When you speak of hotels, most of us have certain preconceived notions. To most people, a hotel with first class service, great dcor, fantastic food and wonderful ambience would make up a luxury hotel. In any given place, there would only be a couple of luxury hotels. But, if you come to Dubai with those notions, you're bound to be mesmerized and thrown off your orbit. Because, you see, in Dubai, the term 'luxury' takes on a different meaning altogether.

The topmost luxury hotel in Dubai is undoubtedly the world's one and only 7 star hotel, the Burj Al Arab. Towering from the middle of the blue ocean in the shape of a sail, The Burj is a pleasure to look at. This luxury hotel has been praised by The Institutional Investor Magazine and it has even received the prestigious World Travel Awards. One of the best, friendliest, most stunning places to stay. If you have the money, this is THE place to stay. And now you know why Dubai is a tough act to follow!

Jumeirah Beach Hotel is another of the top notch luxury hotels in Dubai. The hotel itself looks like a wave that is ready to break. Set in the backdrop of the ocean, the ambience of the hotel sets it apart and keeps it ahead of the competition. Great service, aesthetic dcor and a wonderful place to stay. Once again, the depth of your pocket is the only constraint.

The Palace of the Royal Mirage is so good that you'd be forgiven if you thought that your stay here was fictional. The hotel treats you like royalty. They actually sound a gong for new guests. The staff is very friendly. The team is very flexible here; they even give you a choice of rooms. The executive rooms are the pinnacle of decadence because you have free access to golf and while you're at it, you can gorge on an unending supply of fruits and sandwiches.

As you would expect, the luxury hotels that come in this bracket can put European hotels to shame. The hotels in Dubai are out of this world in terms of their service, dcor, ambience, beauty, facilities and food. The problem is, so is the cost. Only the cream can afford to stay in these unbelievably expensive hotels.

So, if you find that a bill from such a hotel may break your financial bones, you might want to try out some of the less expensive but equally opulent luxury hotels. In fact, Dubai is famous for luxury hotels that are affordable and provide great value for money. These hotels are a class apart because though they may not have the stars, they certainly have the ambience and the quality of a star hotel. There are many such luxury hotels in attractive areas like the airport road and the Palm Beach Road etc. Most of these hotels provide comfortable accommodation and great facilities at more affordable and decent rates.