members and receiving a room upgrade.

We were then accompanied to our room by Hitash (apologies if I have spelt his name incorrectly), who was a lovely gentleman. He has been with the company for several years and was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. From the moment we met him, he made us feel genuinely welcome and gave us the impression that nothing would ever be too much trouble.

Our room was located in the Club Tower on the 14th floor and was wonderfully spacious, with a gorgeous sea view. Turn-down service is optional, and there are some lovely little touches throughout the stay, such as sunglass-cleaning cloths each day, chocolates left on the bed and handwritten notes wishing us a “have a good day”. The glass water bottles are also a particularly welcome change from the usual plastic varieties.

There are three pools available at the hotel, although one was undergoing renovation during our stay. Thankfully, there was absolutely no noise or disruption, and we were more than happy spending our time around the pool and pool bar. Each morning, we were greeted with a smile and offered assistance with our sunbeds, umbrellas, water and ice.

The pool area is kept absolutely spotless, and the staff work tirelessly despite the heat. Throughout the day, we were periodically offered complimentary cold face towels and ice lollies, which were such lovely gestures and something we haven’t experienced at other hotels. We also made full use of the pool bar and found both the cocktails and food to be very reasonably priced and of good quality. You can either charge everything to your room or pay directly at the till.

The hotel beach is just a short walk away and is immaculate, with great views towards JBR and beyond. There is also a gentle breeze, which is particularly welcome when trying to combat the humidity at this time of year.

The Club Lounge is, quite simply, exceptional and, in our experience, unrivalled in terms of its daily offerings. Breakfast, afternoon tea, evening canapés and drinks are some of the best we have encountered—and we have stayed in a lot of hotels over the years.

A special mention must go to Bimal A and Parulben, who recognised us from our previous stay. Their memories are amazing! They were incredibly warm and attentive, not only towards my partner and me but also towards our children. Their genuine friendliness and attention to detail made us feel like returning guests rather than simply another reservation.

On our second evening, we visited the on-site restaurant, Le Strega. It is a beautifully presented Italian restaurant with a menu that should suit every palate. My partner ordered a glass of red wine but was advised that there was only one particular option available. Unfortunately, after tasting it, it wasn’t to his liking.

At this point, rather than simply suggesting that he order something else, John Eric, who I believe may have been the manager, went out of his way to find us another option. He offered us a bottle of wine (I believe it was not normally stocked in that particular restaurant) and explained that they would like to present it to us.

Again, it is this incredible attention to detail—and the hotel’s apparent second nature to go above and beyond—that makes such a difference. The food was so good that we returned for a second visit during our stay. On that occasion, Arnold J recognised us from earlier in the week and once again made sure all our needs were met. He remembered our food and wine orders and was exceptionally attentive throughout the evening.

There are two lounges at the hotel, depending on which one you have access to through your booking or Marriott Bonvoy status. We didn’t use the one in the main hotel during this visit, although on our previous stay we found it to be very well presented, with a pool table and a small selection of food and drinks available.

Whilst we didn’t visit any of the other restaurants during this stay, we did spend some time in Shades, which is a lively sports bar spread over two levels, with the option of outdoor seating. There are multiple large screens and a pool table, making it a great place to spend an evening.

Unfortunately, our visit wasn’t without a slight disruption regards one of our rooms. Although we didn’t initially feel that the issue was addressed as well as it could have been at the time, a subsequent meeting with a lovely director of guest services named Georgia the following day more than made up for it and restored our faith in the hotel.

Whilst it was a shame that this approach wasn’t forthcoming initially, Georgia immediately reassured us and made us feel that we had genuinely been heard. We hope to visit again next year, and we absolutely cannot thank Georgia enough for her understanding, professionalism and the genuine way in which she handled the situation. She is a real credit to the hotel.

Towards the end of our stay, we were fortunate enough to make use of the HB option and dined at Brasserie 2.0. The selection of food available was extensive, ranging from seafood and full roast dinners to a fresh pasta station, the usual selection of fresh fruit and salads, and an impressive dessert station that would challenge anyone trying to watch their waistline!

In summary, our stay simply wasn’t long enough. We tend to travel around when visiting Dubai, so we left this hotel to move to another property on the Palm. If I’m completely honest, we regretted that decision almost the moment we left and wished we had stayed here for the remainder of our trip.

We certainly won’t make that mistake again.

We look forward to returning next year and, without hesitation, would highly recommend this hotel. It is the exceptional staff, attention to detail, genuine hospitality and willingness to go above and beyond that truly sets it apart. We left wishing we had stayed longer—and that, for us, says everything.

We have just arrived home after another amazing stay at LRM. Firstly I must say it's business as usual in Dubai and at LRM. We stayed for 7 nights (8 days) in August. As always all staff we're so friendly and couldn't do enough to help you. We were upgraded to a Club Tower room with Club lounge access which we loved. The Club lounge is great for nibbles & pre-dinner drinks from 6-8pm. The Lower pool was being refurbished whilst we were there (soon to be complete (this week) which was a shame as we always love sitting around that pool but the pool staff etc were great and we had a good time sitting around the main & infinity pools. The Brasserie as always had a great selection of food. We mostly ate in the Brasserie as we weren't that hungry after the nibbles in the Club Lounge. We did have a lovely meal in Rhodes 2010 one evening though. All I can say is we love staying at LRM, this was our 4th visit and can't wait to be back again next year.