Dubai is full of awesome area’s to spend your vacation. So awesome in fact, that making a decision on where to stay can be difficult.
That’s why we have put together these handy guides to help you choose which area to stay in Dubai.
Today we take a look at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) and Jumeirah Beach, to see where is better to stay.
The first common misconception is that they’re the same, which is wrong, so we’ve shown you below the differences.
Let’s dive in and look at the advantages of each area to help you make a decision on where to stay in Dubai out of JBR or Jumeirah Beach.
Locations
JBR is nestled in between Dubai Marina, Bluewaters Island and Palm Jumeirah. The main promenade (The Walk) is lined with retail outlets, restaurants, hotels and plenty of things to do.
JBR is situated 20 minutes (by taxi) and 30 minutes (by bus) to the south of Umm Suqeim (Jumeirah Beach Area) and is just a 30 minute taxi ride away from Dubai International Airport.
The main advantages to the location of JBR are:
- The Beach @ JBR
- Countless Hotels to choose from
- A variety of restaurants to choose from
- Close to Bluewaters Island
- Walking distance to Dubai Marina
- Transport links such as Dubai Metro are nearby
To the north of Palm Jumeirah we have Umm Suqeim, which is the district which contains the Jumeirah Beach area and Madinat Jumeirah.
Here you will find the world famous Jumeirah Public Beach, Burj Al Arab (7 star hotel), Jumeirah Beach Hotel and Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
Dubai International Airport is just 15 minutes away, as is the main downtown area of Dubai (by taxi).
The main advantages of staying in this area include:
- Close proximity to Dubai airport
- Nearby Downtown Dubai
- Jumeirah Beach Hotel & Burj Al Arab are two of the best hotels in Dubai
- Jumeirah Public Beach
- Madinat Jumeirah
- Wild Wadi Water Park
- Kite Beach isn’t far away
So when it comes to the best location where should you stay? We’d say there isn’t one. Both areas have huge advantages to ensure you won’t be disappointed.
Verdict: Tie
Where has the Best Beach?
One thing to note about the beaches in Dubai is that many area’s are privately owned by the hotels. A large section of Jumeirah Beach actually belongs to the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.
The same goes for sections of The Beach at JBR too, with Ritz Carlton, Royal Meridien and Hilton occupying large spaces.
Jumeirah Public Beach has great views back to Downtown Dubai of iconic buildings such as Burj Khalifa. Across the water and you’ll see the world famous Burj Al Arab hotel. The main plus side to the beach is how quiet it is compared to most other beaches. The down side of this though is that it lacks things to do besides relaxing and swimming.
Over to The Beach at JBR and you have quite the opposite. This beach features all of the water sports you can imagine taking part in, an inflatable obstacle course, beach gym, children’s park and more. A stones throw back towards the promenade and restaurants with a view or retail outlets in the plenty await you.
JBR’s The Beach really is the place to be when it comes to beaches in Dubai.
Verdict: JBR
Things to do Nearby
One of the most important things to consider when choosing where to stay in Dubai is things to do.
Unless you’re happy relaxing by the hotel pool all day, which is a complete waste of visiting this incredible city, then check out the things to do in each area below.
Top 5 Things to do at JBR
| Attraction | Price |
| The Flying Cup | From 60AED |
| Ain Dubai | From 130AED |
| Aqua Fun | 105AED |
| TEPfactor Dubai | 99AED |
| The Walk | N/A |
‘The Walk’ is the main promenade at JBR and is lined with retail outlets, restaurants, children’s parks, outdoor gyms and more!
Top 5 Things to do at Jumeirah Beach
| Attraction | Price |
| Wild Wadi Water Park | 269AED |
| Madinat Jumeirah | N/A |
| The Mall | N/A |
| Turtle Rehabilitation Project | FREE |
| NEMO Water Sports | Varies |
Both areas have plenty to keep all types of travellers occupied. However, JBR is definitely more action packed out of the two.
Verdict: JBR
JBR vs Jumeirah Beach Hotels
When we look at hotels in both area’s you can clearly see that the range of choice in the JBR area is greater than at Jumeirah Beach. Whats more, JBR has a variety of hotels to suit most budgets.
Whether you’re looking for a high rated budget hotel such as JA Ocean View, or a luxury beach hotel such as Ritz Carlton; JBR has them all.
Over to the Jumeirah Beach area and we mainly have luxury beach hotels such as Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Burj Al Arab & Jumeirah Al Qasr.
To make a fair comparison we have chosen the top 3 rated hotels in each area (according to TripAdvisor), and compared them for price & ratings.
Hotels at JBR
| Hotel | Rating | Av. Price Per Night |
| Address Beach Resort | 5/5 | 1,705AED |
| Rixos Premium Dubai | 5/5 | 1,605AED |
| Sofitel Jumeirah Beach | 4.5/5 | 940AED |
Hotels at Jumeirah Beach
| Hotel | Rating | Average Price Per Night |
| Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf | 5/5 | 1,795AED |
| Jumeirah Mina A’Salam | 5/5 | 2,385AED |
| Jumeirah Beach Hotel | 4.5/5 | 1,980AED |
The top 3 hotels in each area share the best average ratings. However, due to value for money and choice, JBR wins this one.
Verdict: JBR
Where Has Better Nightlife?
Dubai really does come to life at night. There are hundreds of bars, clubs and beach discotheques to choose from in each area. But where has a better nightlife out of JBR and Jumeirah Beach?
Jumeirah Beach hosts a glamorous nightlife scene and Madinat Jumeirah presents an eclectic choice too. Some of the best nightlife in the area includes:
- Bahri Bar
- K Lounge
- Al Fayrooz Lounge
- D&A at Jumeirah Beach Hotel
- Uptown Bar at Jumeirah Beach Hotel
- 360° at Jumeriah Beach Hotel
- Gold on 27 at Burj al Arab
- Al Samar Lounge
Over to JBR and nightlife looks something like the below:
- Bliss Lounge at The Sheraton
- BiCE Sky Bar
- Lock Stock and Barrell
- Inner City Zoo
- Stereo Arcade
- Bar 44
- Buddha Bar
Overall Jumeirah Beach would struggle to be beaten for nightlife by most other areas in Dubai. Many tourists flock to this area for the buzzing nightlife overlooking the glistening water of Souk Madinat and the Arabian Ocean.
Verdict: Jumeirah Beach
Accessibility & Proximity to Other Areas
It’s one thing choosing the best area to stay in Dubai for your needs but another considering other local areas to explore.
The perfect match would be to find the best area for you, whilst also being in close proximity to major transport links and other fantastic areas in Dubai.
One of the most obvious ways to get around Dubai is by using taxi’s. You will find taxi’s in their plenty around both area’s and the cost of transport is generally cheap compared to most other area’s around the world due to the low cost of fuel in Dubai.
However, if you want to save more money to spend on excursions and the like, we recommend using the bus, tram and metro.
JBR is within walking distance of DMCC Metro Station at Dubai Marina and there are also bus routes too.
Jumeirah Beach area in Umm Suqeim has bus routes to other parts of the city, however the Dubai Metro is too far away to walk.
JBR to Other Major Areas of Dubai
| Destination | Mode of Transport | Duration |
| Dubai Marina | Walking Distance | 10min |
| Madinat Jumeirah | Bus | 33min |
| Palm Jumeirah | Tram & Palm Monorail | 48min |
| Downtown Dubai | Metro | 42min |
| Deira | Metro | 56min |
| Dubai Airport | Metro | 66min |
Jumeirah Beach to Other Major Areas of Dubai
| Destination | Mode of Transport | Duration |
| Dubai Marina | Bus | 29min |
| Palm Jumeirah | Bus & Palm Monorail | 48min |
| Downtown Dubai | Bus & Metro | 49min |
| Deira | Bus | 65min |
| Dubai Airport | Bus & Metro | 75min |
If you want to use the cheap and fast Dubai Metro from the Jumeirah Beach area then you will need to grab a short bus ride first. This is can be inconvenient. JBR is within walking distance of another major area, Dubai Marina and the metro is also a short stroll away.
Tip: We always use Rome2Rio.com when looking for transport options and costs.
Verdict: JBR
So, JBR or Jumeirah Beach?
Based on Location, Beach, Things to do, Hotels, Nightlife and Proximity to other local area’s; we found JBR to be the best place to stay over the Jumeirah Beach (Madinat Jumeirah) area.
JBR took most rounds quite comfortably on the aspects we considered but this doesn’t mean that a stay in the Madinat Jumeirah area is not recommended. If you’re looking for fine hotels and cuisine that is also a little quieter than JBR, then you should definitely consider Jumeirah Beach.
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