Premier Inn Dubai Barsha Heights

Rooftop water meets skyline first: a small pool sits above the traffic of Barsha Heights, open from 8am to 7pm, with the gym running around the clock below it. The hotel occupies Al Khareef 2 Street in the Tecom district, a short walk from Dubai Internet City metro station. It is a practical block, not a landmark, and it does not pretend otherwise. Rooms run a standard 24 square metres across Twin, Double, Family and Accessible categories, each with blackout curtains, a work desk and a mini fridge stocked with bottled water. Family rooms add a sofa bed and pull-out bed, and interconnecting layouts combine a double with a twin for groups of up to six. Downstairs, Mr Toad's Pub & Kitchen serves British staples and regional dishes with daily happy hours, while Costa Coffee covers the mornings. Lillie's Pad, the rooftop bar, opens for dinner from 6.30pm to 11pm, with shisha and cocktails against the city lights. You can reach Mall of the Emirates in about ten minutes by car, and the Marina and JBR beach in around fifteen. Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and Al Qudra Lake sit further out, useful for a change of scene. Basement parking is free, subject to availability. Check-in runs from 2pm.