The Rove Hotels format arrived on our shores in 2019 as a price-conscious but fun alternative for travellers seeking to enjoy Dubai without blowing their budget.
Ten properties have since opened around the city and the homegrown brand recently extended its laid-back appeal to Ras Al Khaimah.
Rove Al Marjan Island is a 441-room beachfront hotel that readily caters to couples, families and digital nomads who crave vibrancy and price over frills and formality.
The welcome
The vehicle entrance arrives suddenly on the main island road and opens on to a short drive and a spacious car park.
Rovers – as guests are playfully referred to – can drop their luggage and passengers in front of the lobby or go straight to self-parking and wheel their bags across.
We chose the latter on spotting a coach arrive. However, it’s an immediate glimpse of Rove’s refreshing less-fuss format, something echoed when we venture unaccompanied to the lifts after a swift and friendly check-in.
The room
Not really fans of an unnecessary curated room introduction, my wife and I find our way along a colourful corridor to our fifth floor, sea-facing accommodation.
Breezy but formulaic designs prevail in Rove hotels, from licence-plate-style room numbers to the digs themselves.
An open wardrobe and storage area flanks a comfy bed, opposite a widescreen TV that features seemingly every news channel except the BBC or CNN.
There’s no robe, but additional amenities such as extra pillows, shaving kits and an ironing board can be requested. There is, however, a fridge and an invigorating rain shower.
Rove loves an inspirational message as well as seaside-inspired artwork. “The beach is not just a place, it’s a feeling,” the wall above our bed reveals.
The food
Rove regulars will be familiar with the brand’s main dining option, The Daily.
The venue for breakfast, lunch and dinner is spacious, but eclectic decor and furniture and smart layout lends it an almost intimate feel.
Primarily buffet-orientated, guests can choose a la carte – although it was suggested on our arrival that only the former was available, only for ordered dishes to land on nearby tables.
The organic sea bass (Dh99) and acacia chicken club sandwich (Dh71) looked promising, however, and serendipity meant buffet access to the finest paneer jalfrezi I’ve sampled in a while, with salads of pumpkin and squash, plus quinoa with molasses also shining. Grilled fish with beurre blanc and beef shashlik also proved a hit on our table, as did refreshing soft drinks named Floral Fall and Sunrise Surprise.
Day-time snacks and refreshments can also be had from the Rove Beachside Truck and the Pool Bar, which offers a great selection of food including a tomato flatbread (Dh57) substantial enough for sharing.
If you crave further evening options, you’re a short walk from food trucks on the island promenade and F&B at neighbouring hotels.
The breakfast scene
Open only since in April, Rove Al Marjan Island staff seemingly have had to hit the ground running. Not least at the busiest breakfast session we’ve witnessed in a while.
Everyone seems to find a table, however, before heading to a buffet that includes a decent fruit and salad selection, baked goodies and hot options such as ful medames, scrambled eggs and sausages.
Guests can also order one item each from a menu that includes basil and rhubarb bircher muesli and mango lavender waffles. We can vouch for the semi-dried tomato-powered Mediterranean omelette and a decadent acai super jar that includes agave, basil seeds, almond butter, passion fruit and mint concasse. No shakshuka here (as previously swooned over at Rove La Mer), but the buffet does yield croissant and blueberry bake, a revelation washed down with TWG tea.
Accessibility and sustainability
Plenty of ramps in to and out of the hotel, across to the pool and through to the beach make this Rove very friendly towards wheelchair users.
And the property’s sustainability credentials are evident with its “hang your towel to reuse” messaging in the bathroom and leave-behind shampoo and shower gels – plus its use of refillable glass water bottles with a label announcing “plastic ain’t fantastic”.
The Rove’s adherence to Ras Al Khaimah’s Green Building Regulations includes composting all food waste.
Hotel facilities
The main pool immediately stands out. A sensible rectangle, generous in relation to the hotel, it is lined with plenty of loungers and shallow enough for supervised children to enjoy.
The beach is a few steps away with a buoy rope boundary to keep jet-skiers and other water sporting folk a safe distance from swimmers.
There’s a quieter area with double loungers and cabanas to one side of the main pool zone. On the other side, a big screen shows movies and sports on a grassy area soundtracked by a DJ operating evenings out of a VW camper van, occasionally joined by a fire poi performer.
Another nice – and practical touch – is a significant luggage storage area, each unit bearing the name of an area in RAK, and beyond.
Beside this is one of two fitness areas. Inside features plenty of new Life Fitness equipment while outside there’s a Woodsman Fitness “Jungle Gym”, a Flintstones-style workout area with wooden weights and more.
The co-working space – typical of Rove hotels – is blessed with natural light and busy with digital nomads, some possibly making use of Rove’s monthly stay deals.
Family-friendly factor
Younger Rovers were evidently part of the brief when designers pondered RAK Rove, from surfboard-adapted pool showers to the strong use of colour throughout.
There’s a dedicated indoor play area with TV and soft toys, and a soft-play zone outside beside a small, family-only pool.
Value for money
Rove Al Marjan Island combines good value with a fun vibe. A sea view room for Dh474 ($132), including taxes, for up to three people is hard to beat for a fresh property with direct beach access and a generous pool in one of the hottest real estate locations in the UAE – all close to the emerging Wynn resort.
Check-in is from 4pm (earlier if pre-booked) and check-out is at 2pm.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the resort and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future
