For its 10th hotel and its first new opening in more than a decade, the Dorchester Collection has resurfaced with a bang. Also its first hotel in the Middle East, The Lana is housed within one half of a striking interconnected building bridged by the Lana Promenade – a central podium for shops and restaurants – by Foster + Partners. Perched on the vibrant Marasi Bay Marina beside Downtown Dubai, the hotel unfolds over 30 floors to include 225 rooms and suites, the first Dior Spa in the UAE, and eight drinking and dining venues including High Society, the rooftop bar and restaurant with and infinity pool and sweeping desert and cityscape views.
Discover The Lana – Dorchester Collection
Inside, Paris-based studio Gilles & Boissier took its cues from Dubai’s desert landscape as well as the rich fusion of cultures within the UAE while staying true to the Dorchester brand. The result is decidedly understated and feminine, its low-key earthy tones of sandy beiges, warm terracotta and dusty browns elevated by pink hues, a collection of striking artwork, subtly concealed lighting, and sumptuous natural materials – like the elevators that are lined with marble and padded, fluted pink leather walls – that provide touch points throughout the hotel.
Each of the public spaces has a standout design element. For example, the rooftop has a seductive staircase that cantilevers over the infinity pool – which wraps around the edge of the building – while the lobby is revealed through architectural elements like angled ceilings, cornices, arches and curves that provide a deep and characterful base for visual components like the pink alabaster walls and a dramatic wax casting in bronze honeycomb sculpture by British artist Sophie Coryndon. Here, organically shaped furnishings are arranged in intimate groups, where guests and visitors gather for a menu of light bites and afternoon tea, while to one side, a small low-lit 20-seater bar called Bitter Honey serves tableside cocktails from a trolley against a backdrop of handsome timber wall panels.
Outside, ensconced by greenery and woven parasols, The Veranda is an open-air lush garden bar with a menu of tapas and Levantine-influenced dishes. While elsewhere, the 12 Michelin-star chef Martín Berasategui sends out wood fire-cooked dishes such as the San Sebastian-style spider crab stew that nod to his native Basque country. At Riviera by Jean Imbert – an airy indoor-outdoor Mediterranean restaurant – pretty plates like the signature tuna tartare or the lamb chops with ragu stuffed vegetables are served against views of Dubai’s skyline.
This all comes together as a perfect balance for the tranquil rooms. Each with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies that mostly look out onto views of the Burj Khalifa, it’s at sunset when they most come alive, the warm glow highlighting details like the beaded wall panels, velvet upholstered curved furnishings, and pink marble bedside tables. Plump for the one of the Junior Suites which has a bath with a view, or a Duplex Suite, where a striking marble staircase is offset by a melody of soft tones and textures. And if you can tear yourself away, the gorgeous spa features a long mirrored corridor with brass accents that leads off to five treatment rooms and one couples suite, each with their own light-filled relaxation areas with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the views outside. Here, treatments focus on fitness and movement and range from exclusive offerings such as Dior Stone Therapy to D-sculpt, which uses various techniques to firm and slim.
The Lana – Dorchester Collection is located at Marasi Dr, Business Bay, Dubai, dorchestercollection.com
