Fairmont The Palm or Sofitel – Which Is The Better Hotel?

The Palm Jumeirah boasts many fantastic hotels, two of which are The Fairmont and Sofitel. But which is the better hotel? We can’t just look at ratings to decide, we need to look at price, ratings, facilities, location and things to do. So where is better? Fairmont the Palm or Sofitel?

Overall we found Sofitel The Palm to be the better hotel when compared to Fairmont The Palm for price, location, facilities, ratings and things to do.

However, there wasn’t much in it. Should you get the chance, we recommend staying at both of these luxury hotels.

Fairmont vs Sofitel – Which has Better Ratings?

To figure out who has the best overall ratings we have taken an average from three major travel review sites; Trip Advisor, Booking.com and Hotels.com. Below you can see who scored the highest for each.

As you can see, Sofitel The Palm’s ratings were marginally greater than Fairmont. But there isn’t much in it!

You can read the reviews in full of each here below:

Sofitel The Palm Trip Advisor Rating
Sofitel The Palm Hotels.com Rating
Sofitel The Palm Booking.com Rating

Fairmont The Palm Trip Advisor Rating
Fairmont The Palm Hotels.com Rating
Fairmont The Palm Booking.com Rating

Where Has Better Value for Money?

So both are five star hotels and both have pretty much the same ratings, which makes the value for money comparison fairly easy! So now let’s take a look at which hotel is cheaper on average.

To gauge this we have taken average prices for a standard room for 2.

As you can see, prices sky rocket come October. This is mainly due to the Dubai Expo 2021, which runs from October 2021 to April 2022. It is not uncommon for prices to rise in Dubai during the milder winters, but not usually by this much.

Overall, Sofitel The Palm is cheaper than Fairmont. There wasn’t much in it again though!

Which Hotel is in The Best Location?

There are two main factors to consider when comparing location. These are scenery and distance to main attractions.

Sofitel The Palm is located at the top of the palm, slightly to one side, not far away from Atlantis. The Sofitel gives its guests an amazing backdrop from their balcony’s, being able to see the whole of Palm Jumeirah, as well as the city skyscrapers of Dubai.

However, when it comes to local attractions there’s literally nothing in sight. A ten minute walk can get you to Atlantis to experience the Lost Chambers Aquarium or Aquaventure. Walk the other way and experience the amazing brunch which Anantara offers. Other than that though, you’d have to taxi hop to get to any other attractions.

Fairmont is located on the main branch of the palm, facing into the south coast of Dubai, towards Jumeirah Beach Residence.

The Fairmont hotel is better located to other facilities than Sofitel. The Palm Jumeirah’s Promenade isn’t far away for a walk, there are many other restaurants nearby and two malls, Nakheel Mall and The Golden Mile Shopping Centre.

Furthermore, in the centre of “the branch” there’s Al Ittihad Park.

When comparing the two hotels locations, Fairmont The Palm wins due to it’s local proximity to other major facilities and attractions. However, both hotels offer pristine beaches and incredible views of Dubai.

Which Hotel Has Better Facilities and Things to Do?

Finally, let’s take a look at which hotels offer the best facilities and things to do.

The main facilities at Sofitel include; 6 outdoor pools, a private beach, 11 restaurants and bars, rooftop tennis court and Eco-Golf. There’s plenty here for young children too with their kids club, kids pools and Gelato shop.

The Fairmont hotel offers all of the above too. They have 5 restaurants and two bars, with a little less choice than Sofitel. However, when it comes to beach activities and non-motorised water sports there isn’t many rivals in the area.

None of the hotels offer any stand out activities (such as Aquaventure at Atlantis), but this doesn’t mean that the services which they do offer aren’t up to scratch. Both hotels offer a great service and often also arrange activities on the beach for everyone to get involved in too.

From the swimming pools and bars to the non-motorised sports and beach activities, you’re never going to be bored, but there isn’t a stand out winner for the best hotel for things to do here.

Conclusion

So where is better out of Sofitel and Fairmont? The Sofitel, but only just! Sofitel The Palm offers great value for money and just about wins on ratings. The Fairmont still has fantastic reviews and offers a better location, but overall, this wasn’t enough to win the face off.

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