Sofitel Dubai Downtown

Dubai is a legendarily expensive city, so it stands to reason that all the luxury chains would be represented on the local hotel scene. The French-owned luxury hotel group Sofitel, with multiple locations in Dubai, is no exception. What sets the Sofitel Dubai Downtown apart from its sister hotel, a Polynesian-themed resort set on a private beach on Palm Jumeirah? It’s all in the name. The word “downtown” tells you most of what you need to know about both the style and the location.

The Sofitel Dubai Downtown, with its shiny facade made of tiny blue mirrors, is set amid the steely, futuristic skyscrapers of the Dubai skyline, just across from the Burj Khalifa — better known as the tallest building in the world — and connected to the Dubai Mall by an air-conditioned walkway. Inside the hotel, the look is sleek and geometric, thoroughly contemporary from top to bottom. Guest rooms and suites are plush, Sofitel-style, with the chain’s signature MyBed, Bose stereos, complimentary wi-fi, and huge bathrooms with separate tubs and showers. All have views of the glittering city below; Premium Luxury Rooms also feature views of the coastline from the bathroom’s large picture windows.

On a fifth-floor terrace, the hotel’s large infinity pool is surrounded by a grassy lounge area — a luxury in the desert — plus chaise longues and a pool bar. Onsite restaurant Les Cuisines operates 24 hours a day, serving a broad range of global dishes from a series of open kitchens. The rooftop Mosaic lounge does cocktails by a pair of pools until eight; the chic 31 bar and nightclub, with sweeping views over Dubai at night, stays open until three in the morning. So where’s the French twist in all of this? The gourmet patisserie on the ground level: grab a croissant and a café au lait on your way out.