We have recently returned from our very first Dubai Family Holiday Dubai is somewhere we have always wanted to visit and never got there. It’s hard prioritising your travel wish list isn’t it? Sometimes you just don’t know where to travel next. Dubai has always been there hovering on the Christie travel wish list. And we finally made it and stayed at the Rove Downtown Dubai.
The Rove Hotel is unlike any hotel we have ever stayed at for so many reasons, we did not know what to expect. But we had a great time exploring the hotel and its surroundings. It is a great affordable family hotel in Dubai.
The Rove is not just a Budget hotel; it has style.
The Rove’s mission is to provide travel without borders and it most certainly does. The hotel had only been open briefly and seemed a relatively new concept in the region. The Rove aims to take down the boundaries to travel on such a budget and give travellers more freedom and choice, which is affordable but also stylish, and cool, making it a great place to stay.
The price does not mean a compromise on style. And whilst the Rove does not have a traditional lounge bar, it has a hotel mini-market located next to the lounge where you can grab a snack, salad soft drink or coffee to enjoy in the lounge. You can eat relatively cheaply whilst on your travels using the mini-market and attached Starbucks; they offer fantastic value for money.
And if you are travelling as a family booking two joining rooms will not break the bank, but it will give you extra comfort and a much-needed extra bathroom when travelling to Dubai with teens.
Style And Service At The Rove Downtown Dubai Hotel
From the minute you walk into the Rove, you are struck but the funky cool but professional vibe. The team are ultra cool but ultra friendly and professional. Nothing is too much trouble, making the Rove a great place to stay. The hotel has a contemporary style that links in with the region’s heritage, and is such, that you can’t take it all in. Every day you notice something new and different.
And for the kids, there is a play station and iMac area for them to chill; it is situated in a super cool cargo hangar in the lounge. But as you can imagine it is popular so sometimes you have a wait a while for your turn.
Although the hotel may not be a 5-star hotel, the team has a 5-star attitude. The attention to detail is incredible, which ensures The Rove is immaculate. You could argue that this is quite a new hotel so should it be? But during our stay, I witnessed paintwork being washed down, and plants being cleaned to keep the hotel looking perfect. And even the little things such as the perfume of the hotel, as soon as you walked in the doors and that gorgeous smell hits you; you felt like you were home.
The Rooms At The Rove Hotel In Dubai
The rooms are stylish, modern and spotlessly clean with all amenities you want in a hotel room, a hairdryer, shower gel, lots of plug sockets and charging points. Flat-screen TV, fridge and water refilled daily. The only thing missing was an iron. However, the Rove has a full laundry, either self-service, or alternatively if you are too chilled to iron and do laundry you can pay and get it done for you. Thus you have everything you could need for a family holiday.
The beds are super comfortable; in fact, some mornings I could have happily had a long lie-in, and the rooms were quiet which meant we slept so well during our stay. We had a Burj Khalifa view, which was fantastic at night; the boys loved sitting in bed watching the lights change colour.
The Rove has a pool deck, which although not huge is perfect for cooling down in the hot Dubai sun. We never had any issues getting a sunbed and a pool attendant was at hand to move sunbeds around to ensure we sat together. Free towels are available to use around the pool, and once or twice a day complimentary lemonade is served to cool you down once or twice a day.
Should you want a drink between these times, plan ahead and grab a drink from the mini-market or the vending machine which is not far from the pool.
Food At The Rove
If you want to dine rather than eat from the supermarket the Daily Restaurant at the Rove is a fantastic market-style restaurant, which offers a breakfast buffet with hot and cold options including made-to-order egg dishes such as egg Benedict and omelette. At lunch and dinner, you can order from a full menu. You can also order beer and wine to go with your meal. We ate several times in The Daily and our food was always great. As was the friendly team, the service was great and it felt like a cool place to be.
Location In Downtown Dubai
The location of the Rove is fantastic. When you first arrive it appears to be a bit out of it.  But on further investigation, we found it was a 5-minute walk to the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountains. The Downtown area is so cool; there is so much to see and do. There are also lots of dining options should you want a change. And it’s all right there on your doorstep. So if you want an affordable hotel near downtown Dubai The Rove is a great choice.
In Reflection
The Rove Describes itself as an affordable hotel in Dubai; a statement like that would usually make me run for the hills. However, I do believe that Rove undersells itself somewhat here. It is much more than an affordable hotel. It is a cool, stylish, friendly, warm and professional hotel. And yes it may not have some of the features you would expect in a 5-star hotel. But it more than makes up for that in other areas. Thank you to all the team; we had a wonderful stay at the Rove. So yes staying here will allow you to enjoy a cheap holiday to Dubai in a cool environment.
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I’ve never stayed (or heard of) the Dubai Rove before but I’m definitely going to check it out for October. It’s a toss up between that and Scotland 🙂
Ha ha bit diverse Tas, I would recommend it, it is fab for families x
I’ve just read all your postcards from Dubai, you looked like you had an amazing trip! The hotel looks divine and certainly not what you would expect for ‘an affordable hotel’, much more luxurious!
Ah thanks Megan, yes it is not what you would expect at all, the only thing it was missing is a bar to get a glass of wine in the evening or around the pool. Other than that it is fantastic and surprised me too. x
Looks amazing – I want to go!
Thank you it is x
What a fantastic review of this hotel the photos are amazing it looks so cool and trendy. Love all the accessories on the wall!
Thanks Karen it is so cool, such a great hotel for families x
Oh what super photos and it sounds amazing. I loved Dubai so much 🙂 Glad you had fun and got to stay in such a cool hotel! xx
Ah thanks Jess, we had a fab time x
Oh this looks great, much nicer than I would expect from a cheaper hotel. It looks perfect for families xx
Lindsey it is fab, I was apprehensive for the same reason. I would usually book a 4 plus of 5 star hotel when we travel. But it was great I would recommend the Rove x
Interesting concept
#citytripping
It is !
Love the styling of the hotel Sarah, and I can imagine it is great for staying with cool teens and tweens. Love all your pictures especially the white sign and the globe. Fab review and pictures x
Ah thanks so much Tracey, it was such a cool hotels and the boys loved the style and the staff were fab x
This looks really cool – and definitely not what would come to mind when you say affordable. It does look great for families and more flexible and relaxed than a more formal glitzy hotel which is what I tend to associate with Dubai. #citytripping
Cathy don’t get me wrong I love Glitz, but the Rove is special and real gem and such a surprise, I would stay again most definitely x
Really cool!
Thank you it is! x
Great review. It is great to see other price options available in Dubai. It is a great city but it can seem a bit expensive for many (and seems to be getting more and more every time we visit). The Rove certainly looks very stylish and unlike any ‘budget’ hotels we have in the UK. Fab photos. Look forward to reading more about your trip. Thanks for linking to #citytripping
Thank you Elizabeth, yes it is nothing like budget hotels here in the UK it is a fantastic hotel with everything you could possibly need x
The Rove seems really cool and not what I would expect when thinking about a Dubai hotel.
Thanks for sharing, it’s really useful! 🙂
xx
Umberta
It is soooo cool we loved it there a great place to stay x
Dubai has never really been on my bucket list of places to visit, but the more I hear about it the more I am beginning to change my mind. What a fab looking hotel!
Elizabeth it was fab we loved it there x
I’d like to visit Dubai and this hotel looks great. Having intereconnecting rooms is a big plus point for us – pretty much essential when you’re taking 5 so that’s very useful to know! Thank you!
Jane its such a great hotel, so stylish yet affordable x
Great to know there are fun and affordable options in a town that gets such a glitzy reputation! Love the funky vibe! #MondayEscapes
Erin it is so funky such a fab hotel x
For somewhere like Dubai, knowing of a quality budget option is a big help. Quality service and a clear approach and style can easily make up a few stars. I really like its aesthetic and with a good location, I’m sold. #MondayEscapes
David it is a fab hotel, so cool yet affordable. Yet the quality was incedible x
Wow. This looks like a wonderful place to stay. I always think of Dubai as really expensive, its good to know there are great options like this! #MondayEscapes
Elizabeth the Rove is such a great affordable option x
Love the midcentury modern style! We will be heading back to Dubai very soon so I have bookmarked this for the trip 🙂 #mondayescapes
The style is so cool, you don’t feel at all that you are in budget hotel x
Dubai has never been on my radar of places to visit, however The Rove does look stunning and I certainly wouldn’t discount it for the future.
Angela it is so fab, I would recommend it 100% x
This hotel looks so clean and contemporary. And how cool is that games area?? I’m not surprised you enjoyed it there – and great to be so close to the centre of things, too.
Nell it is such a cool place to stay we really loved it, its funny its not somewhere I would have chosen but it really opened my eyes x
This hotel looks great , love the photos. It is so great when you find a family friendly hotel -especially if it is in the ‘affordable’ price range. We haven’t made it to Dubai yet , but this hotel will definitely be earmarked for consideration if we do!
Coral it is such a fab place to stay x
It must have been nice to be central. When we went we stayed by the beach and of course paid a premium for that. But again taxis everywhere all add up too. And any hotel that will let you book adjoining rooms is good for me! We have such a hassle with the 5 of us and hotels saying they can’t guarantee it. #mondayescapes
Louise it is such a great hotel and the rooms were fab and gave us that extra bit of space x
Sounds like a cool hotel. I love all the little decorative details like the mason jars with sand and palm tree and the travel themed circles on the wall. I would love staying there. #mondayescapes
Alison it is such an amazing place to stay, the design is incredible x
This place looks amazing! What fab and trendy decor.
Dubai is definitely on my wish list too, but I’m slightly put off by the potential cost of accommodation. We have friends living out there but now that we have three kids we are more difficult to put up! Maybe somewhere like this would work for us.
Thanks for sharing.
#MondayEscapes
The decor is amazing, and yes it is so affordable x
Well this is a surprise. I’ve never been to Dubai and have been curious to find out what options there are for accommodation. This looks great – lots of super details, excellent service and good location.
#mondayescapes
Trish it was our trip too and it was just amazing, this is such a great base to see the sights of the city x
looks great! #mondayescapes
thanks
I’ve only just come across the Rove myself ,and it looks like a great alternative to other hotels in Dubai. Your photos are gorgeous!
Carrie it is and the brunch is fab too x
What a neat hashtag sign they have! I really like all the photos of travel decorations throughout the place. The market and buffet style restauarnt also sound like great ways to save money! #MondayEscapes
Ava it really is, it is all so affordable, the boys loved the market and they could have what they wanted, when they wanted as it was all so affordable x
Wow this hotel looks amazing. Definitely not what i would think an “affordable hotel” would look like. Great pictures makes me want to pack my bags and go now! #MondayEscapes
Ah thanks os much Sam it was such a great place to stay x
That js a really stylish hotel and if it hadn’t been for you saying it wasn’t five star I would have assumed it was. I love the idea of the market and restaurant for dinging options to suit all budgets #MondayEscapes
Claire it is fab such a great place to stay x
We are planning to stop off in Dubai on our way to Australia next year- really enjoyed this post as it gives us a good affordable and recommended place to stay.
Have pinned for later too!
#mondayescapes
Tracey it is so fab, such a great place to stay x
Wow what a find and not what I had in mind from Dubai at all! Gorgeous pictures! Have never been sure, watching the Visit Dubai video on an aeroplane once when I changed flights there boggled my mind so much, but this looks really quirky and cool #mondayescapes
Penny I wasn’t too sure either, Chris and the boys have always been desperate to go, but it was just so fab x
I’ll be honest I’ve been to Dubai once (pre-kids) and wasn’t blown away by the mega malls & hotels. It lacked real culture, which is what I love when abroad. I like the fact that The Rove isn’t one one usual 5 star generic hotels. Standing out from the rest of the hotels for the right reasons i.e not trying to out bling each other. #mondayescapes
Oh you are so right it is so unique, we loved staying there and the team were just incredible x
Re-reading this for #mondayescapes – brill concept and I like that it’s in a good location and toy hand no problem getting a sunbed.
Elizabeth it is so fab, we really loved staying there x
Wow! I love the concept of this hotel. All your photos looks fantastic. I have heard Dubai is not necessarily a budget friendly place when it comes or hotels. It is good to know there a place this nice in the city. I have been wanting to visit for a long time too. Like you said, it is so difficult where to go next. #MondayEscapes
Ruth it is a fantastic hotel and so affordable, it is also a little quirky and unique yet spotless x
This hotel looks and sounds great. I always assumed that Dubai would be too expensive for us, so nice to know there are options and not just luxury hotels! It also good to hear that it’s a family friendly destination. #mondayescapes
Lauren it is the perfect family friendly hotel, we loved it x
I had also assumed that hotels in Dubai would have been expensive so this is a great find. Looking at your photos, I would have assumed it would have been 5* too. Thanks for sharing. #mondayescapes
Thanks so much Joanne, it really is a wonderful option we loved it there x