Review : Aloft Palm Jumeirah Dubai | Marriott Bonvoy

The Aloft Palm Jumeirah is a Marriott Bonvoy category 4 hotel. A night paid for with points goes for 20,000 to 30,000 points depending on the season.

As explained below, I have stayed at this hotel twice:

• Once by paying for my room with my Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express^® Card for approximately $120.
• The other time using a 7-night free certificate

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points to stay for free at over 7,000 hotels worldwide is to be a Marriott Bonvoy American Express (and/or Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express^MD Card) cardholder.

In addition to the great welcome bonus on both cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all purchases and 5 points per dollar at Marriott locations.

And each year, you’ll earn a free hotel night certificate (35,000 point value) as well as 15 Elite nights towards your Marriott Bonvoy status.

Alternatively, you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points with American Express Membership Rewards credit cards. You can transfer Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 5:6 (50,000 Membership Rewards points = 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points).

For example, with the American Express Cobalt^MD Card, you earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar of purchases at grocery stores, restaurants, bars, convenience stores and home delivery. It is one of the best credit cards in Canada for travellers. Find out why here.

Check out this page for all the welcome offers on cards that earn Marriott Bonvoy points.

Located at the end of a branch in the Palm, Aloft Palm Jumeirah is ideal for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre or the Marina, while enjoying quality facilities and exceptional views.

During my stay in Dubai, I had a rental car, which was very useful to go to different appointments. Aloft Palm Jumeirah has two parking lots: outdoor and indoor, both free of charge.

If you stay at this hotel, opt for the sea view rooms. Surprisingly, the largest rooms do not face the sea, but the lobby side.

Note the presence of bicycles, lent free of charge by the hotel and allowing you to easily reach the Atlantis.

The lobby of the Aloft Palm Jumeirah hotel is colourful and makes us feel like we are on vacation!

In addition to couches, there is a pool table, and a whole restaurant area, much like a “Spanish Inn”, a signature of Aloft hotels.

There are also computers and a printer (useful for printing COVID-19 tests).

Check-in is very quick, and I gave my Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card as collateral, to pay for my first stay there.

With the Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express^® Card, you earn 5 points per dollar for all your spending at Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

This is the best credit card to have if you stay at Marriott Bonvoy hotels frequently.

On my first stay with a friend, we opted for a room with 2 single beds. These are not queen beds, so it would be difficult for a family to stay in this type of room (unless you have two connecting rooms).

The room has all the necessary commodities, with a smart TV and a nice desk to work at.

In the entrance, there is a large wardrobe with a safe.

And what about the view on the Burj Al Arab!

I enjoyed this hotel so much that I returned for a 7-night stay (using a 7-night free certificate, a legacy from the Starwood Preferred Guest days).

Being alone during this second stay, I opted for a room with a King bed.

Because of my status, the hotel offered me 7 coupons for an alcoholic drink at the hotel bar (or on the beach)! Away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Dubai or the Dubai Marina, it is pleasant to work from the room or balcony and enjoy the view.

The bathroom is identical in all types of rooms, with a shower and toilet area, separate from the sink.

The Aloft Palm Jumeirah hotel has a large sunny pool from morning until around 4pm in winter.

The pool is easily accessible from the reception hall. On the terrace there is a dining area and a bar is located in the middle.

Families will appreciate the fact that there is a second pool, protected from the sun, and several play structures for children.

This is the view of the pool area from the bedroom balcony:

Above the reception is the Revive spa and gym. A table football is also present:

Everything is new and varied. We can also appreciate the natural light:

At Aloft Palm Jumeirah, breakfast is available at the hotel’s restaurant located on the lobby level.

It’s a buffet. You can stay in the dining room or have it on the terrace (which is very nice in February)!

Here is a photo gallery of the available options:

I particularly enjoyed the smoothies (different each day) and the chef’s omelettes.

On the top floor of the hotel is the Mexican restaurant called Luchador.

During the day or in the evening, it’s a nice place to enjoy the view with a drink, Mexican food and good music.

If you make purchases in the bars and restaurants of your hotel, do not forget to charge these expenses to your room bill. So you’ll earn up to 17.5 points per dollar based on your Marriott Bonvoy status!

And when you check out, pay with your Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card to earn 5 points per dollar!

To reach the hotel beach, you must walk a hundred meters, since it’s located inside the Palm (like all the beaches of the other hotels).

Since I was there in February 2021, during COVID-19, there were – very – few people.

A beach bar is available (food is brought from the hotel restaurant). You can use the coupons obtained as a welcome gift.

The Aloft Palm Jumeirah hotel is located at the very end of the Palm. This ensures a certain tranquillity with little traffic, but positions it a little far from the two major places of attraction: “The Pointe” and the Atlantis Hotel, both located in the middle of the Palm.

It takes about 10 minutes by car to reach these places (or 25-30 minutes by bike). Sportsmen will appreciate being able to run on the promenade (count 20 kilometres round trip to do the whole of the Palm).

In my eyes, the Aloft Palm Jumeirah hotel is an excellent value in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Classified as category 4, a night can be booked from 20,000 points (count between 80,000 and 100,000 points for a stay of 5 consecutive nights thanks to the option “Stay 5 nights at the price of 4 using Marriott Bonvoy points“.

This hotel will delight those:

• who wish to have a long stay in a quiet place, with a swimming pool, a beach and a beautiful view : “100 % holidays”;
• who come with their family (and will rent a car);
• who are lucky enough to be able to work from anywhere in the world.

However, if you are only staying a few nights in Dubai, other hotels in the city centre or on the Marina are preferrable.

Finally, I would like to underline the extreme kindness and professionalism of the staff – especially in times of COVID-19 – and particularly of Rashidiya who took good care of me during my 7 breakfasts there!