Ten of Dubai's best family-friendly hotels, with water slides, pony rides and theme parks
28 November, 2022
With a long weekend for the UAE’s 51st National Day around the corner, the school term coming to an end and the festive holidays almost here, a change of scenery may be in order. If so, why not pack the family up and head to Dubai, recently named the most-viewed travel destination on TikTok — and a city that's heaving with things to see and do.
For those travelling with children, the city has a plethora of places to stay that are packed with family-friendly facilities.
For a getaway where children come first and where there’s no chance that youngsters will ever get bored, these top 10 family-friendly hotels in Dubai have you covered.
1. Endless fun at Atlantis, The Palm
While its sister hotel The Royal Atlantis has been making all the headlines of late, the pink-toned, ocean-themed Atlantis, The Palm remains one of Dubai's best-known landmarks, as well as one of its top family destinations.
With more than 1,500 rooms in total, almost all of which have interconnecting doors, plus numerous places to eat — including one overlooking the aquarium and another with its own bowling alley — this stalwart resort is all about family fun. Guests have complimentary access to Aquaventure — Dubai’s 17-hectare water park where there are rapids, pools, lazy rivers and slides — as well as the longest zip line in the Middle East. Guests can also visit The Lost Chambers Aquarium, home to the Ambassadors Lagoon and 65,000 marine animals, Dolphin Bay and Sea Lion Point.
Atlantis Explorers Club is the only children's club in the world that has an underwater observation and activity room, as well as a busy schedule of activities and games. There is also a little pirates playground, complete with ropes, tunnels and slides, and The Zone, an adult-free hangout space designed for youngsters up to age 17.
Children can also get up close and personal with some of Atlantis’s marine life through the hotel’s youth programme run by specialists to help children learn more about the underwater world.
2. Children come first at Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai
Located at Deira Islands, the Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai is the first property in the UAE from Centara Hotels & Resorts, one of Thailand’s leading hotel groups and a brand that's known for its family-friendly offerings.
The “family-themed” hotel has plenty on offer to keep the whole family entertained, and up to two children stay and eat free on each reservation. Travellers can take their pick from a variety of rooms, with interconnecting doors, bunk beds and larger two-bedroom suites available.
As well as having its own water park complete with a beachfront swimming pool, waterslides, rock jumping points and a meandering lazy river, the hotel also has an outdoor playground, an aerial obstacle course and a candy-themed spa that’s only for youngsters. There are also three age-specific children’s clubs, with one dedicated to teenagers.
Inspired by mythical Thai and Arabian adventures, expect brightly painted elephants, murals and decor throughout the hotel, including in the colourful Mirage Family Lounge where bean bags, games and refreshments await the whole family.
3. A brick-tastic getaway at Legoland Hotel
The Middle East’s first Legoland Hotel in Dubai is one place where children definitely come first.
The 250-room hotel at Dubai’s Parks & Resorts doesn’t take its role lightly — it's hyper-themed with everything from the elevators to the bathrooms plastered in Lego-themed decor. Standard rooms sleep up to five guests, with a separate bunk bed-filled space for children to call their own and youngsters will love the treasure hunt game that awaits them every time they check in.
Breakfast at Bricks Family Restaurant is included as standard and there are plenty of child-friendly dishes served with a buffet cleverly designed at children's height. A castle-themed play area, Lego-making workshops and a huge temperature-controlled swimming pool, complete with Lego brick floating toys, promise a stay here will be a winner.
Even better, guests checking in to Legoland Hotel can enjoy complimentary access to the brick-themed park, just a few steps away.
4. An all-inclusive family escape at Hotel Riu Dubai
There’s something lovely about staying all-inclusive when travelling with children. Not having to say no when they request another ice cream or cold drink — for financial reasons, at least — can make a hotel stay much less stressful and Hotel Riu Dubai is the city’s first 24-hour, all-inclusive property.
That means that at any time, day or night, there will be a least one venue open at the Deira Islands hotel and serving all-inclusive food, snacks and drinks — handy if you arrive in the middle of the night with a hungry toddler in tow.
The 800-room, four-star hotel has three swimming pools and a separate children’s pool, plus Splash Water World water park, complete with colourful water slides and rides.
RiuLand kids' club organises an action-packed schedule of activities every day and there’s also a children’s playground and a private beach offering a variety of water sports.
Rooms all have at least one king-size bed or two small double beds, and a sofa in the lounge area. There's also the option to book either a “dry all-inclusive” package or the standard all-inclusive rate, including house beverages.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com