The thought of a weekend spent in the heart of the city wouldn’t normally appeal to be, I have to be honest. However I had the opportunity to check out Vida hotel in Downtown Dubai, and as one of my favourite meeting, coffee and breakfast spots in the area, I couldn’t resist the chance to review the rooms.

The 156 room hotel has an enviable location opposite Dubai Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Burj Khalifa. In anticipating the needs of the guests with creative and innovative solutions, the upscale boutique hotel stands heads and shoulders above the other four star hotels in town. I particularly like the check-in performed via iPad while you sit and drink tea in the lounge. The in-room technology is also impressive. As a paperless hotel, all in-room functionality is performed through a remote, which is a cross between a tv remote, iPhone and Wii controller; from here you can watch tv, go online, order room service, arrange laundry and make any requests. I tested this and am pleased to say that the response was immediate and thorough.

The location is perfect if you fancy an easy stroll over to Dubai Mall or the fountains, however in the evening, I can guarantee you wont want to leave the poolside; with a live DJ, fantastic ambience, and the sweet smell of shisha, it’s the ultimate relaxing, or romantic, venue (depending on the company!)

Breakfast by the pool at 3in1 is already a favourite of mine, for the simple, tasty and creatively presented food, as well as the wide array of delicious healthy options (not offered enough by hotels in Dubai), and I sat for a couple of hours here enjoying the beautiful weather on this visit.

The piece de la resistance however is the brunch, or the Urban Picnic to be more precise. ‘Grass’ is laid around the pool and you collect your hamper when you enter, which you can then fill as many times as you like with a multitude of gorgeous menu items, from tasty fresh sandwiches and baguettes, to made-to-order pizzas and rustic jars of salads. This is complimented by buckets of seafood, meat and/or veggies which are brought to your table/cabana, meanwhile the dessert table groans under a deliciously sinful table of naughtiness. Little cakes, scones and freshly baked cookies compete with the neighbouring cheese table, perfectly partnered with an unexpectedly large choice of fresh honeys, jams and spreads. The help-yourself display of wines enables diners to take the bottles back to their picnic spot and complete the experience in comfort.

I have to say that despite my break being taken in one of the busiest parts of Dubai, I left the hotel feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, without the usual guilt that accompanies the over indulgence of a hotel stay, and as such I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a creative and convenient space to breathe in Downtown Dubai.