Hotel Review: One&Only One Za'abeel Resort, Dubai
A vertical resort in a vertical skyscraper: One&Only One Za'abeel
It's a name with a lot of nerve: One&Only—as if all other hotels are simply beside the point. Given that it's been years since I sampled the brand, I decided to put that boastful name to the test by checking into the property's newest Dubai opening, One&Only One Za'abeel.
Dubbing itself an urban, vertical resort, the 178-room and 51-suite hotel certainly makes quite the entrance to the Dubai skyline—no easy feat, considering the grandiosity that is the Dubai skyline. Behold 'The Link': billed as a 'boulevard in the sky,' the world's longest cantilever, an 8500-ton steel structure hanging as if by magic between the two skyscrapers of One Za'abeel. Picture a structure taller than Seattle's Space Needle perched sideways in the clouds—a horizontal skyscraper: only in Dubai. Inside it is a food hall like you've never seen before, with eight open kitchens and more options than anyone knows what to do with.
Many worlds in one: Indonesia-in-Dubai at Andaliman
The architecture makes for quite the scene—and to match it, a stay at One&Only One Za'abeel is quite the experience. Here's why.
Skyline suite
SLEEP Talk about a palace in the sky: my plush room on the 50th floor gave wraparound views for days, with a shower the size of a house and a tub that had me feeling as if I were floating above the futuristic horizon. The boon is in the details: Each night I found a designer silk eye mask and herbal pillow spray left beside my bed; the custom-made made lotion and hand wash by Montroi smelled divine—a signature scent called Al Sama that saturated the property. Just being in my suite was an experience of serenity and luxury.
Indonesian delights at Andaliman
EAT The 'vertical resort' concept translates to stepping off many elevators into myriad worlds, and the culinary experience is at the heart of it all. On the spectacular rooftop pool deck—more on this later—you land in Japan: Tapesake gives legendary Nobu a run for its money with delights like Wagyu Gyoza, braised short ribs with citrus garlic oil and, my favorite, a seafood stone pot in which fish, prawns and calamari cooked before my eyes. The Garden floor—underneath The Link, an imposing sight from down below—is Southeast Asia, with the superb Andaliman serving Indonesian cuisine: Rengginang tuna & crab with rice crackers; Udang grilled prawns with pickled pineapple; Es Tung-Tung coconut and black rice ice cream with caramel popcorn. Find France on the 27th floor at La Dame de Pic, helmed by Chef Anne-Sophie Pic. I ordered a cocktail made with Campari, sweet vermouth and lavender, then savored the scallops with celeriac sake and coconut foam; for desert, the 'cheese creation' was ice cream-flavored cheese—or was it the other way around? I welcomed the tasty whimsy.
Finally, although the StreetXO is primarily meant to transport you to Spain—it's the creation of Spanish chef Dabiz Muñoz, from Madrid StreetXO—I knew I was in for more than that when I walked through the cavernous, graffiti-covered entrance and spotted waiters wearing uniforms inspired by straightjackets. The mashup of cuisines here certainly borders on madness—but it's a delectable madness: salmon Mediterranean aguachile, Thai cold soba sashimi, Nigiri croquetas—yes, that's sushi-style fish served on Spanish croquetas instead of rice—and the best menu name of all: 'lobster awakens on the Goa coast,' which involves curry, lobster, and lots of fun.
A mirage? Views from the pool deck atop The Link
SWIM Back to that spectacular pool deck: Dubai loves a superlative, and One&Only One Za'abeel is home to the UAE's longest infinity pool, on the top deck of The Link. It's a respite in the sky with the ultimate Dubai view, which I took in while sipping a 'Japanese Mary,' made with clarified tomato sauce and Togarashi. For contrast, down below is the Garden Pool, which beckons with a whole other vibe: Palm trees, dark wood and rose-tinted, Batik-style cushions evoke the Asian tropics.
Longevity Hub by Clinique la Prairie
BE WELL Don't call it a spa—it's a wellness clinic. To be precise, the world's first (there's that Dubai superlative again!) Longevity Hub by Clinique la Prairie, featuring 29 treatment rooms for wellbeing and clinical therapies. I booked a session with a longevity coach and therapist, the obscenely attractive and very knowledgable Alejandro, who plugged me into various high-tech machines that read everything from my body fat to the metals in my body, producing a full assessment of my 'longevity index,' which—phew!—was pretty strong. Then I had a divine 60-minute massage that, without a doubt, increased said longevity index astronomically—as did my entire brief stay at One&Only One Za'abeel.
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