Dubai has a long history of building over-the-top hotels and resorts, and Raffles The Palm Dubai has been serving as the shiny new jewel in the UAE’s crown. Initially owned by Kempinski Hotels, the property was originally developed by the Emerald Palace Group and designed to resemble an 18th-century European palace. In late 2021, the hotel was taken over by Accor, the group that owns Raffles.

Spread across 25 acres of prime beachfront on the Palm Jumeirah — the world’s largest manmade island and archipelago — the new Raffles resort is just one of the many five-star hotels that call this stretch of sand home.

This 389-room resort includes Deluxe and Premier Ocean Rooms, Premium Club Palm and Premium Club Terrace Rooms, ranging in size from 61 square metres to 203 square metres. Guests and families in need of more space have a choice of suites, including Duplex Suites, Signature Ocean Suites, Premier One-Bedroom Palm Suites, the Raffles Presidential Suites and Raffles Royal Suite, ranging in size from 100 square metres to 750 square metres. The rooms and suites offer panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf or the Dubai skyline — fabulous views for every room or suite.

Favoured by those who enjoy the finer things in life, the hotel is fabulously opulent, beginning with its magnificent chandeliers and 24-carat gold and silver leaf artefacts elevating the furnishings throughout. Every guest who checks into Raffles will be welcomed as a VIP and will enjoy access to the hotel’s famous 24-hour butler service. Butlers also serve as resident experts in the best that Dubai has to offer, such as in-room surprises and day trips to some of the city’s hidden gems.

Raffles The Palm Dubai is also home to a collection of villas, each encapsulating the splendour of the resort. The Raffles Royal Villas and Raffles Imperial Villas offer an exceptional accommodation experience, with sizes ranging from 950 square metres to 1,050 square metres.

Tasteful indulgence is provided within each of the four-bedroom villas, which are all located by the shoreline and offer easy access to a pristine private beach and lush gardens. Their interiors feature high ceilings, a built-in spa and a private swimming pool.

Inspired by the Renaissance and Baroque styles of architecture, Raffles The Palm is chic: the interior has a distinctly Versailles-esque feel with luxurious ceiling carvings covered in 24-carat gold and 300-year-old pink marble pillars. The extravagance of the décor perfectly combines heritage and contemporary luxury. The property offers ceilings adorned with stars, with more than 6,000 Venetian chandeliers crafted from Swarovski crystals. Guests will appreciate the 70,000 pieces of furniture from the traditional Italian ateliers of Francesco Molon. Highly skilled designers complete the finishing touches to each guest room using real gold and silver leaf, while specialist stonemasons shaped the imported Portuguese marble. The hotel actually employs a ‘Furniture Master’ to ensure the furniture maintains every detail perfectly and remains shiny at all times.

You may be soaking up the sun in the Middle East, but culinary options at the hotel will take you far and wide. At Matagi, a team of expertly trained chefs will prepare an exquisite fusion menu of contemporary Japanese and Italian food, a cuisine known as Itameshi. The interiors are a more sophisticated affair with leather chairs and dim lights. You can stand by the open kitchen and watch the expert team of talented chefs work their magic. Spoil yourself with a mix of sashimi and nigiri, cleanse your palate with a lemongrass crème brûlée accompanied by a calamansi sorbet, and try the strong yet perfect Matagi Mule. Saké fans will not be disappointed.

Piatti by the Beach, an all-white Italian beachside restaurant, is guaranteed to transport you straight to the Amalfi Coast, with whitewashed stone floors, turquoise accents and clusters of bright fuchsia bougainvillea flowers spilling over from hanging baskets. Chef Batuhan Piatti has used his knowledge and experience to create a delectable menu of Mediterranean delights. Chef Batuhan says, “I have created a menu with freshness, taste and simplicity in mind. You will taste the quality in every delicious bite of our Mediterranean menu. At Piatti by the Beach, guests will experience wonderful culinary moments that will live long in their memories. As well as amazing food, our guests can expect both superior service and an unparalleled location.” The carbohydrate-rich menu includes everything from burrata to mussels and pasta to Mediterranean-inspired fish. Dessert-seekers can look forward to a melt-in-the-mouth selection of cakes displayed like fine pieces of art in the Temptation Room. That’s right — an entire room dedicated to hand-crafted cakes, tarts and other desserts.

Music lovers can unwind with a wonderful selection of food and drinks at SOLA — this is where the party is. World-renowned musicians, bands and DJs take to the stage from Tuesday to Saturday, performing versatile jazz styles such as soul and R&B. Here, you can explore a mix of Asian and Mediterranean tapas specialities. Whilst sampling the stunning food menu, take a look at the drinks menu and try their signature ‘Black Sapphire Negroni’. If you really want to enjoy it, try pairing it with one of their many phenomenal cigars straight from their impressive cigar selection.

Cinq Mondes Spa allows guests to continue soaking up the luxurious hotel ambience with a relaxed sensory session in a space that exudes wellness from the moment one steps foot inside. Cinq Mondes Spa offers guests a taste of some of the world’s most famous and sought-after rituals, all from its stunning underground location at Raffles The Palm.

With cutting-edge hydraulic and air technology, Cinq Mondes Spa is home to the biggest indoor pool in the Middle East and a truly impressive hammam. With seven scrub rooms, 23 treatment rooms, two private spa rooms, a 61-metre yoga studio, a state-of-the-art fully equipped gym, Japanese bathtubs and an incredible 31-service treatment menu, Cinq Mondes Spa feels like something you could only dream of. From Japanese facials and Thai massages to Balinese treatments and Brazilian body wraps, there is a treatment to suit each and every guest.

Why Raffles The Palm Dubai Captivates

Raffles The Palm Dubai is unique in almost every way: it is sheer perfection, a culinary delight, a sun-worshipper’s haven, a lesson in sumptuous accommodation and service of the highest standard, and a return visit is very much on the cards.

Address: West Crescent, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
T: +971 4 248 8888
W: Raffles The Palm Dubai

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Written by Amber Lauren for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International