Checking In to the Atlantis The Palm

Ever since growing up watching the Mary-Kate and Ashley travel films, I have longed for the day I could stay at The Atlantis. Granted, the film was made at the first Atlantis (in the Bahamas), but nonetheless my check-in to The Atlantis Dubai felt long overdue.

On previous stopovers to Dubai I have gone out of my way to visit the Atlantis. My first time in Dubai I made a special trip over to experience the Aquaventure Waterpark (circa 2013) and just a couple of years ago in 2017 revisited the property with my little brother in tow to explore the Lost Chambers Aquarium. For certain this is an attraction in itself when visiting Dubai, but to stay at the Atlantis the Palm was an entirely different experience.

What is Included in your Stay

One of the biggest draw cards to staying at the Atlantis the Palm is the exclusivity offered to in-house guests. There are a number of areas at the Atlantis for in-house guests only, including the impressive lobby and private beach access. On top of this, every day we woke up at the Atlantis we would make our way around the hotel early before non-guests arrived and have the entire aquarium to ourselves, as well as empty beaches and pools to explore.

Guests are given unlimited access to Aquaventure Waterpark next door, as well as a visit to the Lost Chambers Aquarium. Breakfast is not included in the base price but with a breakfast buffet that is overflowing (with the likes of pancakes, waffles, banana bread, Sri Lankan curries and so much more), you’d be kidding yourself to say no!

Exploring the Atlantis

Exploring the hotel was one of our favourite parts of staying here. There is so much to discover that it almost feels endless, with every turn taking you on a different journey for the day.

Some of my favourite highlights of staying at the hotel were “The Wave”, a new eatery featuring ten pin bowling, live music and a wave pool (yup!) I also really enjoyed the fitness centre which had everything you could ever need and more to stay fit whilst on vacation. The club lounge was a great addition to our stay and became our favourite place to drink cocktails as the sun was setting.

Rooms at The Atlantis Dubai

I’m sure you’ve seen images of those gorgeous underwater rooms featuring an aquarium in the living room and yes – they exist at the Atlantis! There are only a few of them so they are difficult to book and much more expensive, so for the majority of the Atlantis rooms they are king size with two options: ocean facing or palm facing.

The rooms have everything you could need to enjoy your stay but to be honest, you won’t spend much time here with all the temptations of the resort. Be sure to indulge in the welcome chocolates (they were so memorable the deserved their own mention) and remember if you are palm facing – the higher the floor, the better the view!

Yoga at Atlantis the Palm

On our last morning waking up at the Atlantis, we booked the 9:00am underwater yoga class. The class takes place inside the hotel’s impressive aquarium outside of opening hours. To have this place almost entirely to yourself (our class had just six fellow yogis) is worth while in itself!

Is Atlantis the Palm Worth It?

When deciding whether the Atlantis the Palm Dubai is the right hotel for you, there are a few key considerations. This resort caters mostly to families, especially during UK and European school holidays. This means that you can expect an almost full resort over busy periods and with almost 1500 rooms, this can be quite chaotic!

That said, the Atlantis the Palm is incredibly fun and if you want endless options for activities, dining options and to “never leave the resort”, you’ve hit the jackpot. The Atlantis is not located near any of the major attractions in Dubai as much as it is an attraction itself. Located at the tip of the palm, you can expect to travel 20-30 minutes to anywhere nearby. This includes a 30 minute cab ride to the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

If you do book the Atlantis a great idea is to upgrade your room to include club access. This will allow you to enjoy daily afternoon tea (14:00-16:00) and cocktails + canapes from 17:00-19:00. Making use of the club facilities will allow you to cut costs by enjoying a hearty buffet breakfast followed by snacks during the day and just one paid meal in the evening.

Room rates start at $650 AUD for an ocean king room, per night. Breakfast is an additional $70 AUD per room, per night. Room rates include unlimited access to Aquaventure waterpark and the lost chambers aquarium.

Book your stay with The Atlantis.