Anyone who has spent time travelling on business will know that sometimes you just want a hotel with few frills which offers exactly what you expect at a good price. If this is what you are looking for near the airport in Dubai, then the Hilton Garden Inn Al Muraqabat is the place to stay. Despite being narrow, the hotel is hard to miss as half of its front is covered with a web of interlocking steel struts forming intricate geometric shapes which are popular in Arabic culture. It sets the scene. The lobby isn't huge but it's sparkling clean and looks discreet. Recently-renovated grey floor tiles are complemented by a silvery sculpture behind the check in desk. Formed from curved sheets of metal it has an Art Deco air and is lit by multi-coloured lights. Just off the lobby is a small restaurant with a wide dinner menu and a buffet for breakfast. It has bare brick walls with woven wicker shapes hanging on them and lamp shades decorated with more geometric shapes. The rooms hit the spot as although they aren't remarkable, they are replete with little touches to elevate them above most mid-market chains which look like they have been furnished at IKEA. It starts before you get inside as the doors are adorned with shiny knockers in the shape of traditional Arabic teapots. Thin *****s of metal cut into Arabic shapes line the door frames and are also found around the headboard and mirror inside. The decor is simple but stylish with walnut furniture and a grey leather headboard behind the bed. The rooms aren't especially spacious, though, unlike many Garden Inns, this hotel has suites and they too are being renovated. So if you pay a premium, or are a Hilton Honors Diamond member and are lucky enough to get an upgrade, you shouldn't be short of space. Many of the standard rooms have sweeping views of the sprawling airport which is just 10 minutes by car with two major malls only a 15-minute walk away. Even though planes come in to land just above the hotel, and it sits right on a road, we haven't once been disturbed by noise from outside over the course of an almost two month stay whilst setting up a new company in Dubai. There has been occasional disturbance from inside the hotel due to the renovations but that's only temporary. There's even a small pool which isn't something you can find in all fully-fledged Hiltons. That said, the Garden Inn is ultimately a mid-market hotel so it lacks five-star services such as round-the-clock housekeeping which can be a challenge if you work in the room for much of the day and spend the evening dealing with different time zones. The incredibly friendly and helpful staff go the extra mile but after a certain time (which, confusingly, can differ) housekeeping leave and there's little that can be done. Over the past 21 years working as travel journalists we have stayed at the leading hotels in Dubai and many other major metropolises around the world. Many of these properties exceed expectations and some unde
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