The First Collection at Jumeirah Village Circle, A Tribute Portfolio

mendy garfunkel1/5 · 2025-11

We arrived at the hotel quite late and had booked two bedrooms through the Marriott website. During check-in, we asked if it was possible to have both rooms on the same floor, preferably close to each other, but the receptionist didn’t respond. Only when she handed us the key cards did we realize she had placed us on two separate floors. During check-in I also asked whether we had access to the beach club, as stated clearly in my reservation confirmation. She insisted it required an additional charge. When I opened my laptop and showed her the confirmation that explicitly said our rooms include free access to the beach club, she tried to claim that it referred only to the shuttle service, not to the entrance. Outrageous. We were also asked during check-in if we wanted smoking rooms, and we firmly said absolutely not. Yet when we entered the room, the first thing that hit us was a strong smell of cigarettes. When we reported it to reception, they dismissively insisted it was impossible, since it was a non-smoking room. Only after several complaints did they send a staff member with a bathroom spray to “freshen” the room. The level of disregard was shocking. We settled into the room and wanted something cold to drink, so we ordered ice. After more than half an hour, a staff member arrived with a tiny bowl of ice. When we asked for a regular ice bucket, he said it would come at an extra charge. Meanwhile, reception called to inform me that beach club access would be “complimentary,” as if they were doing us a favor - despite the fact that free access was explicitly included in our reservation. We were also offered a complimentary buffet dinner “as a gift from the hotel.” I’ll spare the details, but as someone who spent three years in a boarding school, the food in the hotel restaurant was embarrassing. The next day, when we spoke with the front desk manager about changing rooms or possibly moving both rooms to the same floor, we were offered a room on the executive floor. To make it short - this “upgrade” was the same room type, only smaller, more cramped, and three floors above where we were. Amazing. All the while, they kept trying to push us to leave a good online review. For what exactly? For making us sleep in a smoky room? For pretending that something included in our booking was a gift? Or for downgrading us to a smaller room? On top of everything, the entire hotel area is basically one big construction site - dust, trucks, and absolutely no vacation atmosphere. The lobby is tiny and gives off an unpleasant vibe. As someone who has stayed in over 15 hotels in Dubai, this was my first real disappointment.

Akbar Amodi1/5 · 2026-06

1-Star Review My stay at this hotel for two nights was one of the worst hotel experiences I have ever had. The hotel looks nothing like what was advertised, and the overall quality was far below expectations. I felt completely disappointed from the moment I checked in until I left. The room was not properly cleaned, the facilities were poorly maintained, and the level of service was unacceptable. The staff were unhelpful and did not seem interested in resolving any of the issues I raised. Communication was poor, and I felt that customer satisfaction was not a priority. What disappointed me the most was the lack of honesty and transparency. The hotel did not deliver what was promised, making the experience feel misleading and untrustworthy. For the price I paid, I expected a much higher standard. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. There are far better options available that offer better service, cleaner rooms, and more reliable hospitality. My two-night stay was a complete waste of money, and I regret choosing this hotel. Avoid this hotel if you value cleanliness, professionalism, and honesty. I will definitely never stay here again.

Henry Sanchez4/5 · 2026-06

If no intentions of going to the beach, this is a nice place to stay. They have a nice pool. Good for lap swimming. Cozy lounge area. Room is decent. Smart TV👌. Neat toilet and bath. I suggest that you provide a flexible shuttle ride going to the beach. During our stay we were not able to avail the trip since it’s moving out early and going back early too. We planned of having sunset at the beach. We were advised to use our personal cars and there’s a free parking in Soluna Beach Club but unfortunately upon reaching the security told us that parking is full and to just park outside and had to pay 10aed/hr. (pls inform your guests about this kind of situation) We returned to the hotel at 7pm to have dinner. Another unexpected situation happened. We are a group of 18 people, we are all booked half-board, our dinner is a 3 course set-meal. We are not the only guests, there were a bunch of people as well, then came the chaos. Orders were mixed up, small kitchen and short-staffing for made-to-order food set up, so we ended up waiting 2-3 hours for our meals to be served. Loud noise of complaints. Other guests/families were already standing and pressuring the staffs. I suggest that the management try to reconsider offering buffet or make a pre-ordered meal upon check-in. Thanks to Iryna for stepping up. In the end she handled everything well. A free lunch the next day was not a bad compensation after a chaotic night. We saw the dedicated restaurant staffs at that night. They did not intend to keep us waiting and loose our appetite. We still appreciate the effort of their whole team to serve us with their best.

Abdalla Al Ali1/5 · 2026-09

My overall experience at the hotel was good, but I had a very disturbing and unacceptable experience regarding my privacy. I was asleep in my room and had a confirmed late check-out until 7:00 PM. At around 3:00 PM, a Room Service staff member rang the doorbell several times and then entered my room while I was still asleep, without my permission or consent. This was a serious violation of my privacy and made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I believe hotel staff should never enter a guest’s room, especially when the guest has a confirmed late check-out, without first receiving permission or ensuring that the room is unoccupied. I strongly recommend that the hotel management review this incident and take the necessary measures to ensure that guests’ privacy is properly respected and protected.

Joo3/5 · 2026-08

I went to the hotel for 4 nights (Monday to Friday) the room looked good the first 1hour and then I noticed a dead cockroach near the small fridge and I was immediately disappointed and disgusted by the seen and I was already settled in the room with my stuff ready to enjoy to 4 nights in peace and I had to change the room and pack all my stuff again and redo it and when I talked to the receptionist there was a guy and he was cold about the situation like it was a normal thing and didn’t apologize even once about that situation . And I waited till shift ended and talked to a Pakistan lady she was so sweet and lovely and kept apologizing and CHNAGE us the room. The stay we had was breakfast included which I expected to be good but it was the opposite. The breakfast doesn’t meet the standard of the modern hotel with the food being limited and almost not alot to pick from

Meshal AL Naser5/5 · 2026-06

بصراحه المكان مرتب و الفندق مقابل المال كان جيد .. كل الشكر و التقدير للموظف بهارات 👍🏻 احلى و اجمل لاتيه بالفانيلا ممكن تشربه 🫡 طبعا " كان فيه خيبة امل في خدمة الغرف 👎🏻 طلبت شوكه و ملعقه و ثلج .. وكان الجواب .. خدمة الغرف مغلقه 🤦🏻‍♂️ .. وكان عذرهم ان الوضع السياحي غير جيد لذالك لا نملك جميع الخدمات مثل خدمة صف السياره .. ثم تم توفير الخدمات بعد الشكوى تقييمي بخمس نجوم ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ لسيد Bharat و الايس لاتيه 😊 و البيض عيون من يدين ابو سوفيان (Abu Sufian) 👌🏻 And keep up the great smile