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Original poster

Ever been to Atlantis, Dubai?

15 replies

AllTalkNo · 09/09/2014 17:11

I'd like to know whether it's good for a family with two older children (11 and 14) who love swimming pools and slides. On the website it looks like there's plenty on site to do? What's the food like? Is there shade at the pools? All opinions / tips welcome. Thanks!

OP posts:
onedev · 09/09/2014 22:56

Never been but bumping for you as I'm about to post a question about Dubai also Smile

ChickenFajitaAndNachos · 10/09/2014 11:48

Yes and I loved it. Your DC are the ideal age as lots of the rides at the waterpark are aimed at older DC and adults. There are two pools with plenty of shade at the hotel. There are lots of staff who will find you loungers in the sun and shade and arrange your towels really comfy for you. They are lovely thick padded loungers. There is lots of shade in the waterpark too. We got a base for the day with a couple of umberellas and that worked well. I really enjoyed the waterpark. There is a lazy river that goes right around the park and lots of the slides land in it too. It alternates between lazy river and rapids with staff spinning or pushing the rubber rings you are in. It takes about an hour to go all the way round. Or you can get of at different 'stops' and try out new rides. There is an aquarium which we enjoyed and my DS played footie on the beach.
I liked the food. My favourite dinner was at the beach restaurant, it was good food with an amazing view of the Dubai skyline. We alternated between the two buffet restaurants with breakfast. The selection was so vast its hard to describe. The staff would offer to carry your plate and pull out your chair.
The rooms were beautiful, probably the nicest I have ever stayed in. The bathroom was really cleverly designed with a sort of moving wall in it. You could choose to have it opened so you could look at the amazing views from the bath. The rooms were cleaned twice a day and a fruit platter provided. We stayed on Valentines day and in each of our two rooms a luxury box of chocolates were left for us. When we checked in we were given a beach bag of suntan cream and other goodies which was a nice touch. We only booked two of the standard rooms, nothing fancy.
Getting of the Palm for trips was easy and a lovely drive.
All in all we had a lovely fun time with a bit of luxury too.

foxdongle · 11/09/2014 13:35

Chicken I like your style. That sounds fab :)

My db and family have been twice just to the water park (stayed elsewhere) and had a great time. His DC are 12 and 8.

ChickenFajitaAndNachos · 11/09/2014 19:22

Fox there is an Atlantis in The Bahamas ...

Original poster
AllTalkNo · 11/09/2014 22:51

This sounds pretty amazing, I'd really like to go now this minute! (Shame I've got to wait until next year but I'm very tempted to book now, they have a free half board offer which should save a bit.)

OP posts:
loveulotslikejellytots · 11/09/2014 22:58

DH and I went for our honeymoon. It's amazing!! If you can, get half board, it's well worth the money. The buffet restaurants included in half board are out of this world. Drinks are expensive, approx £2.50 for a coke and as expected alcohol is £££.

Water park is fantastic, we spent 4 hours on the lazy river alone one day!

ChickenFajitaAndNachos · 12/09/2014 09:23

Yes I agree the half board package is very good. You get vouchers that you can either use in about 10 restaurants for lunch or I think about 7 for dinner. I booked with BA who were offering free half board and we managed to eat at a different restaurant each evening. I just booked a regular transfer with BA and a really posh car with a very helpful driver were waiting for us at the airport. The whole holiday was like that. We did a night flight and arrived at the hotel at about 9.30 a.m and our 2 rooms were ready for us which was really appreciated and made the holiday feel a bit longer. When are you thinking of going AllTalk?

foxdongle · 12/09/2014 11:12

Chicken it's on the list!
We may think about Dubai for Feb 2016

Original poster
AllTalkNo · 12/09/2014 11:22

Chicken going July / early Aug. The intense heat is one thing I'm not looking forward to.

OP posts:
MABS · 12/09/2014 13:49

go to Dubai several times each year, and sorry have to disagree re Atlantis. Thought service really lacking, it's very brash and it's so very isolated. My kids far prefer Madinat hotels with Wild Wadi access, Dar al Masyf particularly. But, each to their own of course :)

ChickenFajitaAndNachos · 12/09/2014 14:54

I must have got lucky as felt I was treated like a VIP from the moment I arrived in Dubai until I left. I liked the little touches like the golf trolleys to take you from the hotel to the water park ( a couple of hundred meters) if you wanted to use them. Also when ordering drinks they came on lovely trays with nuts or biscuits with a pot of tea. Lots of water bottles were left frequently in the rooms too which was a nice touch and the rooms had really good coffee makers with loads of minis.
I stayed in Febuary so perhaps that makes a difference, I would imagine it being busier at New Year and Easter.

MABS · 12/09/2014 16:16

Pleased for you Chicken good to hear that. To be honest that's fairly standard level of service in Dubai hotels, I am out there 3 or 4 times each year. I would expect no less in truth

Have stayed at Atlantis 3 times, Feb Nov and May last time, so it wasn't just the once sadly .

ChickenFajitaAndNachos · 12/09/2014 16:26

I have only been to Dubai once, this Feb but would love to go back to that part of the world in a few years time, perhaps to Oman next time.
Can I ask why you went three times if you were not happy there, was it a work thing?

MABS · 13/09/2014 09:12

First time was not long after it opened, so thought maybe teething probs so gave it another go. Third visit was to meet friends who had already booked their stay there. As I say, nothing terrible, just found service not up to usual Dubai standards and don't like being so isolated.

I love Oman, have been there several times, would totally recommend it :) Also love Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah Bahrain and Doha too . Though you need to choose hotel carefully in Doha as many hotels are 'dry' ;-)

QOD · 13/09/2014 09:59

We went 4 years ago, was absolutely fab, they rang the room every day and asked if it was a special day for anyone, it just so happened to be DNs birthday so we thought they'd realised that the,selves hehe, lovely free cake at the restaurant. Then they rang every day ... We were a bit too slow to claim a daily birthday ...
We swam with the dolphins too, sea was warm, the beach beautiful, pools and shaded areas fab.
We had the sliding wall bathroom too, such a good touch. We went in June and it was soooooo hot that you didn't sweat, it just evaporated.

Slightly disconcerting seeing a young Dubain boy slap his girlfriend round the face, hard .... I went to intervene but she laughed and walked away with him ... Also lots of men in white robes with their stream of wives following. All burkahd up ... Funny moment in the restaurant when the Mr was filling his plate, several wives alongside, he looked like he tapped ones hand when she went to put something on her plate and she boomed out in a fabulous Brummie accent "get your hand off me and don't bloody well tell me what to do" totally surreal as she looked submissive in a black all in one with eyes only on show in 45degree hear. Was actually really nice to hear if that makes sense ... Changed my perception a bit.

We would go back in a heartbeat, really enjoyed it.

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