25hours Hotel One Central | Dubai

“Come as you are.” 25hours Hotel One Central

There’s a new hotel in Dubai and it’s the first opening outside of Europe for the German 25hours Hotel brand. Located under the silhouette of the futuristic Museum of the Future, 25hours Hotel One Central is a vibrant and playful property with much to offer all its guests.

The quirky design mixes regional and retro artifacts with modern conveniences. From the moment you step into the lobby you are greeted with an abundance of colours and curiosities. The wall-to-ceiling shelves behind the reception are crammed with Bedouin inspired trinkets and neon signs, a central circular bookcase has impromptu seating spaces and is topped with a revolving globe shaped art piece. The concierge desk and small retail area, giant swinging chairs by artist Muriel Gallardo, a community coworking desk and complimentary Schindelhauer bikes also feature in the eye-catching space. The ceiling is covered by the huge ‘Under The Sky’ artwork by Polish artist Dominik Bulka.

The extended lobby area is also home to Nomad Day Bar that serves speciality coffee from Dubai roasters, Nightjar alongside a menu of sweet and savoury options. The seating area extends to an outside courtyard that doubles up as a showcase area for a rotation of local retailers. Above the open-plan lobby on the first floor, which can be accessed by a spiral staircase, there’s more co-working spaces as well as meeting and games rooms. Enjoy a throwback at Analogue Circus, the dedicated retro area equipped with record players and a vinyl library of 500 records and a separate Walkman station with cassettes. There’s also numerous displays of vintage typewriters, VHS players, TV’s, telephones and Polaroid cameras and a podcast studio.

The hotel offers 434 rooms and suites of various sizes and designs. We stayed in a spacious Medium Bedouin room which featured a comfy king-sized bed, open plan bathroom, rainfall shower and separate toilet. Additional amenities included a desk, hanging chair, open closet, smart TV, UE Boom Bluetooth speakers and eco-friendly ‘Stop The Water’ products. Complimentary soft drinks and mini Mirzam chocolate bars were an unexpected bonus.

There are five room choices at 25hours Hotel One Central including The Hakawati Suite with its unique Sheikh ‘triple-king’ sized bed. It also offers a double bathtub, dance floor, two private bars, a photo booth and amazing views of the Museum of The Future. Like all the public spaces the rooms and corridors are awash with regional touches, emirates inspired artwork and mini book exchanges on every floor. Even the lifts have their own unique art installations.

Alongside Nomad dining and beverage options include Tandoor Tina, with its menu of Northern Indian cuisine with a British twist and ‘punny’ neon signs. Newly opened Bavarian tavern, ERNST serves German beer and cuisine. For me the hotel’s piece de resistance is Monkey Bar that pays homage to its namesake in the Berlin 25hours Hotel. Located on the sixth floor, not only is Monkey Bar super cool with great cocktails but it also has a botanical filled outdoor terrace with cityscape views. The bar also serves a menu of Latin American-inspired food.

The rooftop pool is a great place to relax with comfy bean bag loungers, day beds and a pool bar that serves drinks and bites from Monkey Bar. The Extra HourSpa menu has a mix of therapies and treatments along with Dubai’s first unisex sauna, a fully-equipped gym, The ladies salon by Wassim Steve and Akin barbers. The hotel also boasts a pottery studio and calligraphy bar for the more creative guests.

If you don’t fancy borrowing one of the complimentary bikes, borrow a MINI Cooper instead. 25hours have teamed up with MINI so guests can explore the city in one of the hotel’s emblazoned cars for up to four hours for free (rental t&c’s apply).

25hours Hotel One Central, like all the hotels in the group, is tailored to its location in terms of concept and design. This hotel honours the region’s past but also embraces all the latest features and tech that the modern day guest requires. It’s well located in DIFC near the World Trade Centre so perfect for exploring Downtown Dubai and the Dubai Mall. It’s definitely a hotel I would revisit without any hesitation.

The Nitty Gritty

25hours Hotel One Central, Trade Center Street, PO Box 9895, Dubai. UAE

Website: www.25hours-hotels.com/en/hotels/dubai/one-central

Email: onecentral@25hours-hotels.com

For bookings: res.onecentral@25hours-hotels.com

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The Good…

Well designed hotel in a good location

Spacious & well equipped rooms

Good selection of food & beverage outlets

Monkey Bar

Friendly & efficient service