Holiday Inn Express Dubai Safa Park by IHG

Holiday Inn Express Dubai Safa Park by IHG

Dubai, UAE

View on Booking.com
Questionable
Smoke smell, small rooms
52%
Low confidence.
Based on 233 detailed reviews.
Score-only reviews are excluded.

A persistent smoke odor seeps through hallways and non-smoking rooms, and a recurring musty/damp smell has been flagged by multiple guests. Rooms are genuinely small and aging infrastructure shows — but the location, staff, and cleanliness keep the majority of guests happy enough to recommend it.

🚩 Red Flags

Musty or unpleasant room odor (possible humidity/damp)
high
Mentioned 4 times, last 1 month ago
There was a smell in our room — same smell in the other room too. I noticed it was all over the hotel.

There was a smell in our room. They did air freshener but the smell didn't leave. I asked to change the room but the same smell was present. I noticed it was all over the hotel.

1 month ago·ae·Score: 7/10

The room has an unpleasant smell.

1 month ago·ae·Score: 6/10

Stinky room odor. Beds, linen sheets, towels were unhygienic, quite small rooms filled without proper housekeeping.

1 month ago·sa·Score: 1/10

Strong humidity smell throughout most of the hotel, especially since there are no windows that open.

5 months ago·il·Score: 5/10
Small rooms and aging infrastructure
high
Mentioned 7 times, last 1 month ago
Room sizes are very small. The price of the room for this size is too high.

Room sizes are very small. I was told by the receptionist that all rooms are the same size, which was true, but the price for this size is too high.

1 month ago·ae·Score: 7/10

The accommodations are old, with carpets. On arrival we had to change rooms as the carpet was wet. Windows do not open.

2 months ago·br·Score: 8/10

The furniture is getting on in years. Only one power outlet available. Through the adjoining door you could hear everything from the next room.

5 months ago·de·Score: 8/10
Windows cannot be opened — poor ventilation
high
Mentioned 5 times, last 1 month ago
You can't open the windows, which is the worst part.

You can't open the windows, which is the worst part.

4 months ago·cz·Score: 6/10

Windows don't open. When we turned on the ventilation the room got cold; without it, we were stuffy. Heating wasn't working either.

5 months ago·tr·Score: 8/10

Windows don't open.

5 months ago·kz·Score: 7/10
Noise — road traffic and thin walls between rooms
high
Mentioned 4 times, last 2 months ago
A bit noisy room.

Some noise from the road in my room, not enough clean air.

4 months ago·sk·Score: 7/10

At first night I encountered noise from the adjacent room — it is easily heard.

2 months ago·tr·Score: 8/10

Sometimes it was a bit noisy — one night they were doing repairs with hammering at midnight.

5 months ago·cl·Score: 8/10
Cigarette smoke smell in non-smoking rooms and hallways
high
Mentioned 5 times, last 2 months ago
Cigarette smoke fills all hallway. Very poor breakfast.

Cigarette smoke fills all hallway. Very poor breakfast, very very poor.

6 months ago·us·Score: 1/10

We requested non-smoking rooms. We can smell smoking from the toilets — coming from the other rooms.

2 months ago·ae·Score: 6/10

Smoking room. The smell was on the whole floor! I hate this smell — it was totally a disaster for me.

5 months ago·cy·Score: 8/10

Despite there being a smoking area, it was possible to smell cigarette smoke in the non-smoking room.

2 months ago·br·Score: 8/10

The smell of cigarette smoke in the corridors and room.

4 months ago·co·Score: 10/10
No water in bathroom (infrastructure failure)
high
Mentioned 1 time, last 4 months ago
In the morning there was no water in the washroom for hours — I had to book another hotel and leave.

In the morning there was no water in the washroom for hours. I had to book another hotel and shift from there.

4 months ago·ae·Score: 2/10
Billing and booking communication issues
medium
Mentioned 3 times, last 1 week ago
I was charged the deposit and the full stay — haven't received the deposit back. Hotel doesn't reply.

I was charged the deposit and the full stay. I haven't received the deposit back. The hotel doesn't reply to messages, emails, or calls.

6 months ago·bh·Score: 1/10

When I arrived, I was informed the booking could not be changed — completely different from what I had been told before my arrival.

3 weeks ago·ke·Score: 1/10

I paid more than the price shown in the booking offer.

1 week ago·qa·Score: 1/10
Breakfast quality inconsistency
medium
Mentioned 10 times, last 1 month ago
Breakfast is horrible! Really horrible.

Breakfast is horrible! Really horrible.

3 months ago·fr·Score: 6/10

Breakfast is not recommended.

6 months ago·ae·Score: 6/10

Breakfast was pathetic. Beds, linen, towels were unhygienic.

1 month ago·sa·Score: 1/10

🙂‍↔️ Avoid if you're...

sensitive to smoke or air quality issuestraveling with young children who need fresh air and a cleana light sleeperexpecting spacious rooms for the price