Queer travel expert Jack Kenworthy turns 250+ city adventures into your guide for safe, vibrant, and inclusively fabulous global journeys.
Dubai! A city of tall skyscrapers flaunted oil wealth and a powerful draw on tourists – even queer ones despite the situation here. Our list of gay hotels around the world mainly serves the purpose of making the travel and accommodation experiences of queer travelers as pleasant as possible and eliminating potential risks, but there is a much different situation at play here – and obviously, there are no official gay hotels in Dubai due to the legal and cultural situation here.
Although there haven’t been any recorded persecutions since at least 2015, ‘homosexuality’ is illegal in the UAE, meaning that queer travelers are unlikely likely to feel welcome in most cases. What continues to be prosecuted, however, is acts of ‘public indecency’ like same-sex kissing and intimacy – and so anywhere you stay, we advise extreme caution.
These laws apply to all people within the country, regardless of whether they are residents or just tourists. And, of course, being able to circumnavigate the homophobic laws does not mean that there won’t be other challenges to back them up and a greater potential for other hate crimes.
Regardless of this sad reality, many people look forward to visiting Gay Dubai and seeing much glamor in its expansive skyline and rich, lucrative image. For the gay traveler, however, there will surely be a few more hurdles and milestones before the sights and opportunities open themselves up for enjoyment.
That isn’t to say that Dubai doesn’t have its form of connection to the queer community, nor doesn’t have its niches where gay folks can hang out and try to do their best to make a peaceful life for themselves.
But, at the same time, it must be understood that these spaces rarely, if ever, reach out to the world around them as a matter of safety, which means that tourists looking for queer hotspots or gay hotels in Dubai on the internet aren’t exactly very likely to find much of anything.
Although our usual disclaimer for this kind of article details how many hotels don’t give explicit support for queer people, it goes without saying that there are no ‘official’ shows of LGBT support in Dubai, which means that choosing the right hotel is going to be quite difficult.
Gay travelers to the city have even suggested booking different rooms for yourself and your partner if you intend to travel as a pair, given that suspicion has been garnered in the past from two people staying in the same room. At the very least we recommend booking twin rooms. One can never be too safe, and the most important thing while going on holiday is remaining happy and sound.
But not everything is negative, after all. Why would anyone want to go to Dubai if that was the case? The city is also known for a wide, varied array of incredibly impressive feats, including the tallest building on the planet, a thousand kilometers of beaches, and even skiing in the desert. Pretty polarizing and a bit crazy, we know.
So, with a good focus on safety on your mind and the positives of a unique holiday in focus, it’s time to way up the risks and the positives of the top eight most gay-popular hotels in Dubai. These are places that our readers have recommended or other gay travelers tend to frequent (including more than a few flight attendants!), but at no point should any of these hotels be considered open to the gay community as you might expect from more progressive countries!
In this article we will cover...
Aloft Me’Aisam
Here we are at the first ‘gay-friendly’ hotel that Dubai has to offer – starting strong with none other than the stylish, well-known, and surprisingly cheap Aloft Me’Aisam. The Aloft boasts four stars and an impressive catalog of amenities, providing chic and snappy rooms for its guests and whatever services they might require.
Getting to and from each of the individual suites is easy, reviews praise the hotel’s staff for cleanliness and international appeal, and there’s even a wonderful outdoor pool for guests to relax in when they’re not out tending to business or enjoying their time out in Dubai’s wide cityscape.
The Aloft’s location is distinguished, combining the usual glamor that the city offers with a more fast-paced business district where many top-shelf media companies find their home, meaning that the area is rich with express options and impressive skylines.
Not to worry, though, as there are equally ample shopping and eating opportunities here as they are in more residential fractions, no matter what your taste in food or urban exploration is. Even more so, thanks to the snacking businesspeople and tourists that populate the area.
Given that it’s a casual yet functional hotel in the very center of Dubai’s middle business district, one can safely assume that the staff of the Aloft understands when professionalism is required, and as such, this hotel makes a good bet at being a private and safe location for queer travelers to find peace and yet still enjoy what Dubai has to offer to tourists.
Booking separate rooms is still something couples should consider, as mentioned in the overview above, but this truly depends on how careful you want to be and how you feel about your travel experience.
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai
If you’re looking for a hotel just as hands-on and comprehensive as an establishment half its side as well as a stepping stone into the advanced city structure that Dubai affords, then this is the place for you.
Positioning itself at the cutting edge of modern accommodation and truly keeping up with the shifting technological and fashion landscape, the Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai is both decently affordable and a refuge for power travelers – combining the best of two worlds with professional ease.
We’ve reviewed several Four Points by Sheraton hotels in the past through the other gay hotel lists on our website, and when one first sees the massive glass front of the Four Points, it is abundantly clear that this iteration of the worldwide brand is equally so forward-set as the rest.
The services provided by the Four Points are more than considerable, including a much-needed and highly reviewed rooftop pool with views out over the desert cityscape and the Gulf of Persia and a wonderful and complimentary breakfast every morning which is a sure ingredient in the perfect beginning to a day on holiday in one of the world’s most international and showy cities.
Dubai is a convenient, open clamshell for those staying at the Four Points, and the luxurious air of the hotel knows it.
There are unfortunately no direct accounts as to whether the Four Points is particularly safe when it comes to its affairs with queer travelers, but – as we have already said and will most probably say many times to come – one of the most important factors of safeness that queer travelers can look out for is professional staff and private rooms, and those are two things that the Winchester has down to a science.
Hilton Dubai Jumeirah
The first hotel on this list to style itself as a resort rather than simply a place of accommodation, the Hilton Dubai has both the reputation of its brand and a wonderful beachside location to back up its roster of services, the lot of which come together rather wonderfully to form a place of accommodation that serves every preference, and reaches out to every end.
It is, unfortunately, one of the more expensive options on this list, which is partial to be expected thanks to the brand name in its title, but the Hilton Dubai brushes away the downside of its price tag with ease, especially because it’s the only hotel on this list to kiss up against the beach line and the Marina, given that most hotels have an unobscured view of the water rather than a direct connection to it.
This is a perfect advantage for those looking to spend time on the beach and also means that the views from the Hilton Dubai are some of the absolute best in the city if you are to discount those from the very top of the city’s tallest business suites.
When it comes to the safety of queer travelers, the Hilton Dubai’s status as a member of an international brand puts pressure on it to behave accordingly that some of the other local hotels do not have, and as such, one can expect the staff to be both professional and succinct on the matter.
It’s hard to take anything for granted given the area’s foggy legal and social climate, but if there were a place to feel at least moderately safe in Dubai, then we would caution to say that the Hilton Dubai would be the place to do so.
Hyatt Regency Dubai
It’s about time we stumbled across another Hyatt, and what better place to find one than the upscale home of all things excess and luxury that is Dubai? There’s no hotel chain quite like the Hyatt brand to embrace those qualities to the absolute max, and that is precisely what this particular apple fallen from the Hyatt tree sets out to achieve.
The Hyatt is – as many would already assume – an easy five stars and takes up a position of pride in the Dubai skyline as a sleek, tall, and modern-looking building that radiates the same qualities that its inside embodies even better.
Dismissing any fears of inconvenience and travel times thanks to its open surroundings and proximity to a wide range of public transport on both rails and four wheels, the Hyatt Regency sits upon a wide waterfront promenade and gazes out over the Gulf of Persia, taking a high position and a clear outlook that very little hotels in the area are privileged enough to have.
Nothing is stopping the guests of the Hyatt Regency Dubai from living out their beach holiday dreams on the nearby sands and waterfront, but if you’re more inclined to stay in and enjoy the luxury of what the hotel has to offer directly, then you will be far from disappointed.
Much to the opposite – thanks to the Hyatt Regency’s comprehensive spa treatments, its large, comfortable pool, and the wide range of food options it houses.
This hotel has not one, not two, but four restaurants and a mirroring amount of four bars, one of which takes the form of a revolving seating area atop the rest of the hotel. If that doesn’t scream luxury and excess – just like we said at the beginning of this review – what does?
Dhow Palace Hotel
For a hotel with ‘palace’ in its name, and for a place with such an excellent location along Dubai’s coast, it is truly surprising how affordable the Dhow Palace’s fees are, especially when one considers the sheer quality of what the hotel has to offer potential guests from all around the city.
The options are endless while staying at the Dhow Palace Hotel – one can enjoy a gentle soak in the hotel’s highly rated pool, explore the nearby Stone Town neighborhood with its historic buildings, narrow alleys, and old-type shops that contrast sharply with the modernity of the city around it, or even relax at the hotel with the Dhow Palace’s in-house restaurant and bar ensemble.
The individual rooms of the hotel are modern and strong when it comes to style, packing an up-to-date and well-maintained punch that is quite honestly surprising given how affordable a night’s stay is. Quality doesn’t always come in dollar signs, after all!
The Dhow Palace comes into this list as the perfect middle for those who aren’t one hundred percent sure which fraction of Dubai they’re interested in staying in, and also those who aren’t decided on whether they’ll stick it in for a budget hotel or if they’re ready to damage the wallet a little on investing in a more expensive place of accommodation.
As such, and given the Dhow Palace’s deceptively professional attitude in handling its guests, this hotel is also quite a palatable location for queer travelers looking to enjoy their time in Dubai, though we still recommend booking separate rooms for a higher level of safety from prying eyes.
As we also said earlier, one can never be too safe, and it is our job to keep our fellow queer holidayers safe while exploring the world!
Versuilles Hotel Dubai
Boasting a quite low price tag and four stars worth of quality accommodation despite that fact, the Versailles combines practicality and luxury wonderfully, ensuring visitors get the best out of every minute they spend in the city, regardless of whether they’re staying for business or pleasure.
Businesspeople and those looking to hold events favor the Versailles because it has massive spaces open for rent which are perfect for meetings and anything from birthdays, parties, and weddings.
The room service kitchen, which is available for the rooms, also works to cater events held in the hotel’s open spaces, meaning that if you’re looking to hold any get-together in Dubai, this is most likely the hotel where you’re going to want to do it if you want a good balance between affordability and comprehensive service.
But what if you’re not, and what if you’re looking to enjoy your time with no goals in mind? Then the Versailles is equally right for you!
The hotel’s location and its proximity to a nearby metro station mean that it’s just as connected to Dubai’s hyperspeed travel system as any hotel, and the fact that the Versailles is right up against the Dubai Creek’s endpoint out into the Persian Gulf means that you have wonderful sea views to go with the already stunning cityscape all around.
When it comes to the Versuilles’ treatment of queer travelers, it goes without saying that nothing should be taken for granted, but it is always a good sign when many reviews point toward a hotel’s staff being professional and respecting privacy, so take that into mind as a positive when you’re thinking of booking here, no matter whether you’re traveling as a couple or just alone!
Sofitel Dubai Downtown
Located not at all long away from the Ibis World Trade Center – the next hotel on this list – and the actual Dubai World Trade Center itself, Sofitel Dubai brings quite a lot to the table, including an impressive self-health and food scene that is sure to knock the proverbial socks off of even the most experienced traveler.
The quality of this Sofitel is sound, its rooms are modern and well-maintained, and the check-in process is easy – what more can you ask for?
The Sofitel Dubai is just a few minutes from the internationally famous Dubai Mall, where shoppers can have the true time of their lives working through one of the biggest retail complexes in the world. If shopping isn’t your thing, however, and if you’d rather see some of the city’s renowned landmarks, then you need to look up – the infamous Burj Khalifa tower is nearby, and what a sight it is.
As we mentioned earlier, one of Sofitel’s biggest points of pride is its wellness facilities, including a positively amazing spa center, an open, sparkling pool with views out over the sea, and a fitness studio for those looking to keep their body in shape while they’re out enjoying the shiny lights and long streets of the city.
Suppose you’re not the spa type, and you’d rather dig into something wonderful to eat. In that case, you’ll be happy to learn that the hotel’s eateries are also incredible when you ask reviewers, with some previous guests marking them as the absolute highlight of their visit.
That plural in ‘eateries’ is no mistake, either, given that Sofitel Dubai includes in-house Peruvian and Mediterranean restaurants, a café and a poolside lounge well known for its events and live music.
ibis World Trade Centre Dubai
Another Ibis hotel! What a wonderful finish to our list. If there’s one thing to say about Ibis hotels, it’s their rock-solid trustworthiness as a franchise, no matter where the individual hotels find their homes, and thus it is safe to say that this particular establishment is a wonderful candidate for a gay-friendly or queer-safe hotel in Dubai.
It should come as no surprise that being in the city’s World Trade Center means that this ibis is in the very center of Dubai’s business district, and – as we’ve discussed since the very beginning of this list – this means that the surrounding areas are the most international and open to foreigners that you’re most likely to find.
There are plenty of places to visit and restaurants and bars to hang out in, and that’s just mentioning the basics. The rooms and common spaces of the ibis themselves are also excellent, living up to the size and glory of the building near which the hotel finds itself and takes its name.
All of this is without bringing up the fact that this hotel is also very much near the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, which means that if there is any particular event that you’re looking to visit, this is the perfect place to stay while you do it.
Although – as most people know – Dubai is a very walking-unfriendly city that consists mostly of roads, the hotel’s nearness to Jumeirah Beach is nonetheless capitalized upon thanks to the Ibis’s free shuttles there and back.
With these shuttles, guests can explore both the city and the wonderful sounds, and the benefit of not needing a car in Dubai is wonderful, even though this hotel is also quite near to one of the city’s largest train stations.
Gay Hotel Map Of Dubai
Feeling a bit lost while planning your journey to Dubai? No worries, darling! Our detailed LGBTQ+ tailored map is here to guide you. We’ve pinpointed all the vibrant gay-friendly bars, exhilarating clubs, extravagant parties, cozy hotels, relaxing saunas, and soothing massage parlors to ensure you find the perfect spot.
And these aren’t just any spots; we’re talking about the creme de la creme of locations in the heart of the city’s vibrant gay scene. Think panoramic views, easy access to nightlife, and all the amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
But hold on to your feather boas! These hot spots are fabulous; they vanish quicker than a drag queen’s five o’clock shadow. Don’t delay; book now to secure the best deals and locations. Remember, the early bird catches the best deals in Dubai! So, pack your rainbow flag, and get ready to experience the ultimate gay-friendly holiday in Dubai.
