Plane Spotting Dubai

are now considered by many to offer the best views for Dubai Airport as well as offering good value. The apartments are located a couple of blocks away from the Sheraton Deira, they are set back further from the approach/climb out which enables a more side on perspective of aircraft for photography purposes. Ask for an high floor apartment (501 is excellent) facing the airport and you are all set. Each apartment has a large balcony where you can sit outside and discretely watch the movements go by. Flight Radar 24 is useful for monitoring movements after dark, or for movements not overflying the hotel. Room 609 is reported as excellent (a 2 bedroomed apartment). It has a very large balcony overlooking the airport with the bonus that there is no balcony above you meaning that you get a great view of the many overflights in the area. Room 601 should have the same views as 609 with no balcony above.

Below is a list of rooms with views towards the airport, you ideally need floor 5 or above to get the elevation to see the majority of parking stands. Please note that unless stated otherwise the rooms below with airport views are 2 bedroomed apartments.

Great location and great weather! A cheap supermarket can be found directly across the road from the apartments. Across the road from the apartments you will find the Al Kabayl discount centre which is the equivalent of an European supermarket which stocks food and drink at very reasonable prices. The apartments do not have a shuttle bus, therefore you are looking at a taxi ride from the airport (around £7) or the airport metro to Union Station followed by the metro to Abu Baker Al Siddique station which is then only a 5 minute walk to the apartments.

The large Deira Shopping Mall is only a short walk away, if you are not adventurous they have a great London Fish and Chip outlet which compares very well to those found in the Uk!

The hotel can be booked on the website of  Booking.com

Please help support our site. We are constantly checking the links for hotels to find the best price offered for our readers. If the price on this site is the best quote you receive, please help us by booking your hotel from the link provided as we receive a small commission payment from the hotel. This helps contribute to the running costs of this site enabling us to continue to offer a great service.

Note : A recent report reported that spotters had been arrested on the rooftop pool area by local police. Whilst the views over the airport are great from the rooms mentioned below, we recommend that photography and spotting is not carried out on the rooftop pool.

 In the same block as the Nojoum apartment, offset from the approach to Runway 30R

A rooftop pool area with views out onto the airport from a similar angle as the Nojoum. Whilst further offset from the old Sheraton airport, traffic can be clearly seen. The pool area is understood to be open between 0700-2100. High level rooms to the front of the hotel have good views over to the airport, as well as the climb out/approach to runway 30R

Report From Andy Kelley : always stayed at the grand excelsior ( Sheraton Diera) when I visit Dubai but with reading so many negative reports over the last year I decided to give the Hilton garden inn a try and im NOT disappointed, pre booked room 405 24 hours before. On arrival at check in I was greeted by a lovely guy who told me room 702 was a great room for spotting from and so here I am in room 702, fantastic views of the airport, all arrivals and departures can be seen but you will need sbs or FR24 to tie everything up. Rooms are typical Hilton, nice and spacious, clean and with all the mod cons, coffee, tea, kettle etc. buffet breakfast is available and is very good with a wide selection of hot and cold foods, its on offer at the moment at 30 dirhams ( around £6), evening meals I ordered room service, a nice salad and a big burger for around £25. Roof top pool has even better views but it does get hot up there and theres not a lot of shade, there is a massive supermarket right opposite the hotel where you can get all your drinks and snacks, it looks like this is going to be my number 1 choice now everytime I visit Dubai. They really welcome spotters here and go out there way to accommodate you. My only concern is I hope it doesn’t go the same way as the grand excelsior, lets look after this hotel.

Report from Geoffrey Lee : Just got back from the Hilton Garden Inn Dubai Al Muraqabat , this must be now one of the best Hotels to spot from . Rooms that over look the airport are 401 to 403 , 501 to 503 , 601 to 603 and 701 to 703 , the pool area looks right down both runways and also you can see both of terminal , the pool staff are great . I think this will be a great if not better place then the Grand Excelsior Hotel Deira as long as we plane spotters do not take over the pool area as it small .One of the pool boys actually read off the aircraft for me!

If you are looking to make your own travel arrangements please click on Booking.com to be taken directly to the hotel information page. Please help support our site. We are constantly checking the links for hotels to find the best price offered for our readers. If the price on this site is the best quote you receive, please help us by booking your hotel from the link provided as we receive a small commission payment from the hotel. This helps contribute to the running costs of this site enabling us to continue to offer a great service.

Plane Spotting Hotels are also pleased to have entered a partnership with an ATOL approved travel agency which specialises in packages for plane spotters (your travel consultant is a fellow aviation enthusiast who understands your needs). An independent travel agency can often find you better deals for your hotels as they can access travel agents exclusive deals, especially when packaged in with flights or car hire as many suppliers offer further discounts. 

Quote The Plane Spotting Hotels website when contacting the NOT JUST TRAVEL WEBSITE and you will be dealt with by the Plane Spotting Travel Expert who can assist you with all aspects of planning your trip.

Note : This Hotel is now receiving extremely negative reports from recent visits to the point that we can no longer recommend it suitable for the viewing of aircraft. The hotel have introduced strict rules regarding the viewing of aircraft, to the point that cameras and binoculars are banned. There have even been reports that people have been stopped from using laptops and ipads displaying Flight Radar 24.

Additionally, the roof top bar area has been operated as an all night nightclub recently causing reports of night long loud music in the rooms which used to be favored for spotting. We believe that there are now better options for the enthusiast in the Nojoum, Hilton Garden Inn and Premier Inn Hotel.

Rooms ending in 10-15 will also give views of the approach/climb out.

There are rooms with distant views of the airport/approach and climb out. Ask for a high level airport facing room. All Airport facing rooms have king sized beds only for may not be suitable for groups.

Expect to be hassled on the rooftop pool area if you try to view the traffic from up here.

If you are looking to make your own travel arrangements please click on Booking.com to be taken directly to the hotel information page. Please help support our site. We are constantly checking the links for hotels to find the best price offered for our readers. If the price on this site is the best quote you receive, please help us by booking your hotel from the link provided as we receive a small commission payment from the hotel. This helps contribute to the running costs of this site enabling us to continue to offer a great service.

Plane Spotting Hotels are also pleased to have entered a partnership with an ATOL approved travel agency which specialises in packages for plane spotters (your travel consultant is a fellow aviation enthusiast who understands your needs). An independent travel agency can often find you better deals for your hotels as they can access travel agents exclusive deals, especially when packaged in with flights or car hire as many suppliers offer further discounts. 

Quote The Plane Spotting Hotels website when contacting the NOT JUST TRAVEL WEBSITE and you will be dealt with by the Plane Spotting Travel Expert who can assist you with all aspects of planning your trip.

 If you do get a good airport facing room you will get the majority of traffic which moves, although Flight radar 24 is needed for anything not taxing around the back of terminal 3 (around 2/3 of the traffic). The hotel is only a short free shuttle bus ride away from the terminal, where if brave you can discretely view from the cafe in the terminal, or the Emirates headquarters Costa Coffee balcony (strictly no cameras and binoculars at the Emirates HQ).

The ground floor level of the hotel has a Costa Coffee with an associated outdoor patio area where similar views as to those described above can be had in an outdoor setting when the weather is cooler. Note the bizz jet aprons can not be seen from this hotel.

Report Credit from Paul Moiser Below:

On arrival at the Premier Inn I was allocated as per my request for an airport view and I was given room 412. The room is a decent size with one large bed and a small sofa in the corner next to the window. There’s everything you need in the room from a mini-bar to to a kettle and work desk etc as well as free wifi.

 

The views from this room are excellent! you can see the approach to runway 30L and departures can easily be seen as they roll-out in between a large gap between the terminals. With my scope I’ve been able to read off those taxiing-out as well as the movements taxiing in to the gates facing the hotel. Also directly outside this room there’s a large window which offers views looking further down the terminal. Again those parked on these gates can easily be read off. From this window you can also see climb-outs, so if you miss anything rolling in between the large gap between the terminals all you have to do is leave your room and you will see what you’ve missed climbing out. 

 

The hotel has a large rooftop pool area and from the pool you can see a few gates on T3. Arrivals can also be seen. Departures can be seen once airborne. For the best views base yourself at the furthest end of the pool where you can monitor all movements. SBS/FR24 is required for arrivals, some departures are readable on climb-out with a good scope-bins. Those parked on the gates directly facing the hotel can easily be read off. The free wifi works fine on the roof also. I’ve spent most of today on the roof at the Premier Inn chillin in the hot sun. The staff here have been very pleasant, the lads that I’ve seen working today have seen me using my scope and camera and they’ve said nothing apart from wishing me a good afternoon.

There’s a decent size pub which serves food. I ate here this afternoon and then this evening I went back down and enjoyed a couple of cold beers. There’s also a 24hr Starbucks adjacent to the pub which has an outdoor seating area. From here you can see departures, and you can also see the large gap between the terminals

Here’s a bit more info on the Premier Inn. This evening on the way back from the pub downstairs I noticed a couple of rooms which were open so I went in and had a look and both had views of the gates on T1 and T3 as well as a view of the active runways and taxiways in between the large gap between the terminals. Rooms on this row with confirmed views are 402/4/6/8/410/ (412 which I’m in) and 414. 491 also has views offering a similar view. The same applies to rooms on the 3rd floor, so 302/4/6 etc etc… Obviously the 4th floor being the highest will be slightly better than the 3rd floor views.

 

For the photographer the window in the room opens out enough to put your lens through. In last nights report I gave info on the views from the pool etc. This evening I ate again downstairs in the English pub which is called Mr Toad. Again as mentioned in last nights report you can monitor the movements from the pubs outdoor smoking area with the use of FR24. 

If you are looking to make your own travel arrangements please click on Booking.com to be taken directly to the hotel information page. Please help support our site. We are constantly checking the links for hotels to find the best price offered for our readers. If the price on this site is the best quote you receive, please help us by booking your hotel from the link provided as we receive a small commission payment from the hotel. This helps contribute to the running costs of this site enabling us to continue to offer a great service.

Plane Spotting Hotels are also pleased to have entered a partnership with an ATOL approved travel agency which specialises in packages for plane spotters (your travel consultant is a fellow aviation enthusiast who understands your needs). An independent travel agency can often find you better deals for your hotels as they can access travel agents exclusive deals, especially when packaged in with flights or car hire as many suppliers offer further discounts. 

Quote The Plane Spotting Hotels website when contacting the NOT JUST TRAVEL WEBSITE and you will be dealt with by the Plane Spotting Travel Expert who can assist you with all aspects of planning your trip.

Another view of the Bravo gates seen from the hotel. Credit  Tripadvisor 

If you are looking to make your own travel arrangements please click on Booking.com to be taken directly to the hotel information page. Please help support our site. We are constantly checking the links for hotels to find the best price offered for our readers. If the price on this site is the best quote you receive, please help us by booking your hotel from the link provided as we receive a small commission payment from the hotel. This helps contribute to the running costs of this site enabling us to continue to offer a great service

Plane Spotting Hotels are also pleased to have entered a partnership with an ATOL approved travel agency which specialises in packages for plane spotters (your travel consultant is a fellow aviation enthusiast who understands your needs). An independent travel agency can often find you better deals for your hotels as they can access travel agents exclusive deals, especially when packaged in with flights or car hire as many suppliers offer further discounts. 

Quote The Plane Spotting Hotels website when contacting the NOT JUST TRAVEL WEBSITE and you will be dealt with by the Plane Spotting Travel Expert who can assist you with all aspects of planning your trip.