Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah
A well-run budget city hotel by the creek, with a rooftop pool and no beach at all.
Is Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah worth it?
Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah is a three-star city hotel rather than a beach resort, aimed at travellers who want a cheap, practical base in Ras Al Khaimah city. Rates typically start around AED 150 a night, among the lowest in the emirate. It suits short stays, business trips and anyone using RAK as a launchpad for Jebel Jais, the souq and the museum rather than a place to lie on sand. There is no beach and no resort programme. If your trip is built around a pool and a stretch of Gulf shoreline, book one of the Al Marjan or Al Hamra resorts instead and treat this as a budget fallback.
Almost every hotel covered on this site is a resort. This one is not, and that is the point of including it — sometimes you need a clean room in town for two nights at a fraction of resort pricing.
Judge it on those terms. It is central, it is cheap, it has somewhere to eat and drink, and it puts you closer to the mountain road than any beach resort does.
What makes it special
Genuinely low nightly rates
Among the cheapest hotel rooms in the emirate, which makes it a sensible base if you are out sightseeing all day.
Central city position
Close to Al Naeem and Al Manar malls, the National Museum and the old souq, rather than isolated on a resort strip.
A practical Jebel Jais base
Being in the city rather than on the coast cuts the drive to the mountain road and the zipline.
Food and drink on site
Restaurants and a bar on the property, which is not a given at this price point in the UAE.
Which room should you book?
Views change the stay here more than square metres do — decide between sea, pool and fairway before you compare rates.
Standard Room
The base category — a clean, straightforward room with the essentials and little more. Fine for sleeping between days out; not somewhere you will want to linger.
Twin Room
The same standard in a twin layout, which suits friends sharing or colleagues on a work trip. Confirm bed configuration at the time of booking.
Family Room
A larger room for families on a budget. Check occupancy limits and extra-bed policy directly, as configurations vary.
What you’ll find on-site
- Free Wi-Fi
- Swimming pool
- Restaurants & bars
- On-site parking
A feel for the place
Placeholder photography via Pexels — final imagery to follow.
Where exactly is it?
The hotel sits in Ras Al Khaimah city rather than on the coast, which puts the malls, the National Museum and the old souq within a short drive and shortens the run inland to Jebel Jais. Allow around 70 minutes from Dubai International and roughly 25 minutes from Ras Al Khaimah International.
- Transfers70 min from DXB
- Check-in / out15:00 / 12:00
- Best monthsOct – Apr
What it’s actually like
The best-reviewed budget hotel in Ras Al Khaimah — and it is nowhere near a beach
Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah has 204 rooms on Bin Daher Street in Al Nakheel, beside the creek in the middle of the city. It is run by Citymax Hotels, the mid-market brand of the Landmark Group, and rates start from around AED 220. There is a rooftop pool, a gym, and four food and drink outlets.
The number that makes this page worth writing is the TripAdvisor score: 4.7 out of 5 from 1,091 reviews, ranking it tenth of 38 hotels in Ras Al Khaimah. That places a three-star city hotel above most of the emirate’s four-star resorts on guest satisfaction, at a fraction of their rates. Booking.com guests are less enthusiastic, at 7.6, which is worth holding in mind; the gap usually reflects reviewers who expected more than a budget hotel offers.
The reason to hesitate is simple and non-negotiable. There is no beach, no beach shuttle and no resort. You are buying a clean, well-run, well-located room in a working city, and if your idea of Ras Al Khaimah involves sand at breakfast this is the wrong booking. The rooms are three-star in finish, the pool is a rooftop pool rather than a resort pool, and the surroundings are commercial rather than scenic.
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At a glance
- Best for: Budget stays, short trips, business, Jebel Jais bases
- Area: Al Nakheel, central Ras Al Khaimah, by the creek
- Hotel type: Three-star city hotel, Citymax Hotels (Landmark Group)
- Size: 204 rooms
- Opened: not published by the operator
- Price from: around AED 220 a night — check live rates
- Guest scores: 4.7 from 1,091 TripAdvisor reviews, #10 of 38 RAK hotels; 7.6 on Booking.com. Platform scores, not a RAKTraveller rating
- Beach: none, and no beach shuttle
- Also listed as: Nooa Hotel Ras Al Khaimah on TripAdvisor — check which name your booking uses
- Main drawback: it is a budget city hotel, and nothing about that is disguised
Location
This property appears under two names. The operator’s own site and most booking channels list it as Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah. TripAdvisor currently carries the same property, at the same address, as Nooa Hotel Ras Al Khaimah, and guest reviews on that listing reference both names.
We cannot establish from published sources which name is contractually current, so we will not guess. Check the name on your confirmation against the name on the door, and search both when reading reviews — otherwise you will miss half of them.
Al Nakheel is the commercial heart of Ras Al Khaimah, and the hotel sits beside the creek that runs through it. Al Naeem Mall and Al Manar Mall are both close, and the old souq, the National Museum and the Corniche are short drives. Citymax describes the hotel as being by the creek but sells no creek-view room category, so do not book expecting a water outlook.
For anything beyond the city you will drive. Jebel Jais is a comfortable day trip, the historic village at Al Jazirah Al Hamra is straightforward, and Al Marjan Island is about 40 minutes away. If the coast is where you want to be, compare hotels on Al Marjan Island or the quieter Mina Al Arab instead.
Rooms and suites
Citymax publishes 204 rooms in three configurations: standard double, twin, and triple. There are no suites and no villa categories. The triple room is the useful one, because it takes a small family without the cost of a second room — a rarity at this price in the emirate.
The fit-out is what the rate implies: functional, clean and compact rather than luxurious. What lifts the guest scores is consistency and housekeeping, not design. Book it as a base, not as part of the holiday.
Beach, pool, and facilities
There is no beach and there is no beach shuttle. That is the defining limitation of staying here and there is no way around it: if you want sea days, you will drive to Al Marjan Island or Al Hamra and pay a day-pass at a beach club.
What the hotel does have is a rooftop swimming pool with a deck and sun loungers, which for a budget hotel is a genuine amenity and gives you somewhere to sit out in the evening with a view over the city. Gym access is complimentary. There is no spa and no kids’ club.
Dining
Four outlets, which is more than most budget hotels manage. The Huddle Sports Bar & Grill is the bar and the busiest room in the building. Claypot serves Indian food. City Café handles all-day dining and breakfast. Lavazza Café is a 24-hour coffee shop, and there is an Aqua Pool Bar at the rooftop pool.
Having a licensed bar and a 24-hour café on site matters more at this price point than it would at a resort, because the alternative is going out every evening. There is no all-inclusive plan; that is not what this hotel sells. If board basis is what you are shopping for, look at the all-inclusive resorts in Ras Al Khaimah.
Family suitability
Limited but not hopeless. The triple rooms take a small family cheaply, the rooftop pool gives children somewhere to swim, and two malls are minutes away. For a short stopover or a Jebel Jais trip, that is enough.
There is no kids’ club, no children’s pool, no beach and no entertainment programme. A week here with young children would be hard work. For a proper family holiday, start with the best family hotels in Ras Al Khaimah.
Couples suitability
It is a practical choice, not a romantic one. Couples using the city as a base for the mountains, Dhayah Fort and the old town will find it comfortable, central and very cheap, which leaves money for the things they came for. Couples wanting a holiday atmosphere should book on the coast.
What is good
- Among the cheapest rooms in the emirate, from around AED 220
- Exceptional guest scores for the price: 4.7 on TripAdvisor, #10 of 38 RAK hotels
- Central Al Nakheel location, minutes from two malls and the souq
- Rooftop pool with a deck, plus a complimentary gym
- Four outlets including a licensed bar and a 24-hour café
What is not good
- No beach and no beach shuttle
- Three-star finish; rooms are functional rather than comfortable-plus
- No spa, no kids’ club, no children’s pool
- Listed under two different names across booking platforms
- No published opening year, so the age of the building is unclear
Value verdict
This is the strongest value proposition in the Ras Al Khaimah hotel market, provided you want the thing it sells. From around AED 220 you get a clean, consistently run room, a rooftop pool, a gym, a bar and a central location, and guests rate it above hotels charging three times as much.
The value collapses the moment beach access enters the equation. Add taxis to the coast and beach-club day passes for a family and you will spend more than a mid-range beach hotel would have cost, with more hassle. Compare it against the cheapest hotels in Ras Al Khaimah, and check live rates for your dates before committing.
Who should book Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah?
Book it if you are travelling on a budget, staying a few nights, working in the city, or using Ras Al Khaimah as a base for Jebel Jais and the historic sites. Book it if you would rather spend your money on what you do than on where you sleep. Book a triple room if there are three of you.
Who should skip it?
Skip it if you want a beach, a pool complex, a spa or a kids’ club. Skip it if you are staying a week with children. And skip it if a three-star room would spoil the trip — the scores are high because guests booked it for what it is, not because it punches above a four-star.
Nearby alternatives
Compare Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah with:
- Rove Al Marjan Island review for a similar price on the island
- Jannah Hotel Apartments & Villas review for more space
- Best cheap hotels in Ras Al Khaimah
- Every hotel in our Ras Al Khaimah directory
FAQ
Does Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah have a beach?
No, and there is no beach shuttle either. It is a city hotel in Al Nakheel with a rooftop pool. Reaching the sea means driving to Al Marjan Island or Al Hamra and, in most cases, paying a beach-club day pass. Budget for that before you book.
Is Citymax Hotel the same as Nooa Hotel Ras Al Khaimah?
They appear to be the same property at the same address on Bin Daher Street. The operator’s site and most booking channels use Citymax; TripAdvisor currently uses Nooa Hotel Ras Al Khaimah. We cannot confirm from published sources which name is contractually current, so check your confirmation and search both when reading reviews.
Why is a budget hotel ranked so highly on TripAdvisor?
Its 4.7 average from 1,091 reviews, tenth of 38 RAK hotels, reflects consistency against expectations rather than luxury. Guests book a clean, central, inexpensive room and get exactly that. Booking.com’s lower 7.6 suggests some reviewers arrive expecting more than a three-star city hotel provides.
How many rooms does Citymax Ras Al Khaimah have?
Citymax publishes 204 rooms in three configurations: standard double, twin and triple. There are no suites. The triple room is the most useful category for travellers on a budget, because it takes three people without the cost of booking a second room.
Bottom line
Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah is the best budget booking in the emirate and one of the best-rated hotels in it on any measure that accounts for price. It is also, unambiguously, a city hotel with no beach. Book it as a base and it is hard to fault. Book it as a holiday and the taxi fares will teach you the difference.
How this review was prepared
This review is desk research. It draws on Citymax Hotels’ own published material for the property, on verified guest-review data from TripAdvisor and Booking.com, and on the hotel’s current room and outlet listings. It is not based on a paid or hosted stay, and RAKTraveller did not receive accommodation from the property.
Where sources disagree — notably the hotel’s current name — we have said so rather than picking one. Rates, outlets and facilities change; confirm details with the hotel before booking.
Last updated: 14 September 2026
All Ras Al Khaimah hotels at a glance
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Your questions, answered
Does Citymax Ras Al Khaimah have a beach?
No. This is a city hotel, not a beach resort. The nearest public beaches are a short drive away on the RAK corniche, but there is no private beach and no resort beach service. If beach access matters, book on Al Marjan Island or at Al Hamra instead.
Is it good value?
For what it is, yes. Rates typically start around AED 150 a night, which is a fraction of resort pricing in the emirate. You are paying for a clean, central room and not much else — judge it against other city hotels rather than against the beach resorts.
How far is it from Dubai?
Allow around 70 minutes from Dubai International in normal traffic. Ras Al Khaimah International is much closer, roughly 25 minutes. Being in the city rather than on the coast also cuts the drive time to Jebel Jais and the mountain attractions.
Who should book it?
Travellers on a budget, people in Ras Al Khaimah for work, and anyone planning to spend their days at Jebel Jais, the souq or the museum rather than by a pool. It is a base, not a destination.
When is the best time to stay?
October to April is the comfortable season for sightseeing, which is what this hotel is for. Because it is not a beach property, the summer heat penalty is smaller than at the resorts — you are mostly moving between air-conditioned spaces anyway.
So, is Citymax Hotel Ras Al Khaimah the right call?
If you’re after budget stays · short trips · business in a three-star setting, it’s hard to beat. Winter dates book out early — lock yours in.
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