2024’s hotel openings didn’t get hotter than The Lana. After six years of construction and 10 years since the Dorchester Collection’s last launch, the five-star, jigsaw-like building opened in May in the heart of Downton Dubai as an innovative bid by the brand to bring its signature opulence to one of the most lavish cities in the world. And as I approached the luxury behemoth, five months after it opened its doors, my biggest question was, has it paid off? 

While it may not seem like it – given every hospitality brand you can possibly think of has a hotel on this slice of desert in the United Arab Emirates – this was a bold opening from the Dorchester Collection. It’s a global brand more synonymous with quintessentially English escapes in Ascot (Coworth Park), French elegance (Le Meurice and Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris), Italian romanticism (Milan’s Hotel Principe di Savoia and Rome’s Hotel Eden), and the 1950s heyday of Hollywood (The Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air), as well, of course, the neighbouring leafy London outposts from which the collection took its name: The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane. 

What do they all have in common that Dubai hotels, traditionally, don’t? A sense of grandeur, old money, Golden Era glamour and historic white-glove, stiff-upper-lip service synonymous with luxury travel in Europe and the US. The UAE’s man-made haven for new money? Not so much. An opening here, then, not only cements the Dorchester Collection’s ambition to be a modern, global brand at the forefront of luxury travel, but also the significance Dubai holds as a modern travel destination. Quite literally the place to be and be seen, it has been ranked as the number one global destination three years in a row at TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards – so the Dorchester Collection, quite rightly, was desperate to get its foot in. 

As a luxury lifestyle journalist, I count myself lucky to have lunched, dined and partied at both The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane in recent years – so naturally they set the benchmark for my expectations at The Lana. While the top-hat-and-waistcoat-clad porters (I’m told they do have a summer uniform, but they seem impressively capable of wearing this garb in Dubai’s ‘autumn’ temperatures of roughly 36°C) remind me of the Dorchester Collection at home in London, The Lana is the definition of the brand’s modern chapter. 

Housed in an architectural statement designed by Foster and Partners that fringes the Marasi Marina, from the outside, The Lana looks like a carefully-designed jigsaw puzzle. The building comprises two towers, although The Lana only occupies one, which is by no means a slight given it still found space for 225 rooms and suites, eight new dining concepts, a rooftop pool and bar, as well as Dior’s first ever spa in the UAE – all boasting direct views of the Burj Khalifa. 

High Society

Step inside and interiors are as gobsmackingly gorgeous as they are brand-spanking new. It feels like I’m one of the first few through The Lana’s doors, not only because of the impeccable service and attention to detail – staff I have never met often refer to me by my first name throughout my stay – but because every space is bright, modern and elegant. Stand-out design features – think grand, curved hallways, pink marble accents and gold furnishings – were the responsibility of famed Parisian duo, Gilles & Boissier, who carefully weaved a selection of more than 50 local and international artworks throughout The Lana’s 30 floors. 

Inside all rooms, interiors have been influenced by modern minimalism and the bright weather of Dubai, featuring outdoor terraces and floor-to-ceiling glass windows providing plenty of natural light. While the king-sized bed, suede sofa and perfectly-lit dressing room make for a luxurious stay, the bedroom’s showstopper is in fact the ensuite. Occupying a slither of space tucked away behind sliding doors, the white marble bathroom is long and narrow but brightly lit thanks to a swathe of makeup lights, and packs in a huge waterfall shower complete with Wildsmith products and, the best bit, a large bathtub set against a huge window, boasting a backdrop of the blue marina contrasted by skyscrapers of Downton Dubai. Fancy a relaxing bubble bath while watching the Burf Khalifa light up? Well, now you can. 

For longer, lavish stays, book The Lana’s five signature suites boasting unique duplex layouts, double-height living rooms, and outdoor terraces on both levels. The Marina Royal Suite, for example, is a magnificent presidential suite, featuring a balcony running along the length of the building with sweeping views of the tallest building in the world, while the two-bedroom Royal Suite occupies the north corner of the building to provide a secluded, private haven. 

Restaurants and bars are a true highlight at The Lana – and with menus this good, skip the downtown traffic and book a table for a guaranteed good time. The Dorchester Collection tapped into the culinary nous of its Hôtel Plaza Athénée chefs, Jean Imbert and Angelo Musa, to combine Parisian glamour and Mediterranean flavours at in-house bakery Bonbon Café – serving all manner of viennoiseries, freshly-baked bread, chocolate bonbons and ice cream – as well as the Riviera restaurant. 

Imbert’s love letter to the French and Italian rivieras, the latter offers terrace seating boasting not only those aforementioned views, but perfectly formed plates of snails in parsley butter, goat’s cheese ravioli, ratatouille tart with parmesan sablé, and a delectable côte de bœuf with confit potatoes drizzled in chimichurri. Head here for breakfast to be greeted by a plethora of warm pastries, fresh juices and a must-have Middle Eastern breakfast, featuring endless platters of organic egg shakshuka, foul medames (fava bean dip), falafel, buttery-smooth hummus, labneh, olives and halloumi. Go hungry. 

High Society

Another brainchild of Michelin-starred Imbert is High Society, located on the rooftop to deliver 180° views across the downtown district. It was the place I was forever drawn back to and never wanted to leave during my time at The Lana, offering sunbeds and cabanas during the day for those who fancy a dip in the sun-drenched infinity pool, before transforming into a late-night dining destination once the sun sets. Serviced by a casual but elegant menu, High Society’s signature serves are inspired by the Incas – South America’s indigenous people who followed the movements of the moon, sun and stars, which here seem so close you can touch them – including my personal favourite: the light, tropical Titicaca’s Well, mixing tequila, bell peppers and passionfruit. Food, meanwhile, has been informed by the Dorchester Collection’s bestsellers, including croque truffle, tuna tartare, the McCarthy salad from the Beverly Hills Hotel and koji-marinated chicken pizza topped with smoked burrata. 

Last but certainly not least, spas don’t get more lauded than Dior’s first outpost in the UAE. Remaining faithful to the vision of the iconic French designer who had a special relationship with Hôtel Plaza Athénée, home of the original Dior spa outpost, you’ll find a world of Parisian elegance awaiting on the 29^th floor. Featuring five treatment rooms, a barber shop, Pilates studio, make-up and nail boutiques and a luxurious arcade offering beauty products as well as an array of Dior jewellery, the extensive treatment menu focuses on accentuating face and body. One of the signature therapies is the Dior Stone Therapy: a refined massage harnessing the energy flow of semi-precious stones which are strategically placed on the body, complemented by facial micro-abrasion with sapphire crystals and the rejuvenating glow of the Dior Skin Light LED mask.  

Is staying at The Lana a no-brainer for Dorchester Collection fans? Obviously. But it’s also a destination for Dubai’s social set and bright young things. Any preconceptions of this hotel purely riding on its old-glamour reputation vanishes as soon as you step through its doors. If Dubai is the place to be and be seen, then The Lana is the place to stay. 

From £730 per night. 

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