I’ve been looking forward to staying at this hotel ever since I grew up watching Mary-Kate and Ashley’s travel movies. atlantis. Granted, the movie was shot in the first Atlantis (Bahamas), but it still felt like we were long overdue for checking into Atlantis Dubai.
During my previous stop in Dubai, I went out of my way to visit Atlantis. When I first came to Dubai, I made a special trip to experience Aquaventure Waterpark (Around 2013) and just A few years ago in 2017 I revisited this property with my younger brother to explore Lost Chambers Aquarium. While this is certainly an attraction in itself when visiting Dubai, staying at Atlantis The Palm was a completely different experience.
What’s included in your stay?
One of the best parts of staying at Atlantis The Palm is the special benefits offered to guests. Atlantis has many areas exclusive to its guests, including an impressive lobby and access to a private beach. In addition to this, we woke up each day at Atlantis, got an early tour around the hotel before non-guests arrived, had the entire aquarium to ourselves, and explored the empty beaches and pools.
Guests have unlimited access to the adjacent Aquaventure Waterpark and can also visit the Lost Chambers Aquarium. Breakfast is not included in the base price, but you’d be kidding yourself to say no as you can enjoy an extensive breakfast buffet including pancakes, waffles, banana bread and Sri Lankan curry!
Exploring Atlantis
Exploring the hotel was one of our favorite parts of staying here. There’s so much to discover that it feels like there’s no end, and every turn takes you on a different journey for the day.
Some of my favorite highlights of the hotel stay were the new restaurant “The Wave” with tenpin bowling, live music, and a wave pool. We also really enjoyed the fitness center which had everything you need to stay fit during your vacation. The club lounge was a great addition to our stay and became our favorite place to drink cocktails as the sun went down.
The Atlantis Dubai rooms
You’ve probably seen images of luxurious underwater rooms with aquariums in the living room, and yes, they exist in Atlantis. They are difficult to reserve due to limited numbers and are also expensive. As such, most of the rooms at Atlantis are king-sized, with two options: ocean-facing or palm-facing.
The rooms have everything you need to enjoy your stay, but to be honest, you won’t be able to spend much time here exposed to all the temptations of the resort. Be sure to enjoy the welcome chocolates (so memorable that it deserves a mention in itself). If you’re facing palms, remember that the higher the floor, the better the view.
Yoga at Atlantis The Palm
On our last morning waking up in Atlantis, we booked a 9am underwater yoga class. This class takes place inside the hotel’s impressive aquarium outside of hotel business hours. Having the place almost completely to ourselves (there were only 6 yoga buddies in our class) is worth it in itself.
Is Atlantis The Palm worth it?
There are some important considerations when deciding whether Atlantis The Palm Dubai is the right hotel for you. This resort is primarily suitable for families, especially during the UK and European school holidays. This means you can expect the resort to be nearly full during the peak season, and with nearly 1,500 rooms, it can get very chaotic.
That said, Atlantis The Palm is incredibly fun, with endless activities and dining options, and if you want to “never leave the resort,” you’ve hit the jackpot. Atlantis is not located near any of Dubai’s major tourist attractions and is a tourist attraction in its own right. Located at the tip of your hand, you can get anywhere nearby in 20-30 minutes. This includes a 30-minute taxi ride to Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.
If you book Atlantis, we recommend upgrading your room to include access to the club. This allows you to enjoy daily afternoon tea (14:00-16:00) and cocktails + canapés from 17:00-19:00. Club facilities allow you to save money by enjoying a hearty buffet breakfast, snacks during the day and a single paid meal in the evening.
Room rates start from AUD 650 per night for an Ocean King Room. Breakfast is available at an additional charge of AUD 70 per room per night. Room rates include unlimited access to Aquaventure Waterpark and Lost Chamber Aquarium.
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