Having been to The Palm on occasions when visiting Dubai, this time I decided to stay there to experience first-hand this fascinating phenomenon. The quintessential gem of this place is the palatial Atlantis Hotel. It is said by some to be the most luxurious hotel in the Middle East. Designed by Dale Chihuly and inspired by the wonderful hotel Atlantis Paradise Island in Bahamas. The resort sits majestically at the tip of The Palm and consists of two towers linked by a bridge. It has a beautiful sculpture formed by glass elements in the centre of the circular reception. On the walls are beautiful frescoes depicting scenes from mythology by Albino Gonzalez, which are complimented by the gorgeous gallery which is decorated with shells and stone and hosts the most sought after designer brands.
You can choose between more than 1,300 rooms and 166 suites for your stay. All of them are equipped with absolute comfort and luxury and decorated with the purest Arabic style. From the “Neptune” and “Poseidon” suites you can enjoy view onto the aquarium through their portholes, but definitely, the most majestic room is the “Bridge suite” on the bridge across the towers. The hotel has about 16 restaurants, some of that can boast about award-winning chefs, where you can discover a unique world. My favourite eating places are: the Spanish restaurant “l’Ossiano” with 3 Michelin stars, the world renowned Japanese restaurant Nobu, and “The Rostang” with French dishes which offer a sensational experience.
Atlantis HotelThe Atlantis hotel is well known because of “Aquaventure”, a gigantic water park and a wonderful underwater aquarium with 65,000 marine animals. For the relaxation of parents, the children and the teenagers there is the Kids Club and Club Rush, where monotony doesn’t exist and it replaced with many attractions and activities such as cinema, workshops and even a singular pirate ship! I have to admit that going to a water park was not an exciting prospect for me. I imagined unruly children, long queues in the beating sun, and commercialisation at (literally) every turn. How wrong I was! Because of the kids club the average age is quite high and I felt very at home as a 40-something. In fact, it is almost a therapy to give yourself over the exhilarating water slides; and scream, laugh and joke with people from across the globe simply enjoying life. There are no queues and the park is so well designed that there is plenty of shade, something for everyone, and overall, a fantastic experience that I would recommend to all.
Back on dry land and another wonderful place to stay is the The Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. It is located on the west crescent of the Palm. The celebrated spa, called The Talise Ottoman, won the “World’s Leading Spa Resort” award in the Travel Awards last year. It has the best massage and therapy treatments for the body care and the latest facilities with the world’s largest Turkish bath. This resort, with wonderful views to the Arabian Gulf, has 407 spacious rooms with stunning Turkish decoration where hand-painted frescoes, unique carpets and bed headboards predominate as adornment. It has a huge gym, five meeting rooms and a super infinity pool over 50 meters.
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
Between all their restaurants, I would spotlight the Beverage Lalezar, where you would travel to the majestic Ottoman Empire with its delicious Turkish cuisine. The Al Nafoorah, considered one of the best Lebanese restaurants in Dubai, and if you like a cocktail I can suggest the sophisticated Voda Bar that offers a wide selection of cocktails together with a Japanese cuisine.
By Mr. Jones
