The glittering skyline of Dubai, all glass and steel and light and excess, is a truly awesome sight. The sheer scale of it is mesmerising.
Driving down the highway through a forest of skyscrapers makes one feel tiny; observing the ostentatious, braggadocious nature of their inhabitants can make one feel overwhelmed.
However, a little way from the downtown area, where supercars and influencers throng the streets, lies Business Bay, a neighbourhood with a much more peaceful atmosphere. This is a location where you're far enough removed from that skyline to appreciate its beauty, and it's now home to The Lana, the first Dorchester Collection address in the Middle East.
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From the other side of the canal where yachts glide up to the small Business Bay marina, The Lana will form an impressive part of a new skyline being constructed around the water. The 30-storey hotel is one of two interlocked buildings, with the other housing private, Dorchester Collection residences. Put simply, it is a magnificent sight.
As is to be expected from Dubai, construction continues nearby. The owner of this building, Omniyat, has already begun works on a larger complex next to The Lana, so the surroundings will change continuously for the next few years. For now, the hotel is the star of the waterfront. Of course, no one chooses a hotel so they can gaze at its beauty from the pavement outside, but the hotel's own views across to the Burj Khalifa are nothing short of breathtaking.
Why stay here?
(Image credit: The Lana, Dorchester Collection)
This is the place for those seeking to retain a little European discretion throughout their time in the UAE, instead of complete immersion in the bombast more usually associated with Dubai.
French firm Gilles & Boissier were called upon to help create this sensation with the interior, making use of the enormous amount of natural light available to create airy, serene spaces which contribute to your relaxation as soon as you enter.
Rooms are spacious – the smallest measure around 57 square metres including outside space – and suites are gargantuan, some in a duplex format with wrap-around balconies.
At The Lana you can slow down and breathe, be that in your room or by the rooftop pool. If your source of calm is physical wellness, one floor below that pool is a well-appointed gym, with an unusually comprehensive range of equipment and more skyline views, and the first Dior Spa in the region, offering all manner of treatments and massages with luxury products from the label.
Eating and drinking
(Image credit: The Lana, Dorchester Collection)
There are eight hospitality areas at The Lana, most of which continue that European feel. French chef Jean Imbert has been brought in from a sister Dorchester property, Plaza Athénée in Paris, to create the menus at both Riviera – a Mediterranean restaurant on the fourth floor – and High Society, the poolside roof bar. Riviera serves a fantastic and extensive à la carte breakfast menu (supplemented by pastries from Angelo Musa, formerly of Plaza Athénée and now taking charge of Bon Bon Café, a patisserie at the marina entrance to the hotel) followed by fresh, light cuisine from the south of France at lunch and dinner.
For al fresco dining try Veranda just off the lobby, a verdant oasis overlooking the water and the yachts moored for the night, which has more of a local flavour.
Higher up the building we find Jara, where 12-Michelin star chef Martín Berasategui delivers a menu drawn from the cuisine of his native Basque country, full of spectacular grilled meats and roasted fresh vegetables. It might seem tempting to remain inside to watch the culinary theatre of Berasategui's open-plan kitchen, but the location of the restaurant terrace in the space between hotel and residences is simply too good to miss. The space is around six storeys high, with enormous pillars framing the view, and a night spent here, watching the light show while sipping wine, will live long in the memory.
In the daytime, guests could indulge in afternoon tea in The Gallery, a gorgeous space next to the lobby, complete with chamber music from a live pianist. Alternatively, enjoy light bites at High Society while lounging in a cabana and cooling off in the pool to escape Dubai's famous heat.
What to do
(Image credit: The Lana, Dorchester Collection)
Nothing – glorious, indulgent nothing. Of my three days here, the first two were spent entirely within the walls of the hotel, save a short stroll around the marina. (If you do this, turn left when you arrive to the water's edge; turning right becomes fairly nondescript fairly soon.) The Lana is to be enjoyed in itself: recharging by the pool; revitalising in the gym; rejuvenating at the Dior Spa. There's enough variety on the property that you will not be easily bored.
If you do decide to venture outside, the Dubai Mall is a short drive away for all the shopping you could possibly want, or a little farther will bring you to the souks around Dubai Creek. Taking a boat trip along the creek gives a different perspective to the city. The warm air breezing by you, and the eclectic sounds of everyday city life are a pleasant accompaniment to taking in the older, traditional architecture of mosques and souks.
The verdict
Dubai, whether fairly or not, has a reputation for brash, almost obnoxious, displays of its enormous wealth. Dorchester Collection has a reputation for subtlety and chic. These may not seem like natural partners, but The Lana is proof that they can be. This is a place of total calm, a place where everything seems to be just as it should be, and where people can come to unwind and reset before taking on the fast pace of life elsewhere in the city, or the world. I did not expect to say this when I arrived in Dubai, but this may be the most peaceful hotel I've ever had the pleasure of visiting.
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