Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai

The Sheraton Grand Hotel, Dubai is a large city hotel for divers who want a practical base with plenty happening under the same roof. Its 51 floors and 654 rooms put you in the middle of Dubai rather than beside a quiet resort strip, which suits a trip that mixes diving, restaurants, shopping and the occasional business appointment.

English is spoken by the hotel team, alongside Arabic, Chinese, Hindi and Russian. That matters when you are checking a transfer, sorting out a room request or trying to explain that the minibar has become unexpectedly important after a day in the heat. The hotel also has 24-hour reception, free Wi-Fi throughout and air conditioning.

The address is on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, around 2.5 miles from the city centre. The World Trade Centre and Dubai Mall are nearby, while Jumeira Open Beach gives you a route towards the coast rather than keeping you permanently surrounded by towers.

J1 Beach is a short distance from the hotel, with sun loungers, parasols, showers, changing rooms and a beach bar. The airport is around 5 miles away, so the transfer is a relatively short final leg once you have escaped the aircraft and its air-conditioning lottery.

The room choice is broad enough to fit more than the usual one-bed city break. Couples can keep things straightforward with a double room, while twin rooms make sense when two divers want separate beds and no diplomatic summit before breakfast. Club rooms, suites and apartments add space and a different level of room setup, with family connecting rooms and apartments for groups of up to six.

For a family or a group travelling together, the two- and three-bedroom apartments are the useful options: separate bedrooms mean that early starts do not have to become a team sport. A two-bedroom apartment with a Sheikh Zayed view adds the city outside, while the family suite and connecting room options keep everyone close without putting four people into one standard room.

The practical details are well suited to a diving day. Rooms have air conditioning, a private bathroom, television, minibar, refrigerator, bathrobes, slippers and toiletries, with soundproofed rooms available. Suites add touches such as a safe, telephone and towels, and room service runs around the clock. The exact equipment varies by category, so check the room card rather than assuming that every room comes with the same setup.

Three food outlets cover the day. Feast serves international cuisine from breakfast through dinner, with interactive stations built around grilled, glazed and roasted dishes. It is the sensible all-rounder when nobody at the table can agree on the same continent.

Two Birds One Stone brings Australian cooking to a rooftop setting beside the pool. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and its day runs from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, taking you from Bondi-style café food through to sunset drinks and dinner. &More by Sheraton is the hotel café, built around freshly brewed coffee and baked treats for a smaller appetite or a less formal stop.

Breakfast comes as a buffet or à la carte, from 6:30 am. There is also a bar, a snack bar and 24-hour room service, while breakfast can be served in your room. Meal arrangements range from room only to breakfast included, half-board, full-board and all-inclusive, depending on the booking.

The outdoor pool gives you somewhere to cool down without leaving the hotel, with pool towels available and a sun terrace for those who prefer their recovery horizontal. Two Birds One Stone sits by the pool, so moving from water to lunch does not require a complicated expedition through Dubai.

Soul Wellness Spa occupies the 52nd floor, with views over Sheikh Zayed Road and both old and new Dubai. Its menu includes massages, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud baths and body wraps. In other words, there is a credible plan for the day when your legs have had enough of fins.

The fitness facilities include a gym and fitness equipment, while yoga is also available. A library, garden, terrace and barbecue areas provide quieter alternatives, and the hotel can arrange excursions through its tourist assistance service. Families have access to babysitting and a children’s pool.

Check-in runs from 3:00 pm and check-out is at noon. Reception stays open around the clock, with express check-in and check-out available. Early arrival and late departure can be arranged on request. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms, and the minimum check-in age is 18.

An airport transfer service and shuttle service are available, and parking is offered at the hotel. A concierge can help with practical arrangements, while luggage storage, laundry, dry cleaning, ironing and an on-site medical service are available for the jobs that do not belong in your dive bag. Car hire is also available through the hotel.

The hotel accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal and bank transfer. The building has lifts and accessible facilities, including a restaurant accessible to wheelchair users. Pets are not admitted.

The hotel is certified Green Key. Its environmental measures include a self-sustaining bottled-water system and a purified drinking-water tap in every hotel apartment, designed to reduce single-use waste.

That is a useful detail for a diver: drinking water is available in the accommodation without turning every arrival from the beach or the boat into a hunt for another plastic bottle.