The Carlton Tower Hotel opened in 1977 and it prides itself on maintaining a traditional Arabian experience, particularly in its decor and warm hospitality. Guests are welcomed into an elegant lobby with marble floors, dark wooden decal on the walls, large chandeliers, and classic armchairs and sofas. Softly playing classical music and a faint smell of potpourri creates a calming atmosphere in the space. The three nightclubs bring quite a lively atmosphere during the evenings, particularly on the weekends. Each nightclub carries an individual theme, with decor, music, and nightly live entertainment to match. During the day, the swimming pool area is a popular spot, offering an ideal place to relax and enjoy the Dubai Creek views. Guests are a mixture of leisure and business travelers, with a high volume of long-time returning guests.

The Carlton Tower Hotel is located in old Dubai (in Deira) with an ideal setting along Dubai Creek. There are several restaurants, take-away joints, and discount shops surrounding the hotel. Right across from the hotel's entrance is Dubai Creek, where there are several Dhow boats taking travelers on dinner cruises along the water. The Baniyas Square Metro Station is a five-minute walk from the hotel. It's a seven-minute walk to the Al Sabkha Station where the traditional abras (water taxis) go to the Old Souk Station (where the Dubai Museum, Textile Souk, and Spice Souk are located). The Gold Souk is an eight-minute drive and the Naif Souk is 10 minutes by car from the hotel. Downtown Dubai, including the Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa, is a 20-minute drive or about an hour on public transport. Dubai International Airport is 15 minutes by car or 18 minutes by public transportation.

The 158 guest rooms at The Carlton Tower Hotel are fairly standard with dark and generic interiors. As an older hotel, the rooms are more spacious than the more modern Dubai hotels. Half of the rooms have views of Dubai Creek, while the other half overlook the city. Decor includes beige patterned carpeted floors, dark wooden furniture, dark-toned paintings, beige curtains, and brown accents on the bedspread, headboard, and throw cushions. The rooms are currently undergoing a small refurbishment (as of 2018), mostly by updating the accents of brown in the decor to turquoise -- to be finished by mid-2018. Standard amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, minibars, tea- and coffee-making facilities, work desks, telephones, safes, and free Wi-Fi. Bathrooms include shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and Carlton branded toiletries. Bathrobes and slippers are provided.

Features at The Carlton Tower Hotel are aimed towards both hotel guests and locals. The hotel's all-day dining restaurant, La Marguerite, serves an extensive hot and cold buffet breakfast and lunch, with an a la carte dinner menu. Guests should note that not all rates include the buffet breakfast. There are three nightclubs in the hotel, each with a different theme (Indian, Thai, and Arabic). Arbat is a sports lounge with large projector used during big sports events. Cafe de Creek is a quaint cafe in the lobby serving beverages and pastries.

The large outdoor swimming pool is located on the second-floor, overlooking the Dubai Creek, and is surrounded by sun loungers and parasols. There is a pool bar serving light snacks, drinks, and shisha, along with barbecue evenings on one weeknight during the winter months. Sauna and steam room facilities are available in the swimming pool changing rooms. The fitness center overlooks the pool and includes dated Fitnex cardio and weight-training equipment. Carlton Citrus spa has three treatment rooms offering various Asian and European-inspired treatments, along with a separate salon. A large event space is available, catering for up to 200 guests, and is mostly used for social events. There are also two meeting rooms suitable for up to 15 guests. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel. Free parking is available, though is off-site.