The Dubai Experience

I flew with Emirates Airlines Business Class which was a magnificent experience and one I can highly recommend. They have a world class service and with lie-flat beds, this just made the whole journey seem effortless.

The first hotel I stayed at was the 5* Sofitel The Palm. This brand new property, which only opened on 1st July 2013, has a French Polynesian theme throughout giving you a feeling of being on a tropical island but within very contemporary and modern surroundings. This hotel is very luxurious and has a serene feeling of calm and relaxation. My room was a Luxury Palm View, very spacious and the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in. Try the Manava Restaurant, the tiger prawns and calamari here are excellent.

The following day, we visited The Atlantis the Palm hotel and Aquaventure Water Park. For me this is a family hotel and the Atlantis Hotel is a destination in itself, with its own huge aquarium done in the Lost City of Atlantis theme. The rooms here are beautiful and very spacious. We had buffet lunch here and the food is excellent with so much to choose from, even fussy eaters are well catered for. The hotel has many shops, restaurants and bars.

We visited the Dubai Mall with over 1200 shops and a multitude of entertainment venues from Kidzania, Sega Republic, Dubai Ice Rink, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. The shoppers out there will be in heaven and the kids will think it’s Christmas every day. This was a spectacular venue and it would easily take a few days to appreciate all the Mall has to offer.

While there we visited a number of hotels including: - The Address Downtown, Vida Hotel & Armani Hotel at the Burj Khalifa. For full details on each hotel, give me a call for a chat, these hotels are just stunning and are perfect to combine with other hotels at the beach. It will give you two very different experiences of Dubai.

We stayed at the Kempinski the Palm for our next 2 nights, an all-suite hotel that is relaxed, low key and quiet. It is very suitable for families as the suites are 2 bedrooms with full kitchen. Breakfast here was really good too and the pool area was stunning as is its private beach.

For a really luxurious honeymoon to remember I would recommend the One & Only Royal Mirage and One & Only the Palm. The opulence of these properties left me in awe. The staff were outstanding, the private villas with their own pools are stunning, the chilled out atmosphere was soothing and the poolside cabanas are ideal for a lazy afternoon to recharge and refresh.

We had high tea at the top of the Burj Khalifa - a great experience with tea, cakes and champagne all while having stunning views across the city to the Persian Gulf. This is prebookable only and I can book it for you.

Dubai is definitely a destination for families, honeymooners or a hot city break. With so much to do for everyone, you will never be bored! If you're planning a trip, be sure to give me a call.