Inside one of Dubai’s most luxurious new hotels

Overlooking the glistening, yacht-peppered waters of Dubai’s Marasi Bay Marina in the stylish new Downtown district of Business Bay, elegant The Lana is right at home

It’s 5:30 am and I’ve arrived at The Lana, one of Dubai’s newest luxury hotels, located in the heart of Business Bay. As my driver pulls up to the lobby, I see a plethora luxury sports cars in the hotel’s valet, their owners presumably sleeping soundly in one of the 225 rooms and suites inside. The canary yellow Lamborghini and pearl white Rolls Royce in particular, catch my eye, standing out amongst a backdrop of forest green palm trees, calm waters and soaring skyscrapers – including the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.

As I step outside of the vehicle, the famed Arabian heat hugs my body like an embrace, as if personally welcoming me to this metropolitan desert oasis. Fitting, I think, given ‘The Lana’  in Arabic translates to ‘a warm sense of belonging’. The bellman immediately comes to collect my suitcases with a big smile. “Where are you from? You have such a beautiful energy!” he says, unsurprised to discover I am Australian. I later learn that Australians are known for their kind nature in Dubai.

Making an entrance

Stepping inside, I immediately notice the comforting hues of blush and cream in the luxurious marble entrance, where a large ornament bears a spray of fresh pink and white roses with sea green ferns hanging like nature’s own chandeliers.

As I continue on, I find myself in The Gallery, The Lana’s Afternoon Tea establishment helmed by Executive Chef Oliver Jackson, replete with plush, sand-coloured lounges, champagne cushions and earth-toned chairs. Here, guests and outside visitors can enjoy fresh light bites, French pastries, tea and coffee while listening to the calming sounds of live piano. I catch a glimpse of The Lana team bringing in fresh pastries such as ‘The Lana Croissant’ – a signature creation consisting of rosemary jam and a crème filling, and a pistachio brioche, decorated with rose petals, golden flakes and a pistachio crème filling. (Pastry) Chef’s kiss!

Suite dreams

As I open the door to my Marina Junior Suite on level two, the first thing I notice is the abundance of natural light flooding the suite and the dazzling city skyline views through the floor-to-ceiling windows. As I inspect the room’s interior, which continues the soft pink palette on show in the lobby, I notice the finer details that Parisian design duo Gilles and Boissier have implemented: herringbone floors paired alongside white and grey marble, cream wainscotting panels and lacquered wooden doors. There’s a walk-in-robe and, in the marble bathroom – with a  stand-alone makeup vanity complete with a ring light, Dyson Supersonic hairdryer and Wildsmith skin toiletries – the freestanding bathtub of my dreams, perfectly placed for arguably one of the best views of the cityscape in Dubai.

On the coffee table, fresh white hydrangeas sit alongside some crisp Elstar apples, which originate from Alsace in France, and in the minibar I find irresistible black truffle almonds, caramelised pecan nuts coated in sesame and five spices, Lana-branded milk chocolate, and Savoursmiths desert salt and vinegar chips. Evidently, no expense has been spared at The Lana.

Only the best will do

After freshening up I beeline for breakfast at Riviera, the alfresco Michelin-starred Mediterranean restaurant helmed by Celebrity Chef Jean Imbert, who has fed the likes of Selena Gomez, Pharrell, Rihanna and Beyonce. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this picturesque restaurant overlooks the Marina, which is sensational when the sun goes down and the city lights come to life in the distance, but for now it’s all about Jean’s signature juice: freshly squeezed mandarin. This is no regular OJ and from the moment of my first sip, I know I will miss it once I get back home. As for food, I can’t go past the Middle Eastern breakfast, which consists of organic egg shakshuka, grilled halloumi, marinated olives, falafel, foul medames, hummus, labneh and halawa (sesame tahini with sugar).

Dinner at Riviera takes things up a notch. I start with an amuse-bouche consisting of one egg mayonnaise and Oscietra caviar, before indulging in the signature tuna tartare and, a famed dish that has to be seen to be believed, an avocado with its skin scorched to crust with a sprinkle of sea salt and an egg yolk residing inside. For the main course I enjoy John Dory accompanied by fennel, artichokes and a drizzle of barigoule jus, before finishing off the delicious evening with Jean’s iconic chocolate souffle tartlet: as mouth-watering as it sounds.

A culinary wonderland

The Lana is also home to High Society, a rooftop bar with an infinity pool offering outstanding views of the desert and Downtown Dubai, and is perfect for lounging about in style. Jara by Martín Berasategui, a 12 Michelin-starred Chef, serves Basque gastronomy and Txakolina is an alluring and exclusive cigar lounge serving 45 cigars from around the world, including Cuba and Honduras.

Downstairs, behind The Gallery is Veranda, sitting pretty in an alfresco open-air garden and offering a menu of tapas and refreshing cocktails. For something lighter and on the go, there’s French patisserie Bonbon Café led by Pastry Chef, Angelo Musa, which serves homemade ice cream and sorbet, as well as freshly brewed coffee and sandwiches. I opt for a smoked turkey ham baguette complete with 12-month aged Comté cheese, smoked tomatoes, butter lettuce and Dijon mustard, which I would order again if given the chance.

Rounding out The Lana’s culinary offering, Bitter Honey is an exciting new addition to the cocktail bar scene in Dubai, residing in The Lana’s lobby. As the name suggests, this classy bar offers a unique menu featuring local honey and botanical bitters, best enjoyed accompanied by a selection of snacks before heading out to enjoy another magical night in Dubai.

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Hotel notes

Rooms at The Lana, a Dorchester Collection Hotel, start from approximately AED1220 (about AU$540) for rooms and AED3644 (about AU$1600) for suites.