Dubai, United Arab EmiratesAl Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
XVA Art Hotel
Wind-tower art inn
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Opened
2003
Price
$$
Rated for
Local Design HeritageOutside the door
Wind-tower art inn
A working contemporary gallery doubles as an inn, set around three tree-shaded courtyards cooled by traditional wind towers.
“Owner Mona Hauser has created a remarkable 13-room inn inside the former home of Dubai's Seddiqi family, world-famous luxury watch dealers.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Rooms surround coral stone courtyards beneath wind towers in historic Al Fahidi alleyways.
Notable
Regional artists styled the rooms with beamed ceilings and contemporary Middle Eastern artwork.
Notable
A restored nineteenth-century home of the Seddiqi family, retaining three original wind towers.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
Public spaces, including three delightfully shady courtyards, feature benchmark visual cues by the dozen: palm motifs, curvilinear arches, original wind towers, and elaborately patterned textiles arrest the gaze wherever it falls.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Al Fahidi's pedestrian alleyways wind past historic courtyards and cafes, leading straight to the traditional souqs along Dubai Creek.
The rooms
Rooms have wood-beamed ceilings and stone floors lined with contemporary Middle Eastern art, and deluxe options add private terraces.
Restaurant
XVA Café
Courtyard tables sit beneath fabric canopies, and the kitchen serves plant-based Middle Eastern dishes and signature mint lemonade.
XVA Art Hotel wraps around the three courtyards of the restored 19th-century home of the Seddiqi family, prominent traders who became the emirate’s Rolex dealers.
How it began
The building was once the family home of the Seddiqis, nineteenth-century traders who went on to become Dubai's luxury watch dealers.
Dubai
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.