I stayed at this hotel for a week and found it to be very pleasant. Good rooms and very friendly staff. the Spice Island restaurant is excellent and well worth a visit.

My wife and I stayed here for an extended stay in Feb 08. The hotel is one of the 'older' (for Dubai) 5* properties, but is in excellent condition and very clean.
Location is good; a short ride from the airport, near the JW Marriott in the Muraquabat section of DXB (across from the police station). Some shopping nearby - 15 min walk to Gurrair Mall; but probably need a cab for most trips (esp in summer). No problems getting a taxi (5/6 minute max wait; usually within a minute or 2). Getting a taxs can be a major headache in Dubai, so availability is a major plus.
Reception efficient and very friendly/curteous. Guest services very helpful for gifts, information, etc., during our stay.
Room on 2nd floor average size. Had a comfortable king sized bed, several pillows and a nice comforter. Two smal chairs, desk with chair, small table, several magazines/tourist books. Older TV with good selection in English, Arabic, German, French, etc. Nice bathroom with usual amenities, inlcuding terry cloth bathrobes and slippers.
The room was clean and service efficient and unobtrusive.
There are a couple of excellent buffet restaurants - Spice Island (general buffet) and Sails (seafood). Highly recommended for a reasonable price. The bar/club was also nice; has a section for cigar smokers, pool table and an OK band for dancing. No noise problems in the room.
The outdoor pool (on the 5th floor, I think) and exercise room are adequate.
Overall a good, solid choice. Not the newest or flashiest, but very clean and with a friendly, helpful staff that tries hard to make your stay enjoyable.

If you want a convenient location, good service and a nice place to stay , this hotel is a good option. But it is not in the league of other 5 star beach/resort properties along the Jumeira beach in Dubai, but very comfortable and functional for a business or short shopping stay. The best about the hotel is the staff, who is always ready to help with cheery attitude. And the concierge level service is far better than anywhere in the US at the chain's properties. The food offered at the lounge was outstanding throughout the day so one would not necessarily has to go out to eat.

Stayed a couple of days for a short break in Dubai. Hotel was able to offer and arrange complimentary car transfers to and from the hotel which was very convenient and appreciated. The hotel is in an urban location near Deira and a 15mins ride from the airport. Stayed in a Club Room - soft drinks, small snacks and breakfast included in room price. This was good value and well worth having. The snacks are nothing amazing: bits of fruit, pastries and Middle Eastern sweet pastries. They were okay - certainly could do worse! In terms of decor, it was clean and well maintained though very 1980s. Basically, it does the job as a good branded hotel. It's quite a long way to the beaches by car/taxi from the hotel so it's more appropriate for a business/urban stay.