Le Meridien Fairway

Le Meridien Fairway is your run-of-the-mill upscale airport hotel. Though amenities are basic, the hotel makes the best of what it does offer by keeping things clean and bright. The lobby in particular is a high point, with striking black and white marble tile floors. Though many guests stay here during a layover, some guests say that the proximity to the metro makes this a contender for an affordable vacation spot as well, as long as you don't mind a little shuffling. Plus, with access to the restaurants, pool, and spa at Le Meridien Dubai just one mile down the road, you get a lot more than you pay for, especially at peak travel times when the Fairway is sometimes half the price of its chicer sister.

It would be pretty hard for this hotel to get closer to the airport. Le Meridien Fairway is a five-minute drive or two metro stops from Dubai International. It is also a 15-minute walk or a five-minute drive from its grander big sister, Le Meridien Dubai. Sheikh Zayed Road and the Dubai World Trade Center are both a 10-minute drive, while it's a 25-minute drive to Dubai Marina and many business destinations in downtown. For tourist activities, a longer metro ride may be necessary (45 minutes to the Mall of the Emirates for example) but in Dubai's heat this might be preferable to 25 minutes stuck in traffic. 

The Rooms at the Le Meridien Fairway are clean, chain-like, and a little dated. The crown molding and gilded, antique-style pieces of furniture are somewhat elegant, but quality of the furniture and bedding is very much that of a mid-range chain. Color palettes vary slightly, but most rooms have medium-tone woods, beige wall-to-wall carpeting, primarily white bedding, and a single bold accent color in the bed runners and walls, such as maroon or blue. Single-cup coffee makers are included and bottled water is provided. The suites have separate baths and showers and all bathrooms are tile and granite floor to ceiling. The decor may be lacking, but rooms do offer plenty of space. Guests often praise the housekeeping, but when we visited, a damp smell was present in some rooms.  

The gym is well-appointed and has lots of windows and light, but machines aren't of the newest variety -- there is however, a wood sauna. A modest pool with a hot tub on the third floor can be seen from the street, but was uncovered when we visited, which would be prohibitive in the summer months. Services offered are basic in this stopover hotel. There are a few dining options: a highly stylized restaurant with lots of dark wood, a bar, and a breakfast cafe. But for more services, guests are permitted to access all amenities at Le Meridien Dubai Hotel and Conference Centre, just a five-minute drive away, which has a spa and 18 restaurants.