✦ The Hotel Insider · Around the World ✦

Inside the Presidential Suite atBurj Al Arab

I was invited to Dubai for the Dubai International Film Festival: opening night with the premiere of The King’s Speech and Colin Firth, plus an invitation-only Variety conversation with Firth himself. Home for the festival was the Presidential Suite of the Burj Al Arab, the sail-shaped hotel on its own island. Come with me from the Rolls-Royce at the door through every room of the suite, and onto the red carpet.

📷 37 real photos from my own trip. Every photo taken first-hand on location.
🎬 Invited guest, Dubai International Film Festival⭐ Red carpet: The King’s Speech💬 Invitation-only Variety talk with Colin Firth📍 Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE🛏 Presidential Suite, two floors🧕 Personal butler✅ Paid stay, not hosted by the hotel
The Burj Al Arab tower seen from the road, with palm trees
First sight of the sail
Matthew standing beside a white Rolls-Royce Phantom at the hotel entranceThat’s me
My ride was waiting
The Presidential Suite bedroom with a gold canopy bed and mirrored ceiling
The bedroom, all in gold
Matthew sitting at the desk on the phone in the Presidential Suite private office at the Burj Al ArabThat’s me
At the desk in the suite’s office
Matthew giving a thumbs-up on the Dubai International Film Festival red carpetThat’s me
On the red carpet
Atlantis The Palm across the water, seen from high in the Burj Al Arab
Atlantis, from my window
“I was in town as an invited guest of the Dubai International Film Festival for the opening-night premiere of The King’s Speech, and the Burj Al Arab was home for the stay. After five years traveling across 40+ countries, it’s still the hotel people ask me about first. So here it is, the way I saw it: every room of the suite, with my own camera.”
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— Matthew S. Crawford, The Hotel Insider
How to take the tour

Scroll down through twelve stops, in the order I saw them. Click any photo to open it larger, then use the arrows (or your keyboard) to flip through the whole trip.

This is The Hotel Insider’s first stay outside New York. It shows the standard every hotel I visit is measured against.

Stop 1 · Arrival

The sail on the sea

You see it long before you reach it. The Burj Al Arab stands on its own island off Jumeirah Beach, and the road in gives you that famous sail shape between the palm trees.

At the gate there is a wall of water: a huge round fountain, with the wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel behind it. From the walkway out to the island you can look straight back at it across the turquoise water.

Insider tipOnly hotel guests and people with a restaurant booking can cross the bridge, so arriving as a guest already feels like being let into something.
The Burj Al Arab tower from the road, framed by palm trees
The road in. That sail never gets old.
A giant round waterfall fountain at the entrance, with the Jumeirah Beach Hotel behind
The fountain at the gate
Matthew on the walkway, waving toward the Jumeirah Beach Hotel across the waterThat’s me
Waving back at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Stop 2 · The welcome

Rolls-Royces at the door

The driveway is lined with the hotel’s fleet of white Rolls-Royce Phantoms. This is how guests get picked up, and yes, it’s as good as it looks.

Then there is the “only in Dubai” moment: a Bugatti Veyron parked at the entrance like it’s nothing. The doormen in their red-and-gold uniforms meet you before the car door is fully open.

🚗 Rolls-Royce transfers🎩 Doormen at the car🏝️ Private bridge
A row of white Rolls-Royce Phantoms in the hotel driveway
The fleet, lined up
Matthew beside a white Rolls-Royce PhantomThat’s me
Yes, this one was mine
A black-and-white Bugatti Veyron parked at the hotel entrance
Just a Bugatti at the door
Doormen in red and gold uniforms at the hotel entrance
The doormen in red and gold
Stop 3 · Going up

The atrium, the lifts, the floor desk

Inside, look up. The atrium rises through the whole tower, and the balconies stack up in waves of white and sea-green.

The elevator lobby is black marble, gold-capped columns and gold-patterned doors. When you step out on the suite floor, there is no walking to a front desk downstairs: each floor has its own reception, and the team was waiting for us.

Insider tipCheck-in happens upstairs, in private, on your own floor. You never queue in a lobby.
White and sea-green balconies stacked up the atrium
Looking up the atrium
An elevator lobby with gold-patterned doors, black marble floor and gold-capped columns
Gold doors on the suite floor
Matthew with the reception team at the private floor deskThat’s me
Our own reception desk on the floor
Stop 4 · The Presidential Suite

Two floors, one staircase

The Presidential Suite is a 667-square-meter (7,179 sq ft) home on two floors, joined by a sweeping marble staircase with a gold banister and a crystal chandelier hanging through both levels (see the official Suites & Villas: Burj Al Arab Presidential Suite $25,000-a-Night Suite Tour →).

And then you meet your butler. He showed us around, explained every button, and from then on he was there whenever we needed anything.

🧕 Personal butler🏛️ Marble staircase✨ Crystal chandelier
A crystal chandelier hanging in the double-height stairwell of the suite
The chandelier through both floors
Matthew on the curved staircase with a blue-and-gold runnerThat’s me
Heading upstairs
The marble staircase with a gold scroll banister
Marble and a gold banister
The suite's butler in a black and gold uniform at the doorway
Our butler, ready for anything
Stop 5 · Living, dining & private office

Room after room — plus a private office

The living room opens onto floor-to-ceiling windows over the Gulf. Next to it is a formal dining room with an inlaid wood table for eight, roses down the middle and a painting of a dhow at sunset.

Keep walking and there is a media room with its own TV lounge and a full private office with a wood-and-gold executive desk. It feels less like a hotel suite and more like a private residence.

Matthew at the window in the suite's living roomThat’s me
The living room, by the window
A formal dining room with an inlaid oval table and purple chairs
Dinner for eight, if you like
Matthew in the suite's media room with a TV and Gulf viewThat’s me
The media room
A private office with a wood desk and a gold desk lamp
A private office, in a hotel
Matthew sitting at the desk on the phone in the Presidential Suite private office at the Burj Al ArabThat’s me
At the desk in the suite’s private office
Stop 6 · Bar & billiards

A bar and a snooker table. In the suite.

This is the part that made me laugh out loud. The suite has its own private bar, with stools and a mirrored back wall, and next to it a full-size snooker table under the lights.

The carpet is a burst of red, gold and blue, and everything is wood and brass. You could host a party up here and never leave the suite.

🍸 Private bar🎱 Full-size snooker table
A full-size snooker table in the suite's billiards room
Anyone for snooker?
The suite's private bar with blue bar stools and wood paneling
The private bar
Stop 7 · The bedroom

A gold canopy bed

The bedroom is pure Burj: a canopy bed framed in gold, with white drapes, gold silk covers and a mirror set into the ceiling above it. A red carpet, a velvet sofa and round mirrors finish the room.

Off the bedroom are a wood-paneled dressing room with torch-shaped lights and a wardrobe already set up with the robe, slippers and wooden hangers.

🛌 Canopy bed🪞 Mirrored ceiling👘 Robe & slippers💄 Dressing room
The bedroom with a gold-framed canopy bed and a mirrored ceiling panel
The canopy bed and the mirrored ceiling
The other side of the bedroom, with a velvet sofa and a round mirror
The other side of the room
A wood-paneled dressing room with torch-shaped wall lights
The dressing room
A wood wardrobe with a white robe, slippers and wooden hangers
Robe and slippers, ready
Stop 8 · The bathrooms

Mosaic, marble and gold

Every hotel guest wants to see the bathroom, and these are something else. The main one has turquoise mosaic walls, white marble columns, a marble floor and a round jacuzzi set under a painted mural of an old Arabian harbor with dhows on the water.

Another is all red, with a curved double vanity, gold taps with blue crystal handles and torch lamps. There’s even a powder room in blue damask with gold sconces. Gold fixtures and Greek-key mosaics run through all of them.

🛁 Round jacuzzi🎨 Painted mural🚿 Double vanities✨ Gold fixtures
Insider tipAsk your butler to run the jacuzzi before you come back from dinner. That’s what he’s there for.
The main bathroom with turquoise mosaic walls, marble columns and a jacuzzi
The main bathroom
A round jacuzzi beneath a painted mural of an Arabian harbor
The jacuzzi under the harbor mural
A red bathroom with a curved double vanity, gold taps and torch lamps
The red bathroom
Matthew giving a thumbs-up in the marble bathroomThat’s me
Thumbs up from the Insider
A powder room with blue damask wallpaper, gold sconces and a curved vanity
Even the powder room is dressed up
Stop 9 · The view

The Arabian Gulf, from every window

Wherever you stand in the suite, the windows run floor to ceiling and the Gulf fills them. Look one way and you see the marina and the Jumeirah coastline toward the city.

Look the other way and there’s the Palm Jumeirah, with Atlantis The Palm sitting at the end of it. I’ve lived in Dubai, and it still stopped me.

Insider tipBe at the window around sunset. The water turns gold and the whole coastline lights up.
Atlantis The Palm and the Palm Jumeirah across blue water
Atlantis The Palm, across the water
The marina and coastline seen through the suite windows
The marina below
The Jumeirah coastline through the suite's tall windows
The coast toward the city
Open sea through floor-to-ceiling windows
Nothing but the Gulf
Stop 10 · The red carpet

Why I was in Dubai

The reason for the trip: an invitation to the Dubai International Film Festival at Madinat Jumeirah, just along the beach from the Burj.

At night the red carpet runs between gold posts and red ropes under the searchlights. With a festival pass around my neck I walked it in front of the sponsor wall (Jumeirah, Emirates, Dubai Duty Free), and then went home to the Burj Al Arab.

⭐ Red carpet🎫 Festival pass📍 Madinat Jumeirah
Insider tipFestival week is when Dubai’s best hotels fill up fastest. If you want the Burj or Madinat Jumeirah for the festival, book months ahead.
The festival red carpet at night, lined with gold posts and red ropes under searchlights
The red carpet, before the stars arrive
Matthew giving a thumbs-up on the red carpet in front of the Dubai International Film Festival sponsor wallThat’s me
Thumbs up on the red carpet
Matthew in a pinstripe suit with a festival pass on the red carpetThat’s me
Pinstripes for the premiere
Matthew in a dark suit and yellow tie on the red carpetThat’s me
Suited up for opening night
The festival box office team at Madinat Jumeirah
The festival box office team
Stop 11 · Opening night

Opening night: The King’s Speech

Opening night was the premiere of The King’s Speech. The cast and the festival hosts came out on stage before the film, with the press cameras lined up along the balcony.

The theatre itself is a show: rows of red velvet seats, a wall of tiny lights and a glittering wave hanging from the ceiling. Then the lights went down on one of the films of the year.

🎬 Opening night: The King’s Speech🏆 Best Picture winner🎥 Press on the balcony
Guests in black tie and traditional dress on stage before the opening-night premiere
Opening night: The King’s Speech, on stage
The premiere theatre with red velvet seats, a wall of lights and a big screen
Inside the premiere theatre
TV cameras lined up on the theatre balcony
The press cameras rolling
Stop 12 · Colin Firth, up close

In conversation with Colin Firth

The highlight of the week: an invitation-only Variety conversation with Colin Firth, during the same festival week he opened with The King’s Speech.

Just two chairs on a small stage in front of the Variety wall, and a room close enough to see every expression. He talked about playing King George VI, the king with the stammer, the role that went on to win him the Academy Award for Best Actor.

🏆 Academy Award winner💬 Variety conversation🔑 Invitation only
Colin Firth and an interviewer in armchairs on stage in front of a Variety and Dubai International Film Festival backdrop
Two chairs and the Variety wall
Colin Firth in a dark jacket in front of the Variety backdrop
Colin Firth, a few feet away
A close-up taken at the Variety conversation
Up close after the conversation
⚖️ My honest verdict

Worth it? Every minute

“It was breathtaking from the minute I got there. The Rolls-Royce, the bridge, the doors opening onto that atrium, and then the suite. The Burj Al Arab promises a once-in-a-lifetime stay, and the service, the suite and that view deliver on every bit of it. How do you not love that hotel?”
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30 Essential New York City Hotel, Subway, Airport & Dining Questions Answered

1. Where is the best place to stay in NYC for first-timers? ▾

Midtown Manhattan (between 40th and 59th Streets, Fifth to Seventh Avenues) is the best area to stay in NYC for first-time visitors because you can walk to Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Grand Central, and 12 subway lines in under 10 minutes.

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2. What is the best area to stay in NYC for Broadway? ▾

Stay in the Times Square & Theater District (West 44th to West 50th Streets) — especially quiet Club Row (West 44th St between 5th and 6th Ave) or near Bryant Park — to walk to all 41 Broadway theaters in 1 to 4 minutes.

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3. Where should couples and families stay in NYC? ▾

Couples love Central Park South (The Plaza, The Pierre), West Village/SoHo, and Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO for romantic skyline views, while families prefer Midtown East, Upper West Side, and suite hotels with kitchenettes near Central Park.

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4. Where should I stay if I arrive by train? ▾

If arriving on Amtrak or NJ Transit at Penn Station / Moynihan Train Hall, stay near West 31st–34th Streets (Pendry Manhattan West, The New Yorker). If arriving on Metro-North or LIRR at Grand Central Madison, stay near East 42nd Street & Park Avenue.

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6. Which NYC hotels have the best views? ▾

For Central Park views, book The Plaza, The Pierre, or Mandarin Oriental Columbus Circle. For Empire State Building & downtown skyline views, book The Ritz-Carlton NoMad (Nubeluz) or 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in DUMBO.

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7. Which NYC hotels have rooftop bars? ▾

Top NYC hotels with rooftop bars include The Ritz-Carlton NoMad (Nubeluz, 50th floor), The Knickerbocker (St. Cloud Rooftop over Times Square), 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge (Harriet’s Rooftop), citizenM Bowery, and Pod 39.

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8. How can I find cheap hotels in NYC? ▾

Book Sunday–Thursday nights (often 25–40% cheaper than Friday/Saturday), compare January–March or late August rates, and check vetted under-$275 value hotels like Pod 51, Pod 39, citizenM Times Square, and The Jane.

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9. Is Times Square a good place to stay? ▾

Yes for Broadway fans and first-timers if you book a soundproofed high-floor room on a side street (44th–48th Streets between 5th and 6th Ave or 8th Ave) rather than directly over the 7th Avenue pedestrian plaza.

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10. Should I stay at the airport or in Manhattan? ▾

Stay in Manhattan unless you have an early 6:00 AM flight out of JFK (where the landmark TWA Hotel inside Terminal 5 lets you walk straight to JetBlue gates). The LIRR reaches Manhattan from JFK Jamaica in 20 minutes.

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11. What is the best time to visit NYC? ▾

May–June and September–October offer crisp 65°F–75°F walking weather and Central Park fall foliage, while late November–December delivers the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Saks Fifth Avenue light show, and holiday markets.

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12. When is the cheapest time to visit NYC? ▾

January through early March (after New Year’s Day) is the cheapest time to book 4-star and 5-star Manhattan hotels, with nightly rates dropping 35% to 55% below December peak prices.

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13. How many days do you need in NYC? ▾

3 to 4 full days is the sweet spot for first-timers: Day 1 for Midtown, Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center & Broadway; Day 2 for Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, 9/11 Memorial & Brooklyn Bridge; Day 3 for Central Park, Met Museum & West Village.

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14. What is the best one-day plan for NYC? ▾

Start at Top of the Rock or SUMMIT One Vanderbilt at 9 AM, walk Fifth Avenue to Central Park, take the subway downtown to the Brooklyn Bridge & World Trade Center, eat pizza in the West Village, and catch an 8 PM Broadway show.

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15. Which NYC airport is closest to Manhattan? ▾

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is the closest to Midtown Manhattan (8 miles; free Q70-SBS bus to the E/F/M/R/7 subway in 35 minutes). JFK is 15 miles away (38 mins via AirTrain + LIRR), and Newark (EWR) is 16 miles away (30 mins via NJ Transit to Penn Station).

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16. How do I pay for the NYC subway? ▾

Tap any contactless credit/debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay directly on the glowing OMNY screen at the turnstile ($2.90 flat fare; automatic 7-day fare cap after 12 rides using the same device/card). No MetroCard required.

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17. Do I need a car in NYC? ▾

Never rent a car for Manhattan — hotel valet parking costs $75 to $120 per night plus $9 congestion pricing and bridge tolls. The 24/7 subway ($2.90 OMNY), walking, and yellow cabs are far faster.

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18. How do I get cheap Broadway tickets? ▾

Use the official TKTS Discount Booth under the red glass steps at Father Duffy Square (47th & Broadway) for 20%–50% off same-day matinee and evening shows, or enter official digital Broadway lotteries at 9 AM.

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19. Which NYC observation deck is best? ▾

Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center) gives you the classic open-air view facing both the Empire State Building and Central Park; SUMMIT One Vanderbilt adds mirrored glass sky boxes; Edge has the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.

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20. How do I visit the Statue of Liberty? ▾

Book ONLY through Statue City Cruises (the sole official National Park Service ferry operator departing Battery Park) for $25.50 general admission, or ride the free 24/7 Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal for harbor views.

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21. What are free things to do in NYC? ▾

Top free NYC experiences include the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, walking the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge, exploring Central Park, visiting the NY Public Library Rose Main Reading Room, and Chelsea art galleries.

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22. What is there to do in NYC with kids? ▾

Kids love the American Museum of Natural History dinosaur halls, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum aircraft carrier, the Lion King & Aladdin on Broadway, Central Park Carousel, and Ellen’s Stardust Diner.

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23. What are good day trips from NYC? ▾

The best day trips from NYC include The Hamptons & Montauk on the East End of Long Island (via LIRR Cannonball, Blade helicopter, or Jitney), Cold Spring & Dia Beacon in the Hudson Valley via Metro-North, and governors Island.

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24. What should first-time visitors know about NYC? ▾

Walk with the flow of foot traffic, remember numbered streets run East–West (5th Ave divides East from West), never step into an empty subway car or unmarked airport van, and always check the 14.75% + $3.50/night hotel tax.

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25. What is NYC like at Christmas? ▾

From late November through early January, Manhattan transforms with the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Bryant Park Winter Village ice rink, Fifth Avenue holiday windows (Bergdorf Goodman, Saks), and the Radio City Rockettes.

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26. Where can I get the best pizza in NYC? ▾

For whole coal-fired pies, visit Lombardi’s (1905) in Nolita, John’s of Bleecker Street (1929) in the West Village, or Patsy’s (1933). For classic New York slices, hit Joe’s Pizza on Carmine St, Scarr’s on Orchard St, and L’Industrie.

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27. Where can I get the best bagels in NYC? ▾

Order a hand-rolled, kettle-boiled everything bagel with house-cured Gaspe Nova lox and scallion cream cheese at Russ & Daughters (1914), Ess-a-Bagel, Murray’s Bagels in Greenwich Village, or Apollo Bagels.

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28. Where should I eat in Chinatown? ▾

Start on Doyers Street at Nom Wah Tea Parlor (1920 dim sum), grab roast pork buns at Mei Lai Wah, soup dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai or Deluxe Green Bo, and hand-pulled peanut noodles at Shu Jiao Fu Zhou.

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29. How do I get from the Hamptons to NYC? ▾

Fly 28–38 minutes in a twin-engine helicopter or seaplane from East Hampton (KJPX), Gabreski (KFOK), or Sag Harbor to Manhattan’s West 30th St (JRA) or Wall St (JRB) heliports, or take the LIRR Montauk Branch / Hampton Jitney.

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30. Are the hotels on this site booked through NYCHotelss? ▾

NYCHotelss.com is an independent New York City hotel & restaurant concierge guide founded by 1998 hospitality pioneer Matthew S. Crawford. When you click to check live rates, you book securely on official hotel and partner reservation platforms with zero extra markup.

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— Matthew S. Crawford, The Hotel Insider
💚 What I loved
  • The service: a butler and a private floor desk, and nobody ever made me wait
  • The arrival by Rolls-Royce over the private bridge
  • Space: a two-floor suite that feels like a home
  • The Arabian Gulf from every window
  • The bathrooms, a show of their own
💡 Good to know before you book
  • This is a splurge: suites run into the thousands per night, so save it for a big occasion
  • The style is gold, red and mosaic, the full Arabian palace. Come ready to be dazzled, not for minimalism
  • It sits on its own island, so plan a car (or the Rolls-Royce) for trips into the city
  • Festival week and the winter season book up early
✅ Book it if

You’re celebrating something big, you want the most famous hotel in Dubai, or you want service you’ll talk about for years.

🤔 Maybe not for you if

You prefer a low-key, minimalist hotel, or you’d rather put the budget into exploring the city.

✅ Disclosure: I stayed here with my family, and the stay was paid for privately by my family. The Burj Al Arab did not host the stay, pay for this review, or see it before it was published.

✦ The suite at a glance ✦

What you get

Everything in this list is something you can see in my photos above.

🏢
LayoutTwo floors

Joined by a marble staircase with a crystal chandelier.

🛌
BedroomGold canopy bed

Mirrored ceiling, dressing room, wardrobe with robe and slippers.

🛁
BathroomsMosaic & marble

Round jacuzzi under a mural, double vanities, gold fixtures, powder room.

🍸
EntertainingBar & snooker

A private bar and a full-size snooker table inside the suite.

💺
LivingRoom after room

Living room, dining room for eight, media room and a private office.

🌊
ViewThe Arabian Gulf

Floor-to-ceiling windows toward the marina, the coast and the Palm.

🧕
ServicePersonal butler

Plus a private reception desk on the suite floor.

🚗
ArrivalRolls-Royce

The hotel’s white Rolls-Royce fleet waits at the door.

📍
LocationIts own island

Off Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, reached by a private bridge.

📷 From my camera roll

All 37 photos

Every photo from the stay in one place. Click one to open it, then flip through with the arrows.

✦ For hotels & PR teams ✦

Your hotel, toured like this

You just walked through a suite on the other side of the world, room by room, without leaving your chair. That’s what I do for every hotel that invites me: a full tour told the way your guests experience it, from the car at the door to the view from the bed.

🎬A full tour page

Every space in order: arrival, lobby, room, bath, view, dining, amenities.

📷Real photos & video

My own photos of the stay, plus a YouTube room tour on the page.

📱Social reels & stories

Room-reveal clips shared while the stay is happening.

🏠Homepage spotlight

Featured as the “Latest stay” on The Hotel Insider.

1998building travel sites since
40+countries traveled
5 yrstraveling across 40+ countries
2 yrsliving in Maui
Matthew S. Crawford
Who’s behind the reviews Matthew S. Crawford

Founder of NYCHotelss.com. Matthew registered californiahotels.com in 1998, built a portfolio of state hotel sites and sold the group to First Internet Travel, Inc. in 2005. He has lived in Dubai for five years and Maui for two, traveled to more than 40 countries, stayed in the $25,000-a-night Presidential Suite at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai (Suites & Villas Tour →), and was an invited guest of the Dubai International Film Festival for the premiere of The King’s Speech, starring Academy Award winner Colin Firth, including an invitation-only Variety conversation with Firth himself. So when he calls a hotel world-class, he has something to compare it to.

🤝 How I treat every hotel

  • Respect first. I’m a guest in your house. I treat your team, your other guests and their privacy the way I’d want mine treated.
  • Judged for what you promise. A boutique hotel isn’t marked down for not being a palace. Every hotel is judged on what it sets out to be.
  • Honest, always. An invitation is never a guaranteed or guaranteed-positive review. Every review lists what I loved and what could be better, and that honesty is why readers believe the good parts.
  • Facts checked, opinions mine. No hotel sees or edits a review before it publishes. Hosted stays are always disclosed at the top.
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✦ Press & invitations ✦

Invited, and on the red carpet

Festivals and hotels invite me back because I show up prepared, respect the people who host me, and tell the story honestly and well. Here are a few of the invitations I’ve been proud to accept in Dubai.

Matthew on the Gulf Film Festival red carpet Welcomed on the Red Carpet with Dubai Diplomats & VIP Dignitaries
Gulf Film Festival, DubaiWelcomed on the Red Carpet with Dubai Diplomats & VIP Dignitaries
Matthew on the Dubai International Film Festival red carpet
Dubai International Film FestivalOpening night: The King’s Speech
Matthew posing in front of the Gulf Film Festival backdrop
Gulf Film Festival, DubaiRed carpet, awards night
Colin Firth in conversation on stage in front of the Variety backdrop
Invitation onlyVariety in conversation with Colin Firth
Matthew's Gulf Film Festival industry pass on a red-carpet invitation folder
Industry credentialsMy festival pass and invitation
Invitation to the Gulf Film Festival awards ceremony and closing reception
By invitationAwards ceremony & closing reception
Photographers and TV cameras lining the Gulf Film Festival red carpet
Gulf Film FestivalThe press line
Invitation details: red carpet 7 pm, awards ceremony 8 pm, closing reception 9:30 pm, InterContinental Dubai Festival City, admits one only
Under royal patronageRed carpet 7 PM · Admits one only
🎬 Dubai International Film Festival🏆 Gulf Film Festival💬 Variety🏝️ Burj Al Arab🏛️ 5 years traveling across 40+ countries
★ VERIFIED 1998 DOT-COM HOSPITALITY PIONEER · 40+ COUNTRIES TRAVELED · FOUNDER OF DESIGNKREATIVES.COM
MATTHEW S. CRAWFORD · NEW YORK · ATLANTA · WASHINGTON DC · DUBAI

Before Hotels.com Existed, Matthew S. Crawford Built CaliforniaHotels.com (Jan 10, 1998), NewJerseyHotels.com, VirginiaHotels.com, VermontHotels.com & HawaiiLuxuryHotels.com

Having worked inside hotels firsthand and built hospitality businesses from the ground up since 1998, Founder & Editor-in-Chief Matthew S. Crawford started out in his car driving door-to-door and ringing doorbells at bed-and-breakfasts and hotels to sign them onto his very first travel website, NewJerseyHotels.com—before Hotels.com was even around. On January 10, 1998, he became the first person in history to register and personally design CaliforniaHotels.com under his company MSCrawford Group, Inc.. One of the original 1998 dot-com hospitality pioneers still standing strong nearly three decades later without missing a beat, he built and exited his state hotel domain conglomerate—including CaliforniaHotels.com, NewJerseyHotels.com, VirginiaHotels.com, VermontHotels.com, and several others to name a few—to First Internet Travel, which subsequently sold the portfolio to hospitality giant Cendant Corporation (Crawford remains tight-lipped on the actual contract and what was negotiated, as the purchase is governed under a strict Non-Disclosure Agreement). Through the deal, he kept his prized 1998 crown-jewel domain, HawaiiLuxuryHotels.com—for which a brand-new luxury flagship platform is being built as we speak (look forward to the all-new HawaiiLuxuryHotels.com launching next!). Today, having evolved MSCrawford Group into Design Kreatives Group LLC and acquired global SEO, AEO & GEO agency DesignKreatives.com, Matthew brings 28+ years of hotel industry grit and 40+ countries of firsthand world travel to NYCHotelss.com.

WAYBACK ARCHIVE PROOFEST. JAN 10, 1998

Original 1998 Creator of CaliforniaHotels.com & State Hotel Conglomerate

Verified on the Wayback Machine: Matthew S. Crawford personally designed the original CaliforniaHotels.com portal—stamped at the bottom with “© Copyright 2002, MSCrawford Group, Inc.”—before selling his state hotel conglomerate (California, New Jersey, Virginia, Vermont, and several others to name a few) to First Internet Travel / Cendant under a strict Non-Disclosure Agreement, while keeping his 1998 crown-jewel domain, HawaiiLuxuryHotels.com (new flagship site now in development).

Original CaliforniaHotels.com designed by Matthew S. Crawford - Wayback Machine Archive
Copyright 2002 MSCrawford Group Inc MSCrawford Group, Inc. Footer Proof
CaliforniaHotels.com Domain Created January 10 1998 WHOIS Proof
SEO · AEO · GEO AGENCYDESIGNKREATIVES.COM ↗

MSCrawford Group → Design Kreatives Group LLC → Design Kreatives

Why do Hotel General Managers, Sales Directors, and Wedding Planners partner directly with NYCHotelss.com? Because most platforms must pay outside agencies $25,000+/month for search visibility—whereas Matthew S. Crawford owns the SEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) & GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) agency himself (DesignKreatives.com) serving NYC, Atlanta, Washington DC, Dubai & Hong Kong. Every featured property is engineered to dominate Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.

DesignKreatives.com SEO AEO GEO Generative Engine Optimization System
Design Kreatives Full-Service Creative & Digital Marketing Agency Serving Atlanta NYC Washington DC and Dubai
40+ COUNTRIES LEDGER5 CONTINENTS FIRSTHAND

40+ Countries Inspected: From Rome & Istanbul to Everest & Safaris

Matthew S. Crawford evaluates every Manhattan & Hamptons hotel against a lifetime of staying in the finest hotels across 40+ countries:

🇮🇹🇪🇸🇩🇪🇫🇷🇬🇧 EUROPE Spain Members-Only Cigar Club in a Private Castle Basement (Madrid) & City Restaurants, Rome & Vatican, Paris & Louvre, Barcelona, Munich Oktoberfest, London, Amsterdam
🇦🇪🇹🇷🇪🇬🇴🇲🇶🇦🇧🇭 MIDDLE EAST Burj Khalifa Day-1 Grand Opening Fireworks (Watched from Sister’s Villa Balcony + Top-Floor Window), 6th Dubai Int’l Film Festival Red Carpet, Burj Al Arab 2-Story Royal Suite, Istanbul, Egypt, Oman, Qatar & Bahrain
🇳🇵🇱🇰🇰🇪 HIMALAYAS & AFRICA Kathmandu & Mount Everest (Nepal), Sri Lanka Indian Ocean Coast, Multiple Trips to Nairobi & East African Safaris
🇺🇸 US LUXURY FLAGSHIPS Manhattan 5-Star Icons, The Hamptons & Montauk, Augusta Masters Hospitality House, Hawaii & California
Matthew S. Crawford at Spain Members-Only Cigar Club in a Private Castle Basement in Madrid SPAIN CIGAR CASTLE
Matthew S. Crawford Top Floor Window at the Opening of the Burj Khalifa Dubai BURJ KHALIFA TOP
Matthew S. Crawford on the 6th Dubai International Film Festival Red Carpet 6TH DUBAI FILM FEST
Matthew S. Crawford in Doha Qatar Five-Star Luxury Tower at Night DOHA, QATAR
📸 MATTHEW S. CRAWFORD’S PERSONAL FAMILY & 40-COUNTRY CAMERA ROLL (14 FIRSTHAND PHOTOS — ZERO STOCK IMAGES)
Family Thanksgiving · Madrid Castle Cigar Club · Burj Dubai Opening (Sister’s Villa View & Top Floor) · Chillout Lounge Dubai (-6°C) · 6th Dubai Film Festival · Doha, Qatar
Matthew S. Crawford with His Mom, Dad, Grandma, Sister, Brother-in-Law, Niece and Nephew on Thanksgiving
My Wonderful Family · Thanksgiving
Matthew S. Crawford at Members-Only Cigar Club in a Private Castle Basement in Madrid Spain
Madrid Castle Members Cigar Club
Burj Dubai Grand Opening View from My Sister's Villa in Dubai - The World's Tallest Building
Burj Dubai Opening · Sister’s Villa View
Matthew S. Crawford Hanging Out the Top Floor Window at the Opening of the Burj Khalifa Dubai
Burj Khalifa Top-Floor Window
Matthew S. Crawford at Chillout Ice Lounge Dubai - 100F Outside, -6C Inside
Chillout Lounge Dubai · 100°F Out / -6°C In
Chillout Ice Lounge Dubai Carved Ice Tables and Fur Booths - Must See When in Dubai
Chillout Dubai · Carved Ice Booths
Matthew S. Crawford on the Red Carpet at the 6th Dubai International Film Festival
6th Dubai Int’l Film Festival VIP
Matthew S. Crawford in Doha Qatar Five-Star Luxury Tower Illuminated at Night
Doha, Qatar · Five-Star Night
Matthew S. Crawford Dubai International Film Festival Gala Red Carpet
Dubai Film Fest Gala Red Carpet
Matthew S. Crawford Rolls-Royce Phantom Chauffeur Arrival at Burj Al Arab
Burj Al Arab Rolls-Royce
Matthew S. Crawford on the Gold Marble Staircase of the Burj Al Arab Royal Suite
2-Story Royal Suite Staircase
Matthew S. Crawford at St. Peter's Square, Vatican
St. Peter’s Square, Rome
Matthew S. Crawford inside the Roman Colosseum
Inside Roman Colosseum
Matthew S. Crawford on Boulevard Saint-Germain Paris
Saint-Germain, Paris
NYCHOTELSS.COM · THE LAST S IS FOR SAVINGS · INDEPENDENT NYC HOSPITALITY
New York · Atlanta · Washington DC · Dubai
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE & EDITORIAL FEATURE

The Anti-Algorithm Travel Guide: How a 1998 Dot-Com Pioneer & 40-Country Luxury Suite Insider Built 500+ Hyper-Local Guides to Take on Expedia in New York City

Founder Matthew S. Crawford—original 1998 creator of CaliforniaHotels.com, NewJerseyHotels.com, VirginiaHotels.com, VermontHotels.com, and several others to name a few (MSCrawford Group, Inc. → First Internet Travel / Cendant under strict NDA, while keeping his 1998 crown jewel HawaiiLuxuryHotels.com) and owner of SEO/AEO/GEO agency DesignKreatives.com—leverages 40+ countries of royal suite invitations, international red carpets, and boots-on-the-ground hotel experience to challenge corporate online travel aggregators.

NEW YORK, NY — When travelers search for a hotel in Manhattan today, they are met with a familiar digital wall: 800 generic listings, identical stock photography, sponsored placements bidding for the top of the screen, and undisclosed destination fees that can tack on $85 a night at checkout. NYCHotelss.com, an independent hospitality platform headquartered at New York & Atlanta, is taking an entirely different approach.

Founded by 1998 dot-com hospitality pioneer and luxury travel specialist Matthew S. Crawford—who worked in hotels firsthand, drove in his car ringing doorbells at bed-and-breakfasts for NewJerseyHotels.com, registered and built CaliforniaHotels.com on January 10, 1998 before Hotels.com existed, exited his state hotel domain conglomerate (California, New Jersey, Virginia, Vermont, and several others to name a few) to First Internet Travel / Cendant under a confidential Non-Disclosure Agreement while keeping his prized 1998 crown-jewel domain HawaiiLuxuryHotels.com (with a brand-new luxury site currently being built as we speak), and has traveled firsthand to 40+ countries—the platform combines high-end insider curation with an uncompromising commitment to consumer value across 500+ dedicated, hand-built guides.

“Today’s travel engines give you 800 hotel options with identical stock photos and no soul. At NYCHotelss.com, the last ‘S’ stands for savings, and the curation is pure luxury. We built over 500 comprehensive guides so travelers know the exact room with the Central Park view, the quiet block in the Theater District, and where to grab an authentic slice at midnight after a Broadway show.” — Matthew S. Crawford, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, NYCHotelss.com & DesignKreatives.com

The Insider’s Eye: From 40+ Countries & Royal Suites to Real NYC Streets

Through its signature feature, The Hotel Insider, Crawford opens his personal 40-country photo archives and review notebooks—from the two-floor Royal Suite at the Burj Al Arab during the Dubai International Film Festival, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Kathmandu & Mount Everest, Sri Lanka, and East African Safaris in Nairobi to Europe’s grand capitals (Rome, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich Oktoberfest, London, Amsterdam) and New York icons like The Plaza, The St. Regis, The Carlyle, and The Fifth Avenue Hotel.

  • 500+ Hyper-Local Guides & Event Navigation: Dedicated guides for the NYC Marathon route, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade viewing suites, Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree stays, Broadway theaters, universities, and world-class hospital centers.
  • The 69-Spot Interactive NYC Food Map & Hamptons Playbook: Connecting guests directly with legendary slice joints (Di Fara, John’s of Bleecker), classic delis (Katz’s, 2nd Ave Deli), historic hotel bars (Bemelmans, King Cole Bar), and East End escapes in Montauk, East Hampton, and Southampton.
  • Powered In-House by DesignKreatives.com (SEO · AEO · GEO): Engineered by Crawford’s own agency (DesignKreatives.com) so partner hotels capture high-intent bookings across Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
Website designed and built by Design Kreatives, a web design and SEO agency with offices in Atlanta, New York City, Washington, DC and Dubai.