A home-away from-home break

The bedroom didn’t disappoint, either. The bed was big enough for the entire family to relax in and floor-to-ceiling windows meant we had a stunning view over the dazzling Arabian Gulf.

“Welcome home,” our butler said, handing us our key. “I hope you enjoy your stay.” We smiled, as if we always play with real gold technology, and have to swim from one side of our bath to the other, but once the door had swung closed behind him, we couldn’t stop screaming. “This is the best place I’ve ever seen,” my daughter shrieked, while my son already had the gold iPad loaded with his favourite games.

I don’t know why we were so surprised though – after all, we were staying in the world’s only seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab. Shaped like a sail, with interiors by Chinese designer Khuan Chew and a clientele that needs a helipad to ensure their privacy – it was also used for that famous tennis match between Andre Agassi and Roger Federer – it’s no wonder the Burj has become synonymous with luxury.

“Actually, we don’t say it’s a seven-star hotel,” the hotel’s PR Kim Perks told me later as she showed me around. “We are officially a five-star; we say we’re the world’s most luxurious hotel. The media gave us that rating and it’s stuck.”

Chew’s decor and style isn’t for everyone – the Burj is a riot of colour, with gold-plated everything including giant pillars in the world’s tallest atrium lobby (it’s 180m), marble de riguer and dancing fountains that create a 3D Islamic star pattern, all of which belie the stark, crisp, white exterior. But it’s exquisitely done, with everything handmade by the best artisans and craftsmen in celebration of the UAE.

Our deluxe suite was ridiculously sumptuous, so I didn’t mind leaving The Royal and Presidential Suites after my tour. In fact, our home away from home was so luxurious – and comfortable – that it was hard to force ourselves to even get up and open the door when the bell rang an hour later.

It meant we weren’t hungry when we went down for dinner, but as soon as we walked in, we were overwhelmed by the gorgeous smells of dishes from all corners of the globe. We feasted on very British roast potatoes and cauliflower cheese, Indian vegetable biryani and paneer along with fish curry and Arabic lamb ouzi.

The next morning after a delicious breakfast in Bab Al Yam by the pool we dropped the children off at the Sinbad’s kids club in neighbouring sister property Jumeirah Beach Hotel (there is a small club at the Burj but Sinbad’s is state-of-the-art) before heading to Talise Spa on the 18th floor.

There was just time for a tour of the most-talked about restaurant in town – the Al Mahara (‘oyster’), which seats 80 and is booked up months in advance. It has a large aquarium in the back wall with sharks, and myriad fish inside, including George, the biggest and ugliest fish I’ve ever seen.

Sadly, my stay was over, but taking a glance around I smiled. The Burj proves everything that glitters really is gold.

BOOKING
 To book call 04 301 7777 or email baareservations@jumeirah.com   

 Tucking into a fresh feast of calamari, sweet, ripe tomatoes, creamy mozzarella and foccacia, I smiled. Just moments before I’d strolled along the golden beach, a cool breeze playing with my hair, to reach this trattoria-style restaurant.

While its city offering on the tip of the Palm Jumeirah, in Dubai, is all chic Ibiza vibe – cool white decor and saxophonist by the pool – this is a family-friendly, elegant European-style resort with everything on site.

Or you can simply eat and then relax, as I did. I dropped my children off at the kids’ club and set off towards a sun lounger. My husband joined me and we were soon diving into the sea to cool off – the mercury was in the high 30s – and lying under an umbrella watching other guests turn pink.

Luckily, I wasn’t in danger of getting sunburn – I’d booked an Aroma-Luxe massage in the spa. Knowing that the family were happy, I drifted off while a therapist used essences of basil, verbena, marjoram and lavender as she massaged me. It was a blissful hour of ‘me time’, after which I had to beg the children to leave the kids’ club and my husband to come off the beach.

We strolled to our room – one of 650 – which was tastefully decorated and had a garden view, before getting ready for dinner. All meals are included, and we could have gone to a Turkish, seafood or Arabic restaurant. But we’d already eaten Italian and so decided to go to the Meat Point steakhouse.

The resort has been thoughtfully planned, and the restaurants are down narrow lanes, besides boutiques and shops, giving it that European feel again. I could have been in Barcelona or Rome, and the waft of different dishes from the restaurants made my stomach rumble. We were going South American and dined on steaks – of course – with creamy mashed potatoes or chunky chips. Outside there was a disco on the beach for all the family and on the stage an entire evening’s entertainment, including dancers and a fantastic singer.

We watched the show – the kids were enthralled – and even went for a boogie on the sand! Afterwards we wandered back to our room and fell asleep instantly.

Rixos in RAK? It’s la dolce vita! 

BOOKING
 To book call 07 202 0000 or email reservation.rak@rixos.com

We were heading to Ajman to review the splendid The Ajman Palace Hotel and Resort and I had told the kids to look out for signposts as I was unfamiliar with the roads there. But I needn’t have worried. Although it was late evening, the hotel on Shaikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street was so spectacularly lit, it was hard to miss.

In fact, as soon as the hotel came into view, my little girl piped up, “It does look like a palace!”

Situated on the beach, the U-shaped resort is an understated, elegant five-star hotel. The service was exceptional and evident from the moment we arrived and were ushered straight to our suite on the fourth floor.

“Don’t I need to check in?” I asked. “Oh, that can be done from your suite, sir,” said the affable duty manager.

Both the bedrooms and the living room were equipped with TVs – a good thing because the kids could happily watch Sherlock in their room, while we could relax with a movie in the bedroom. Everyone happy.

Hungry after the long drive from Dubai – blame the traffic – we promptly headed to Encore, the multicuisine restaurant where a buffet was awaiting us. While there was an exciting array of Asian and regional dishes, it was the dessert counter that was truly amazing. From delicious chocolate mousses to rich creamy cakes, soft cheesecakes and tarts, there was a veritable treasure trove for those with a sweet tooth.

Dinner over, we took a short tour of the 254-room five-floor hotel that also boasts among other restaurants, Dragon’s Palace, an Asian fusion dining with sushi bar and teppanyaki table; Arabesque Gourmet, an Arabic fine- dining restaurant; and Encore, serving hot and cold delicacies 24/7.

The next morning after a sumptuous breakfast it was pool time. As well as the temperature-controlled outdoor pool, there is also a shaded pool for the children and a plunge pool – enough for everyone to relax and have a good time.

I was scheduled for a relaxing aromatic oil massage so after paddling in the pool for a while I headed off to the Encore Spa. While soft plinky-plonk music played in the background, I was gently covered with a mix of scented oils, after which the masseur worked for an hour-and-a-half on my stress areas, like the shoulders and the neck, to leave me completely relaxed.

After a sumptuous lunch at Encore, we headed out to the private beach where we relaxed in the sand and caught one of the most brilliant sunsets. Bidding goodbye to Ajman the next afternoon was difficult. The two nights in the luxurious hotel easily made for the most relaxing and refreshing weekend we had enjoyed in a long while. There was no doubt: the hotel truly lives up to its name.

BOOKING
  To book call 06 701 8888 or email info@TheAjmanPalace.com.

“Can we go straight to the waterpark?” squealed my nephew Michael, while my mother-in-law just wanted to dump our cases and head to one of the two huge pools.

Off she went, leaving the three of us to explore The Lost Chambers Aquarium, where you can discover mazes of underground tunnels and passageways, bringing us into close contact with the myth of the ancient Atlantis. Exhibits are dedicated to different sea creatures, such as the delicate jellyfish, lobsters and anchovies, each fascinating to watch. It really was impressive, gazing into tanks filled with starfish and stingrays straight from the sea.

After an hour or so walking around, to Michael’s delight we decided it was time to go to the Aquaventure Water Park and beach – the hotel’s own water park with rides galore and 2.3km of river rapids, tidal waves and pools. This non-stop water experience consists of several extraordinary adrenaline-pumping water slides; one even catapults you through a shark-filled lagoon! There was no way I was going on that. I sunk into an inner tube and enjoyed a leisurely ride along The Rapids that loop the entire hotel.

Michael and his dad were more adventurous and decided to try the Atlantean Flyers, the longest zip line in the Middle East, and part of the water park. Daredevil riders get to ‘fly’ along the zip, 20 metres above Aquaventure. It’s not for the faint-hearted and I was more than happy to sit that one out on a sunlounger!

“Rays and sharks are related,” the aquarist explained. “But rays don’t have teeth – just large plates that crush their food.”

After our exciting day meeting lots of marine life it seemed wrong to eat seafood for dinner. With a quick freshen up and rumbling bellies we headed to the Seafire Steakhouse – a casual family-friendly restaurant. It serves steaks sourced from its own Certified Atlantis cattle from Australia. “I’m going for the Wagyu beef,” said my mother-in-law. I love a good steak, but I cast my morals aside and found I couldn’t resist the lobster – a favourite of mine – and this time it was one of the best I’d tried.

The next morning we opted to go on the Sea Lion discovery. We got to meet and interact with the South African Fur Seals, who were friendly and fun. They’re also a very new edition to the family of sea life living at Atlantis. Standing in waist-high waters, we kissed and cuddled them.

Visitors get to go home with a free souvenir photo. “Say cheese!” we heard as the sea lion planted a big wet kiss on Michael’s cheek. “Ewww, that was like one of nanna’s kisses,” he groaned. We all burst out laughing.

It just shows that children and adults alike enjoy the adventures at Atlantis.

BOOKING
 To book call 04 426 0000 or email reservations@atlantisthepalm.com

Checked in, I headed to my junior suite, which was a generous room with a queen-size bed, en suite bathroom, plus dining and study areas.

Life in Dubai is busy and making time to relax can be challenging. This staycation was all about me, I decided.

There was an array of restaurants to choose from – Chinese, Arabic and Italian cuisine, daily themed nights and a Friday brunch. The Peacock restaurant caught my eye and I made a reservation for later that evening.

Dinner sorted, I headed out to the landscaped gardens, grabbed a cold drink and relaxed on a lounger looking out to the beautiful Arabian Gulf.

I enjoyed watching the more active guests splashing about in the sea. The calm waters are perfect for windsurfing, body boarding, sailing and kayaking.

My desk job can mean I’m hunched over a computer for hours each day so I was looking forward to the full-body massage. “Would you like the pressure soft, medium or hard, sir?’” he asked. It had been a long week and my shoulders were sore so I opted for full pressure. After applying massage oil the pummelling began. I had to try not to scream in pain, it was so hard. Eventually I had to plead for him to be more gentle, but at least by the end of the treatment all my knots had gone. There was just time to head back to my suite and chill before dinner.

All the relaxing had made me hungry. The Peacock serves authentic Chinese and Szechuan dishes prepared by Chef Xiao Jun, with over 150 on the menu. From the popular crispy duck and pancakes to Gong Bao chicken with peanuts, they all sounded delicious.

I ordered the lobster Gong Bo with vegetable rice, and shredded chicken with sweet soya bean sauce. As what seemed liked an endless flow of food arrived I was overwhelmed by the beautiful presentation, definitely worthy of an Instagram photo or two.

BOOKING
 To book call 04 399 5533 or email Jumeirah.sheraton@sheraton.com