XVA is a small boutique hotel and contemporary art gallery occupying a restored courtyard house in the Al Fahidi neighbourhood. The gallery shows works by UAE-based and regional artists in a thoughtful programme that avoids the Gulf's tendency toward decorative ambiguity. The hotel has 13 rooms around the traditional courtyard, making it the most atmospheric place to stay in old Dubai.
The courtyard cafe serves vegetarian food and good coffee in a setting that is quietly one of the best places in the city to sit still for an hour. Gallery entry is free. Even if you are not staying or eating, it is worth walking in from the narrow lanes outside.