The one and only (so far) hotel in Expo 2020 (now called Expo City), Rove Expo 2020 Hotel was our venue for a night to celebrate a friend's birthday. A budget and family-friendly 3-star hotel, is Rove Expo 2020 Hotel worth the hype?
Rove Expo 2020 Hotel Location
At the heart of the Expo City stands the famous Al Wasl Dome. The Rove Expo 2020 will be found at one of the corners of Al Wasl Dome along Horizon Avenue which connects you straight to the Dubai Metro.
To reach the hotel, you may take your car comfortably and get lost in the many parking spots in Expo City. Or you can take the Dubai Metro's Red Line and get off at the last station named Expo 2020 (heading South). From there, the hotel can be reached by walking for less than 10 minutes. A buggy ride is also available as a free ride (pick up and drop off) with no exact timing.
Hotel Property
A chain of 3-star hotels, Rove Expo 2020 provides an above-average quality of service. Apart from the usual stuff such as a restaurant, a reception, a swimming pool, a fitness center, etc., there are additional facilities which you would not normally expect. Let's check it out, shall we?
Rooms
Booked the Rover Room, which is the hotel's standard room, the sleek design speaks volumes. With lush white linens and earth tones for the furniture and the curtains, the design is a contemporary style that appeals to the taste of the traveling generation.
Decent and spacious size for a standard room, it comes with a mini-bar (though it's empty) and tea/coffee-making amenities, a squeaky clean bathroom and shower (no bath tub), and a weirdly-shaped balcony. The balcony is nice to have, I'm not a fan though. Not with its weird cut nor its angle and view.
Facilities and Common Areas
Compared to my stay in Rove Downtown a few years back (which is a different story and I wasn't documenting all my adventures at that time), I'm happy I explored every nook and cranny of Rove Expo 2020.
Not only are there entertainment options for kids and kids at heart such as video games, table soccer, and indoor golf putting, but what surprised me the most are those that go beyond the extra mile.
A laundry area and a locker area? I've only experienced them outside the UAE. I'm surprised that a 3-star hotel chain in Dubai is catching up on the trend!
There are also co-working spaces on the ground floor including meeting rooms for collaborations and focus booths for your one-on-one calls. I don't know if bookings are required but heck it's a brilliant idea! And the ice dispenser on every floor? Or the FREE LEMONADE for the delivery guys 'heroes'? Take my money and these are the brands I'd support!
For the Dining Options, there's only The Daily the all-day restaurant, and the Lounge where you can grab finger foods and snacks and of course alcoholic drinks.
Rove Expo 2020 Hotel Cost (CUE = BOOKED ON A FLASH SALE!)
I was an avid fan of Booking.com but this time we booked directly from the hotel during the famous 99 AED flash sale (base fare not including taxes). The famous flash sale applies to any Rove Hotel but on limited rooms only. It was my friend who booked the room and I have no copy of the receipt but here's the screenshot from our planning stage:
We were planning to stay in Healthcare City first hence the screenshot but luck is not on our side so we ended up in Expo 2020. We paid a total of AED 263 for two rooms including taxes and tourism fees. Not bad! Where will you find a deal as such?
Conclusion
Despite seeing the Expo 2020 a little empty which is a different feeling, my friends and I had a blast during our stay. All the happy memories I had in Expo 2020 flashed before me. And even if I knew that they would not happen again, it's nice to have a place where you can go back to relive the memories. That is the Rove Expo 2020 hotel.
I wouldn't say it's the best hotel out there and it's also not the most accessible for backpackers and tourists who want to explore the city, but the hotel is an affordable place you can go to for a city break. It won't break the bank and the service and facility are satisfactory. Worthy of value I must say, so go ahead and book yours!
Ready for a budget staycation in Dubai? Check it out from Rove Expo 2020's official website or Booking.com!
