Dubai…

[Ittakesavineyard]

There must be so many of these so I apologise for repetition if so!

We’re looking to go to Dubai the first week of our Easter hols so last week of March.
2 adults and 3 children 1,4,7
I thought I’d found the one, Rixos the palm all inclusive but I’m a bit dubious as it’s much cheaper than what we’d usually spend.

I’m finding it all a bit overwhelming, we stick to Sani, Ikos and Martinhal.

So for ease and because I know (think) it’ll be nice and it’s a well oiled machine, of going for Atlantis The Palm with the imperial club upgrade for a little bit of exclusivity (?).

Does anyone have any experience of Atlantis, Imperial club, is Dubai as overwhelming as I’m expecting?

I found it too “city” like. The jet skis would start up in the harbour in the afternoon and it was sooo noisy. Don’t expect it to be too relaxing.

This is what I’m worried about, think I’ll either love it or hate it

@Ittakesavineyard
We stayed at One and Only Royal Mirage. It’s not on The Palm but it’s a great family hotel. I would check reviews on this hotel.

The Atlantis is great- if not I would pick one of the Jumeirah Beach Hotels for a similar standard to Sani resorts x

I found the Atlantis too busy. It’s full of guests and also people coming into look. It never really ‘stops’.
It’s also at the very end of the Palm so a long way to get anywhere if you want to get out!
Personally I would recommend staying someone further down the Palm (but not to the bottom left or bottom right as you have to drive almost half way up to the top to come back down) or anywhere on Jumeriah Beach.
We’ve stayed in Martinhal a number of times and there are similar hotels along Jumeriah - try the Ritz Carlton (great for smaller kids) or the Jumeriah Beach /the one and only

Hotels within Madinat Jumeirah if you have Sani/Ikos standards. Bracingly expensive though! Never seen the appeal of the Palm.

Have you been to Dubai before? For me it's more of a stop off destination than the main event. If flying with Emirates through Dubai you can usually add a stop there for little or no extra cost which makes it a convenient place to break up a long journey. I don't find it overwhelming but I wouldn't want to spend my entire holiday there.

I'll be there in mid-March too just stopping off for 3 days on the way home from Seychelles. We're staying at one of the Jumeirahs, the only thing that was really important to me when booking was a heated pool because we were there in March years ago and the pool was too cold to be comfortable. A lot of Dubai pools can be shaded for most of the day too because of all the surrounding skyscrapers. Just something to keep in mind if pool time is important to you. Atlantis pool is heated of course.

Well you’ve certainly seen it and done it in a week. But it’s relaxing for a winter break. I wouldn’t go on the Palm either.

Stay in the madinat Jumeirah resort.

If you are used to Sani/ikos standards then I think you may find the Atlantis rather garish and like a departure lounge at an airport. It's extremely busy and full of tourists daily.

I agree with PPs that you would be much better at somewhere like Jumeirah beach hotel if you have children who enjoy all the kids club extras or the One and Only Royal Mirage. Both beautiful resorts.

We go to Sani a lot, and also to Dubai, and the two are not like each other at all. We love Dubai, but nothing ever 'stops' there and you're never going to find any place that replicates the relaxation that Sani gives you. We stayed at the Atlantis for two nights as a treat, and the PP who described it as a departure lounge is spot on.
I second (fourth?) the suggestion of Jumeirah Beach or a hotel in the JBR area (which is where Rixos is, I believe?)

We loved the Atlantis. Did 5 nights this May half term and it blew the Rixos, Raffles and the Jumeirah beach hotels out of the water for us. We did half board which was perfect as food and drink is mega bucks. We didn’t do the imperial club as we’re not huge drinker but friends of ours did and they said it was worth every penny. Between the food (Sunday brunch at Saffron is something else), the aquaventure water park, warehouse and generally being pampered, we genuinely didn’t want to leave and have booked to return next August. Can’t wait!😆

There isn't much on the palm. So costs a bit in taxis to get around from there.

I was in Dubai with children recently (young teens and a preschooler) and stayed at Rixos. It was nice but I wasn't blown away. The rooms were large but very basic and the food was disappointing. Staff were really lovely.

There were three table service restaurants which were nice but the buffet restaurants were just... okay. There wasn't much beach service, so I'd have to get up for drinks a lot. The cocktail options, whilst plentiful weren't of a high standard. The kids club was good and open long hours should you need it. You get free entry to the waterpark at Atlantis with shuttle, as well as the Mall of Emirates.

It didn't really feel 5* overall. I would possibly stay again (with family) but wouldn't be my first choice!

Have a look at Le Royal Meridian on JBR.
Its a fab location and great food.
April will be Ramadan if that makes a difference for you.

We didn’t find taxi fares to and from the palm overly expensive at all. We used the careem ones and the most we paid was the equivalent of £9 to Dubai mall. Most trips were £5 or so each way.

I concur with your assessment of the Rixos. The food was very disappointing and the rooms were nothing special. Having said that, the standard rooms at the Atlantis aren’t particularly luxurious either, of all of them the Raffles had the nicest rooms but food choices were limited.

JBR was ok, access to Wild Wadi was nice but it’s not a patch on Aquaventure.

My kids are teens and much preferred the Atlantis overall.

@Ittakesavineyard did you book anywhere in the end? I'm looking at October next year as we have some air miles we could use. We loved Sani this year and are used to Asian 5* hotels which provide a lot more for your money so struggling with Dubai.
I'm keen for a place with kids club which will take a 3year old as well as a room with some kind of segregation between us and kids, e.g. suite with sliding door / interconnecting.
Those who are recommending the madinat resort. Any room types that work well with the kids? Looks like that would tick the boxes for us in a lot of ways if we would be happy with the room.

I've been to le royal meridien a few times. Club room with dine around, close to marina, courtesy bus to the dubai mall. Great (heated) pools. V good kids club & English nanny's for babysitting.

@beachcitygirl does the club room have a separate section for kids? I'm trying to find somewhere with a separate section to put the cot too!

I hope you don't go, and choose somewhere where people are treated better. Spain is an option in April for example.

@miniworry we found some hotels around the world give so much space to bathrooms that we often popped the cot in the bathroom when our daughter was small! So frustrating that places don't consider this when I think there must be a neat way to handle it with sliding doors or something.

Nope you wouldn't get me there!

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/jamie-harron-dubai-touching-man-s-hip-detained-in-dubai-stirling-electrician-sheikh-mohammed-bin-rashid-almaktoum-a8025831.html?amp