If you are looking for the best family hotel Dubai then look no further than Anantara The Palm Dubai. In our opinion, it is the best 5 star hotel in Dubai for family. Read on and we will give you all the reasons why….
Where is Anantara The Palm Dubai?
As the name suggests, Anantara The Palm is on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. It is on the East Crescent of the Palm and is a true Thai hideaway. You will feel like you have left the busy city of Dubai and hopped over to Thailand. Check out our Instagram Reel here for a video roundup of our stay.
What makes Anantara The Palm so special?
There are many reasons why Anantara The Palm is the best family hotel Dubai and it makes for the perfect holiday destination in Dubai:
- The beach – 400m of white sand overlooking the Dubai skyline
- The lagoon pools – 3 temperature controlled lagoon pool snake through the resort offering plenty of opportunities to get quiet family time
- The rooms – Anantara The Palm Dubai offers many different types of rooms from standard rooms, lagoon view rooms, lagoon access rooms with direct access to the lagoon pools, villas with private pools and beach access and the UAE’s only over the water bungalow villas
- The restaurants – Mekong the flagship Thai restaurant, Bushmans steak house and Crescendo buffet restaurant all offer exceptional food
- Kids Club – Kids Club and a Teens Club, ideal! Older kids can go into the teens club before actually being teens. Having the two kids clubs really helps.
- The spa – Wow! A true relaxing luxury escape
Read on for full details…
The Beach at Anantara The Palm
A long, 400m stretch of sand running alongside the resort. Views out over to Dubai skyline at Dubai marina. Plenty of watersports on offer like kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing and boat trips. The water bungalows jutting out over the sea keep the feeling of being in Thailand alive.
Beach games organised for the kids on the beach at sunset, conveniently located to check out the Beach House for sundowners.
The Lagoon Pools
Such a unique feature of this stunning family hotel in Dubai. There is plenty of space throughout the resort to hit the pool, no need to put your towels out early! The main pool can get busy but if you wander throughout the snaking lagoon pools there will always be somewhere quiet to sit.
Another great feature of the lagoon pools is the sandy part as you enter the pool. This is perfect for little kids wanting to dig and play in the sand. The other benefit of the lagoon pools is if you opt for a pool access room where you get direct access from your balcony. Watch out for the longtail boat bar making its rounds throughout the day too, another reason why it gets our vote for best family hotel Dubai.
The rooms at Anantara Dubai The Palm
We stayed in a lagoon view room. It was huge! A double bed was made up in the bay window for the kids to sleep in and we had more than enough space in the room for all of us. A lovely balcony overlooked the lagoon and towards the beach which was perfect at sunset.
Lagoon access rooms offer direct access to the pool and are an extra treat that is probably worth splashing out for. Ideal if you have kids still of napping age, they can sleep and you can sunbathe on the balcony and hit the pool. Handy that the longtail boat bar passes your room too for afternoon cocktails!
Villas at Anantara The Palm are perfect if you are looking for more space for larger families. Some of these villas have pools and direct beach access. Ideal if you are looking for something more luxurious.
If you are looking for something ultra luxurious then check out the over the water villa bungalows. In true Maldives style these villas at Anantara The Palm are something special.
Restaurants at Anantara The Palm
There are 4 great restaurants and a cafe to choose from when staying at Anantara the Palm giving enough choice for your stay. We love a resort with enough restaurant choices for us to be able to eat and relax there in the evening.
Mekong Restaurant Anantara The Palm
Mekong is the flagship restaurant for Anantara the Palm and it is a gorgeous Asian restaurant with Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese influences. It has a wonderful Asian atmosphere being dark, red and gold. You can even opt to sit in tuk tuk inspired seats. A big open kitchen and even water features throughout, calm and peaceful.
The menu at Mekong is huge with so much choice, even on the half board. We absolutely loved the kids bento boxes that came with a little bit of everything. There is happy hour, try the cocktails!
Check out our Reel from the gorgeous Mekong restaurant here.
Bushman’s Restaurant and Bar
Bushman’s is an Aussie themed steakhouse complete with a huge wine cellar and chilled vibes. Everything has a nod to Australia with the pictures on the walls, boomerangs and kangaroos dotted around. A big open kitchen and delicious, mouth watering steak.
Again, we loved the kids menu at Bushman’s with lots of choice, they of course opted for steak and cleared their plates. A good happy hour and plenty of choice on the half board menu.
Crescendo at Anantara the Palm
Crescendo is the main buffet restaurant at the hotel. The breakfast selection here each day is out of this world. Every kind of food imaginable and plentiful is there. We loved the bagal section, the eggs and pancake stations, all the tropical fruit, fish and salads and hot, english style breakfast. Sitting outside with the pool views over the beach and the Dubai skyline in the background.
There is a range of different food on offer at Crescendo every night from pizzas out of the pizza oven, Indian curries and Middle Eastern delights. We have also done the Saturday brunch here a few times over the years and always had a great time. The food, entertainment and kids activities all making sure we are able to enjoy ourselves fully.
Beach House Anantara the Palm
As the name suggests, Beach House restaurant is situated right on the beach at Anantara the Palm. It offers wonderful views of the water bungalows, the beach and the view over to the Dubai skyline. A chilled, relaxed vibe with a Mediterranean influence. Open all day from 12pm until late at night. There are often events with guest chefs visiting and putting on evenings so keep your eye out for something different in Dubai.
The sunset, Friday BBQ on the beach is run by Beach House and has a wide range of food on offer. It is perfect for the kids to run around on the beach and adults to take in the sunset whilst enjoying some food and drinks.
Revo Cafe at Anantara the Palm
Revo Cafe is a casual coffee shop that offers food with a healthy twist. It is located near to the gym so is an ideal spot for breakfast or a smoothie afterwards.
What is the kids club like at Anantara the Palm Dubai?
The kids club is another huge reason why we think Anantara the Palm deserves the best family hotel Dubai title. Our kids were happily entertained from after breakfast until dinner. They popped back for some food in the afternoon but other than that they were busy with pool games, beach games, football and the kids club. There are also numerous beach and water activities available like kayaks, paddle boarding and pedalos.
There are two kids clubs available, one is for smaller kids and toddlers with a small soft play and creative or role play toys like kitchens and cars etc. The ‘teens club’ – although you don’t have to be a teen to go in there, has playstations, basketball, pool, air hockey etc. A perfect place to get a break from the midday sun!
The Spa at Anantara the Palm Dubai
Anantara The Palm Spa has to be one of my favourite spas in Dubai. The gorgeous locations sat overlooking a lagoon surrounded by trees, the calm and peaceful atmosphere and the most friendly staff. It really feels like you are in a spa in Thailand. I had a 60minute massage on the most comfortable bed and then enjoyed the steam, sauna and jacuzzi afterwards. A real treat not to be missed when staying at this hotel in Dubai.
Check out our Instagram Reel of Anantara the Palm Dubai here of a roundup of our stay.
Anantara Hotels are incredible, if you are yet to experience one then you are in for a treat. It is a true experience from the moment you enter to the moment you leave. The staff are incredibly welcoming, friendly and can’t do enough for you. We had an amazing 2 night stay and wish we could have stayed longer. If you are debating where to stay on your holiday to Dubai or for a quick staycation then I don’t think you can go wrong with this family hotel in Dubai at Anantara the Palm.
What else to do during our holiday in Dubai?
Dubai is FULL of things to do! You can never be bored. You could spend every day of your holiday doing something new and still have lots of things left to see and do for your next trip.
Our top recommendations:
- Burj Khalifa – go to the top, the views are amazing. Go at sunset and then stay for the fountain show in the evening, take a trip to Time out Market for dinner.
- Desert Safari – speeding through the sand dunes, riding a camel and experiencing a BBQ in the desert at sunset are all things you should do at least once during your time in Dubai.
- Old Dubai – wander around the oldest part of Dubai, take an abra ride and eat some Emirati food. Afterwards check out Dubai Frame for a glimpse at both old and new Dubai.
- Waterpark – Dubai has many waterparks from Wild Wadi, Aquaventure at Atlantis and Lego Land all are great fun.
For more ideas of where to go during your time in Dubai check out our Everything you Need to Know about Dubai page. You will find 20 Free Things to Do in Dubai as well as 13 Tips for a Cheap Holiday in Dubai with all our tips and tricks!
Disclaimer: This post the best family hotel Dubai, has affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.
We were kindly invited by Anantara the Palm Dubai to stay at their hotel and give a review. All opinions are our own.
