Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf in Dubai

Room Interior: It felt like a farmhouse inn in Yunnan. The hairdryer was a Dyson, but it was half-broken and barely usable. What's more, it was tied down with a string, as if they were afraid guests would steal it. I've stayed in better guesthouses in China that use Dyson dryers, and none of them treated guests with such distrust. It's ridiculous; guests who can afford nearly 10,000 RMB a night aren't going to covet your broken hairdryer!

Hotel Garden Environment: Mediocre. It's like a basic model of a slightly better resort hotel in China, nothing about it is as 'amazing' as the room rate suggests.

Restaurant: We pre-booked the buffet dinner. Before and during the meal, they repeatedly asked if we wanted drinks or water, without ever mentioning that the buffet only included food and no beverages. They served everyone a drink, including water, very 'attentively,' one per person. Then, after we finished eating, they told us all drinks, including the water, were chargeable, totaling 1600 RMB. They completely set a trap for guests. Truly a rip-off! (The champagne, drinks, fruit, and desserts in the public living room downstairs were free, and we didn't touch them, but once we went to the buffet restaurant, they became chargeable, and we were only told after eating.)

Food: The dinner selection was slightly varied, but there was virtually nothing suitable for Chinese palates. Breakfast was even worse, far inferior to hotels that cost two or three thousand a night here. There was hardly anything to eat.

Check-in Process: It took a full 50 minutes. The front desk staff kept typing on the keyboard; I have no idea what they were so busy with. Anyone without patience would have gone crazy on the spot.

Check-out: A staff member came to the room to personally check if we had consumed anything from the mini-bar, and made sure we signed to confirm. As if afraid guests wouldn't be honest. Moreover, very few hotels nowadays take deposits upon check-in, yet they do, and it takes 30 working days to get it back! It's truly baffling that this hotel cares so much about the interest on such a small deposit.

Overall, the stay was a terrible experience, with no service to speak of. The hotel environment and room rate are severely mismatched. This is the worst choice I have ever made.