XVA Art Hotel

An old house turned gallery

XVA Art Hotel is the only hotel Sabaro has chosen in Dubai that occupies an old house. The building was once home to the Seddiqi family, known in Dubai as the city's Rolex dealers; Mona Hauser transformed it with artist and designer friends. It opened in 2003, first as an art-minded salon, a place to spend the day that also happened to have rooms for the night.

The hotel still has both sides. By day, artists, visitors and neighbourhood regulars settle into the courtyards to work or drink a mint lemonade; in the evening the house goes back to its fifteen rooms. According to its website, it was named "Boutique Hotel of the Year" at the 2018 Leaders in Hospitality Awards and Dubai's "Most Stylish Boutique Hotel" in 2024.

Al Fahidi, Dubai's oldest quarter

The hotel stands in the heart of Al Fahidi, formerly Bastakiya, an old merchants' district on the Creek. You explore it on foot, through a maze of lanes lined with sand-coloured houses topped by wind towers, the barjeel: open-sided chimneys that catch the breeze to cool the rooms below. The XVA house has three.

From the door you can walk to the Creek, the abra landing (the public boat that crosses to Deira for 1 dirham), Al Fahidi souk and the Al Seef promenade. The rest of the area's sights are on the Old Dubai page.

If you take photos around the quarter, bear in mind that in the UAE photographing or sharing images of strike damage, debris or the security situation is a criminal offence; see the regional situation guide.

Art in every room

XVA Gallery shows artists from the region and hangs selected pieces around the hotel and café. Every room has its own décor, inspired by the colours and history of the neighbourhood, and features work by the gallery's artists. A boutique sells handmade homeware, jewellery and clothing by local artisans.

Three sizes of room

The fifteen rooms are set around the shaded courtyards. All have an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, a ceiling fan, a minibar and a safe. They are small. The Single Room suits a solo traveller, the Standard Room a couple who values character over space. Our pick: the Superior Room, whose outdoor seating area makes up for the small interior.

The vegetarian café

XVA Café serves Middle Eastern-inspired vegetarian and vegan food: mains, salads, soups and desserts, served in the courtyards. It is open daily from 7 am to 10 pm, local time. It is the hotel's only place to eat; for dinner, the restaurants of Al Seef and the Creek are a few minutes away.

Sabaro's view

Who it suits: art and architecture lovers, solo travellers and couples, and visitors who want to sleep in the real old Dubai for two or three nights.

Strengths: an original wind-tower house; the gallery and art in every room; quiet courtyards; a score of 9.1/10 on Booking.com (286 reviews); a rate of around €180 a night for two, checked in October 2026 for March 2027, taxes and fees included according to the booking site, with a possible per-night tourism fee on top.

Good to know: rooms of 12 to 17 m²; the hotel's website describes neither a pool nor a spa; vegetarian food only. For the beach, plan a second stop on the Jumeirah or Palm Jumeirah coast.

A more comfortable neighbour: Al Seef Heritage Hotel, a few minutes away, has larger rooms and pool access, in a district rebuilt in the old style. For more ideas around museums and heritage, see the Museums and culture theme.