STAYCATION SUMMER
With our overseas travel plans for summer 2021 all over the show, I wanted to take the kids somewhere at the start of the summer hols to at least give them the feeling of getting away, given that they haven’t left Dubai in getting on for two years. Thanks to Yas Island’s very pervasive advertising on Virgin Radio, they were keen to visit the Yas theme parks, while I decided to precede theme park action with a more resorty hotel stay for a couple of days of relaxation. Having recently been taken over by Mandarin Oriental, the iconic Emirates Palace hotel at the far end of Abu Dhabi’s corniche might not seem like the obvious choice for a family break (in my experience rarified extravagance and young kids rarely mix) but alongside the gold and marble (and there is a lot of gold and marble) lies a family-friendly destination with what might be the best swimming pool set-up in the UAE and a team of staff who are beyond welcoming to kids (even kids like ours whose natural habitat is not somewhere with the word ‘palace’ in its name). And where better to round off a year of school, with all its attendant ups and downs as Covid closed classes and birthdays were celebrated without candles, than a proper palace? Talk about super-charging your staycaytion.
the suite life
Living like a queen at Emirates Palace
A ROYAL WELCOME
Checking in at Emirates Palace. Dress by Anna Mason at Net-a-Porter
We were staying in the West Wing of the hotel, home to the family pool, gym and resident camels, and offering beautiful views over the hotel’s pristine bay and marina and were welcomed into our rooms with overflowing bowls of fruit and sweet treats as well as balloons and stuffed camels for the children. While Emirates Palace is vast - 850,000 square metres of floor space - once we were nestled in our wing we didn’t really leave, so we never felt overwhelmed by the space (or worried about losing a child). Luggage was whisked around with invisible efficiency and the kids quickly got the hang of which of the gold lifts would deliver them to the pool area. Ah, the pool… with two proper water slides - as in properly fun, properly fast and properly perfect for a four, six and eight-year-old - and a lazy river that beckons you to drift under waterfalls and around picturesque twists and turns, Emirates Palace is home to probably the best family pool in the UAE. It’s quite a feat to make a pool area that appeals to children (fun, loads to do) and adults (relaxing, aesthetically pleasing) simultaneously, but Emirates Palace has nailed it. We adored it and never wanted to leave. With a ping pong table, baby football and ice cream cart on hand, the kids were occupied for hours. A short stroll from the pool is the beach with its private cabanas complete with stocked fridge and varied seating/sleeping options. In a UAE summer the beach is a punchy call - even given the cabanas’ sand-free walkway - I prefer to be within jumping-in distance of a chilled pool, but come winter the serenity of Emirates Palace’s unspoiled bay is unmatched.
While we were staying, the hotel was hosting its Summer Kids Camp, which caters to children from three to 14 years old, priced from Dhs275 a day (8.30am to 3.30pm including a provided hot lunch). We booked all three kids in for one day and they had the best time swimming, kayaking, SUPing, playing ball sports, doing martial arts. Leo, who’s eight, actually begged to go back for a second day as she’d made some friends she wanted to see again. On day two her group even went out on a speedboat, which sounds like ultimate kids’ camp goals.
YOU’RE SO GOLDEN
While the pool and the kids’ camp were undeniable highlights, Emirates Palace has plenty more to offer. Over our two-day stay we also loved:
Camel rides on the beach. So magical and had the kids in hysterics.
Room service breakfast. The à la carte room service menu offers anything you can think of plus a whole lot more. We particularly loved the crepes, which the kids declared the best they have ever had.
Sayad restaurant. Delicate Mediterranean decor and the freshest of ingredients. Don’t miss the tuna tartar or the honey bee pudding (served with honey from the hotel’s resident bee hives).
Afternoon tea at Le Café. Start with hibiscus tea topped with real gold flakes and progress through a tower of cakes, scones and sandwiches. The children are still talking about their hot chocolate which came topped with, you guessed it, real gold.
join the tribe
Fox and Kit with Emirates Palace’s resident camel
emirates palace RATES
Rates for summer 2021 start from Dhs840 per night, with 50% off the second night for UAE residents (including breakfast, offer valid until Aug 31, 2021)