We booked a Family Ocean Deluxe room at Jumeirah Beach Hotel to celebrate Father’s Day early, but unfortunately the experience was extremely disappointing from start to finish.
Upon arrival, the valet area felt disorganised and chaotic, and check-in took much longer than expected. We were initially given the wrong room, and our luggage was misplaced, causing further delays and frustration. After informing the team that we had not been given the room category we had booked, we were asked to wait again while travelling with young children. We arrived at approximately 2:00 PM, yet by around 4:00 PM we were informed that our correct room would not be ready until 5:30 PM. By the time we finally received the room, a significant portion of our day had already been lost and our children were understandably tired, hungry and cranky.
To make matters worse, by the time we finally settled into the room and made our way to the pool area, the children’s splash pad had already closed for the day. This was particularly disappointing as it was one of the main reasons we had booked the stay. Due to the incorrect room allocation, misplaced luggage and extended waiting times, our children missed out on facilities they would otherwise have enjoyed. None of these delays were caused by us, yet our family bore the consequences throughout the stay.
Hoping to unwind after such a stressful check-in experience, we attempted to order refreshments by the beach at around 5:30 PM. We were told the bar was already closed, despite clearly seeing drinks being delivered to other guests. When we queried this, we were simply told that those drinks had been ordered earlier. The response felt dismissive and added to an already frustrating experience.
The room itself was also disappointing. There was no minibar, no turndown service, and the cot we had requested was not in the room upon arrival. These are basic details we would not expect to be overlooked at a hotel of this standard, particularly one carrying the Jumeirah name.
What was perhaps most disappointing was the lack of concern shown by staff throughout our stay. At check-out, we were asked how our stay had been and we honestly explained that it had been terrible due to the multiple issues we had experienced. Rather than showing any genuine concern, apology or interest in understanding what had gone wrong, the response felt completely indifferent. Nobody appeared bothered by our feedback or interested in making things right. It was a disappointing way to end what had already been a very poor experience.
This was not our first stay with Jumeirah, which is why the experience was particularly upsetting. We have always associated the brand with exceptional hospitality, attention to detail and a genuinely luxury experience. However, on this occasion the level of service felt as though it had declined significantly. What should have been a special Father’s Day celebration became a stressful and exhausting experience. Our children did not enjoy the stay, we missed out on facilities we had specifically booked for, and we spent a significant amount of money only to feel that much of our time was wasted dealing with issues that should never have occurred. The overall experience fell far below expectations and left us questioning the value of the stay altogether. It is genuinely sad to see how much the standard of service appears to have declined compared to previous visits, as Jumeirah was once a brand we trusted for consistently outstanding hospitality.
