Palm Jumeirah (Crescent)

Atlantis The Palm

★★★★★

Atlantis The Palm is the hotel that made the Palm famous, and for families it remains the most complete resort in Dubai. Opened in 2008 at the centre of the crescent, its twin wings joined by a giant arch are visible from almost everywhere on the island, and the theme, the lost city of Atlantis, runs through everything, from the soaring lobby with its glass sculpture to the aquarium windows in the corridors. The main reason to stay is what the room rate includes: unlimited access to Aquaventure World, the record-breaking waterpark next door, and to the Lost World Aquarium, formerly known as The Lost Chambers, with tens of thousands of marine animals in tanks around mock ruins. For a family that would otherwise buy waterpark tickets for several days, that changes the maths considerably. Beyond that, there is a long private beach on the crescent for hotel guests, large pools, the Atlantis Explorers Club for children aged four to twelve at no extra charge, and a dining line-up of more than thirty restaurants and bars, including several from celebrity chefs; Ossiano, with its floor-to-ceiling aquarium window, and Nobu are the best known. Rooms come in Deluxe, Imperial Club, Suite and Signature Suite categories, and the most famous are the Underwater Suites, whose bedrooms and bathrooms look straight into the aquarium. With around 1,500 rooms it is huge and busy, and it can feel like a theme park rather than a retreat. But if your trip is built around children, water and fun, there is nowhere else quite like it.

The scale is both the appeal and the drawback. The resort is a world of its own, with enough to keep a family busy for days without leaving: the waterpark, the aquarium, the beach, the pools, the kids club, dolphin and sea lion experiences at extra cost, and a restaurant for every mood and budget. At peak times, though, pools and buffets are crowded, lifts can be slow, and the lobby fills with day visitors heading to the waterpark. Couples looking for peace generally do better at a smaller resort, or at Atlantis The Royal next door.

Choosing a room: the Deluxe rooms in the wings are comfortable and family-sized, with views of either the sea or the Palm. Imperial Club rooms add access to a club lounge with breakfast, afternoon refreshments and a calmer check-in, which is worth considering for multi-generation groups. Suites add space and terraces, and the Underwater Suites are a once-in-a-lifetime splurge for children who dream of sleeping with sharks. Book well in advance for school holidays, when rates and demand peak, and check what each rate includes for meals, since half-board can make sense in a resort this self-contained.

Getting around: the Palm Monorail runs from the Atlantis station along the trunk to the mainland, connecting to the tram for Dubai Marina, and taxis to Downtown take around half an hour in normal traffic. The hotel pools and beach are for hotel guests only, and the kids club runs in morning, afternoon and evening sessions. Plan at least three nights to make the most of the included waterpark access, and leave a day free for the city.