Best areas to stay in Dubai as a family
As someone who first moved to Dubai in 2013 and continues to visit 2 – 3 times a year, I know the whole of Dubai like the back of my hand. Both from a tourist and resident perspective. These are the absolute best areas to stay in based on my years of experience.
I’ve listed them in order from the most recommended areas to stay in Dubai to my least recommended but some options depend on the type of holidaymaker you are. I’m someone who loves to go exploring and doesn’t want to just stay in the resort the entire time but my first option will offer you the best of both with only one main downside. So let’s explore your Dubai options.
Jumeirah
If money is no object for your Dubai holiday, Jumeirah is my most recommended area to stay in Dubai because it offers the best resort hotels while still being close to Downtown Dubai for your restaurants, nightlife, and main attractions. It’s also very easy to reach Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina.
The area is perfect for affluent families as the resorts offer unparalleled luxury, beautiful private beaches and family-friendly public beaches such as Kite Beach for many activities with kids. I’d recommend hiring a luxury car to go with your stay as there are many cafes and restaurants spread throughout Jumeirah that you can explore.
Attractions in Jumeirah
- Burj Al Arab
- Kite Beach
- Jumeirah Beach *Not to be confused with Jumeirah Beach Road (JBR)
- Umm Suqeim Beach
- Jumeirah Mosque
- Etihad Museum
- J1 Beach & La Mer
Also to note, Umm Suqeim is classed as part of Jumeirah and sometimes referred to as Jumeirah 4 & 5 instead of Umm Suqeim. So if you see Umm Suqeim, it’s the southern part of Jumeirah.
Pros & cons of staying in Jumeirah
| Positives | Negatives |
| Perfect location for everything in Dubai | Expensive |
| Easy beach access | Fewer hotels available |
| Less crowded | Not close to metro stops |
| Less traffic | |
| Luxurious resorts |
Recommended hotels in Jumeirah
Bvlgari Hotel & Resort
This ultra exclusive resort is the must destination for those who love the finer things in life, you’ll find a two starred michelin restaurant within the resort, a private beach club plus even a private marina, since the whole resort sits on its own private island just off the coast of Jumeirah.
Jumeirah Al Qasr
I recommend this one as it has traditional Emirati style architecture and larger rooms while still having access to all of the other Jumeirah resorts in this area. You can easily spend your entire holiday without leaving the resort as they offer amazing restaurants, various family pools and free access to Wild Wadi.
Rove La Mer Beach
One of the few affordable hotels in the area, if you’re wanting a decent modern hotel with handy amenities such as a laundry room, this is a great option for families who want a place to stay in the heart of Jumeirah while still being able to walk to the beach.
Other notable hotels are Four Seasons Jumeriah and this traditional Emirati-style Airbnb that offers affordability.
Downtown dubai
If you prefer a city break and won’t spend much time on the beach, Downtown Dubai is the second best area to stay in Dubai with a plethora of restaurants, entertainment options and majority of key tourist attractions. I used to live in Old Town close to Dubai Mall and being able to easily walk to everything was a dream.
Attractions in Downtown Dubai
- Burj Khalifa
- Dubai Fountain
- Dubai Mall
- Souk Al Bahar
- Dubai Opera
- Underwater Zoo & Aquarium
- Dubai Waterfall / Falling Man Fountain
Museum of The Future is also close by in DIFC.
Pros & cons of staying in Downtown
| Positives | Negatives |
| Perfect location for many attractions | Expensive |
| Less traffic | Fewer hotels available |
| Pedestrian friendly | Metro can be difficult to get to |
| Amazing restaurants & nightlife | |
| Luxurious 5 star hotels |
Recommended hotels in Downtown Dubai
If staying in Downtown Dubai is a bit more than you’d like to spend, other nearby options that offer better value are Business Bay & Trade Centre.
Mandarin Oriental Downtown
A striking addition to the Downtown skyline, this slim curved tower is one of the newest luxury hotels in the area with knockout views of the Burj Khalifa. It’s a great pick if you want a design-forward stay with a rooftop pool and easy access to Dubai Mall and the metro.
Kempinski Central Avenue
This one is directly connected to Dubai Mall via a covered walkway and has some of the best Burj Khalifa views of any hotel in the area. Great choice if you want to walk everywhere and don’t want to deal with the heat outside.
Aura Suites Downtown
Technically in Business Bay rather than Downtown itself, but it’s only a short walk over the bridge and has an outdoor pool plus apartment-style rooms with kitchens, which makes it a solid budget-friendly option for families.
Palm Jumeirah
My next recommended area is Palm Jumeirah, as it has quite a few tourist attractions, is quieter than other areas and has beautiful luxury beachside resorts with everything you need as a family. There are two main downsides, the first being the price as it is more expensive and the second being that some of the fronds can take 20 minutes just driving where the island connects back to the mainland of Dubai.
If you’re planning to spend a lot of time out of your resort, then you’re best choosing a resort that is on the trunk of the palm so you can more easily get on and off the island.
Attractions on Palm Jumeirah
- Atlantis
- Royal Atlantis
- The View
- Aura Skypool
- Aquaventure
- Lost Chambers Aquarium
Pros & cons of staying on Palm Jumeirah
| Positives | Negatives |
| Easy access to the beach | Expensive |
| Luxury resorts | Fewer hotels available |
| Less crowded | Monorail is not always operating |
| Good restaurants & nightlife | |
| Less traffic |
Recommended hotels on Palm Jumeirah
Royal Atlantis
Everyone who’s stayed here says it ruins all other hotels for them because of how amazing it is plus you’ll get free access with transfers to Aquaventure World.
For more recommended hotels on Palm Jumeirah, check out my full guide.
One&Only Palm Jumeirah
If you want one of the best and consistently highest reviewed hotels on the Palm, this is it. As long as price isn’t much of a concern, this ultra luxury hotel is for you.
Aloft Palm Jumeirah
If you’re looking for an affordable hotel in Palm Jumeirah, this is one of the best options on the Palm. Aloft’s brand are modern, colourful and quirky with rooms to match. Hotel amenities are simple but covers all the basics you’ll need for a stay plus it’s located on the trunk of the palm, making it easier to get to Dubai’s mainland.
Al Barsha 1 & Barsha Heights
So a lot of people put “Al Barsha” but this is huge area and the best area for tourists is a more specific area called Al Barsha 1 and Barsha Heights. Al Barsha 1 is the area close to the metro on Sheikh Zayed Road and Mall of Emirates and Barsha Heights is next door close to Dubai Media City metro, both offer a convenient central option with many affordable hotel and hotel apartments.
If you’re planning to see some of Downtown Dubai and some of Dubai Marina or Palm Jumeirah, this is the perfect affordable area that situates you between the two. You won’t find luxury resorts here and there’s a lack of kids clubs but if you’re looking more for a hotel apartment with kitchen facilities, this area has a high concentration of those.
Pros & cons of staying in Al Barsha 1
| Positives | Negatives |
| Wide range of hotels | Further from the beach |
| Affordable area | Lacks resorts |
| Pedestrian friendly | Fewer tourist attractions |
| Close to the metro | |
Recommended hotels in Al Barsha 1
Kempinski Mall of Emirates
One of the most unique hotels in Dubai, this incredible hotel is connected to Mall of Emirates with a view over Ski Dubai, feeling like you’ve ventured off to a completely different world. You can also easily access the metro through the Mall.
Courtyard by Marriott
Located within walking distance to Mall of Emirates, this is a solid budget-friendly pick if you want a reliable, familiar brand without the hefty price tag of the resorts elsewhere in the city. Rooms are simple but comfortable, and there’s a small pool to cool off in after a day of sightseeing.
Al Khoory Atrium
Al Khoory Atrium is one of the most affordable hotels in Al Barsha with nice amenities and friendly staff. I had a lovely time when I stayed and recommend the hotel over the Al Khoory Hotel Apartments in the same area since apartments are a bit dated now but if you really want something with a washing machine plus kitchen, it’s also a good option. This is also a dry hotel if you’re Muslim and prefer a hotel that doesn’t serve alcohol.
Dubai Marina & JBR
It may be surprising to some, but Dubai Marina is not my favourite area in Dubai to stay since it is further south in the city and it gets pretty crowded along with being difficult to get in and out of Dubai Marina with a car. If you’re mostly spending your time in this area, you’re happy getting the metro or tram and you want more of a typical sunny holiday feel then you’ll enjoy this area.
This is the most touristy part of Dubai, you’ll find a lot of British and Western tourists here. It’s also popular with Gulf residents too. However there is hardly any Emirati culture and nearly everything is commercialised. On the positive, it has lots of nightlife, plenty of restaurants and nice beach clubs.
Blue Waters is just off the coast here and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) is a section of Dubai Marina that is close to the beach. If I was going to stay in this area, I’d stay towards the North of Dubai Marina in a resort at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi so that I can easily get a taxi or drive to Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah and other areas.
Pros & cons of staying in Dubai Marina
| Positives | Negatives |
| Close to the beach | More crowded |
| Wide range of hotels | Far from Downtown & Old Dubai |
| Pedestrian friendly | Lacks culture |
| Good restaurants & nightlife | |
| Tourist orientated |
Recommended hotels in Dubai Marina
Le Meridien Mina Seyahi
There are 3 hotels in this complex, W Hotel, Le Meridien & Westin and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. They’re ideal for families.
If you don’t mind being a bit further away and using the metro bridge to walk over to Dubai Marina, then Jumeirah Lake Towers can offer more affordable hotels and accommodation. Once over the bridge, you can easily jump on the Dubai Tram to get around Dubai Marina.
Dubai Creek
Here you’ll find a few hotels dotted along the creek, and it’s a great choice if you want easy access to Old Dubai’s museums and souks while still being close to the rest of the city via the metro and E44.
Al Jaddaf is on Dubai Creek and can offer affordability but there is a lot of construction in this area and you’ll definitely need to hire a car. It’s not an area I’d highly recommend to tourists despite there being a few hotels here but easy access to the E44 is good for those who plan to explore a lot of Dubai, especially attractions at the back such as Miracle Garden, Al Marmoom Heritage Village and Al Qudra lakes.
Pros & cons of staying in Dubai Creek
| Positives | Negatives |
| Close to Old Dubai’s souks & museums | More crowded |
| Wide range of hotels | Far from Downtown & Old Dubai |
| Pedestrian friendly | Lacks culture |
| Good restaurants & nightlife | |
| Tourist orientated |
Recommended hotels in Dubai Creek
Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights
This modern tower is right on the creek in Bur Dubai with easy metro access, making it simple to explore both Old Dubai and the rest of the city. Guests also get discounted entry to Grand Hyatt’s water park, which is a nice bonus if you’re travelling with kids.
Areas I don’t recommend for tourists
These are the areas I don’t recommend for tourists to stay in:
- Old Dubai / Al Fahidi
- JVT or JVC
- Dubai Hills
- Dubai South or Expo City
Starting with Old Dubai, I would only recommend this area if you’re planning to see a lot of the culture and get a hotel in this area for a few days only. Seeing the museums, Al Shindagha is worth spending 1 day on it’s own, and exploring the rest of this area takes a few days to do everything completely. The main reason, I don’t recommend staying in this area is traffic gets congested here and the area is very populated so it’s get busy. You’re also quite far north, away from the rest of Dubai.
There’s one hotel however, Al Seef Heritage Hotel by Hilton Curio Collection that is full of character that is worth it in the area for a truly unique stay with lots of Emirati culture. Dubai Creek is my preferred location if you want to be close to the historic sites, souqs and airport.
For JVC, JVT, Dubai Hills and Dubai South / Expo, the main reason I don’t recommend these is that they’re further out, less connected to public transport and you honestly don’t save that much money per night to make being further out worth it in my opinion. It’s better to be in one of the above areas.
Still not sure which area to stay in Dubai? Take my FREE area quiz to help you decide which one is best for you as a family visiting Dubai.
Read more: Guides to help plan your Dubai visit