Fodor's Expert Review The Palace

Aptly named, the entrance to The Palace is Taj Mahal-like, with Moorish arches, domes, and Arabesque lace reflected over its dramatic pond. The lobby is marble-lined, centered on a rose-petal filled water feature, and framed with carved teak screens for a deliciously exotic effect. Rooms are similarly themed, with silks, velvet, and cottons in cool colors, woodwork, and plush carpets. The hotel is somewhere between a city hotel and a resort---the grounds are spacious, with pools, gardens, alfresco eateries, and a luxurious day spa, it sits in the shade of the world's tallest building, next to the Dubai Mall, and close to the DIFC and other business districts.