ATLANTIS THE ROYAL

Just the mere mention of Dubai conjures up images of untold luxury, and the latest addition to Kerzner International’s Atlantis Resorts, Atlantis The Royal, most certainly doesn’t disappoint! I recently had the pleasure of spending four nights at the resort, which oozes opulence and I cannot recommend it enough.

A very comfortable flight from JFK to Dubai International Airport on Emirates Airline was the beginning of a few days of being treated like a king. Once passport control and customs were cleared at the massive airport, I proceeded to the Atlantis welcome desk and then to the shuttle, for an air-conditioned, smooth 40-minute drive through Dubai, to the resort’s location on Crescent Drive, Palm Jumeirah.

A FANTASYLAND
Entering the Atlantis The Royal is a treat in itself! The first thing one sees is the ALIGHT feature, which amazed me with its two massive skins of glass clad in water and holding choreographed plumes of fire between them. The lobby is huge, with so much to look at, from the almost 40 feet tall “Droplets” sculpture, representing the first drops of rain in the dry desert, to the hundreds of raindrop-shaped light pendants and the wall aquariums housing some 7200 marine creatures. The eye wanders across the vast Royal Tearoom, to the outside views of Elements Terrace restaurant and beyond, across Skyblaze Fountain, on to Milos Restaurant and a peek at The Palm and Dubai City in the background.

Turning back to the reception area, the richness of gold and marble invites you to check in with one of the incredibly friendly staff. I was booked into a King Palmscape room with stunning views of The Palm from the 20th floor, both inside the room and out on the glass-sided balcony. Walking onto the balcony for the first time, I became aware of the heat and humidity, with a nighttime temperature approaching 100F; thank goodness for the ample supply of complimentary water and a top-class air conditioner. Falling asleep in the soft, beautifully comfortable bed and watching the twinkling lights of Palm Island was heavenly.

A NEW DAY DAWNS
A long soak under the glorious rain shower the following morning set the tone for a wonderful day of being spoiled beyond belief, starting with breakfast at Gastronomy, a genuinely remarkable buffet-style restaurant inspired by food markets, with live cooking stations and an array of food choices to satisfy every taste—fruits, yogurts, eggs, farm fresh vegetables, Asian foods, pizza, pastries to delight, plant-based choices, a myriad of juices, sushi, breads to die for, even candies. You name it, it’s almost certainly on the breakfast menus at Gastronomy, which can be enjoyed inside with stunning views of The Palm, or on the terrace with the same wonderful views.

After breakfast, living it large continued with a couple of relaxing hours at Cloud 22, its breathtaking views of the Palm to the one side and the Arabian Gulf to the other. A 300 feet long infinity pool, a gorgeous plunge pool, blue and white Dolce and Gabbana sun loungers, floating beds in the infinity pool, cabanas, an incredible bar and a D&G menu, all make Cloud 22, partnered with Dolce and Gabbana x Ounass, one of the most sought after and exclusive locations in Dubai, where one can easily mix with celebrities and very high-end A-listers. 

A couple of perfectly cooked wagyu sliders and plenty of top-line sparkling water filled a small hole in my stomach and kept me hydrated in 95F heat, sunshine, and impossibly blue skies. Of course, plenty of shade under the very large sun lounger umbrellas kept the brutal Arabian sun at bay, along with liberal use of sunscreen. 

SOOTHE THE SOUL  
All too soon, it was time to depart and take the elevator back to the ground floor, then onto AWAKEN Spa, a genuinely enormous health and wellness center that aligns with each guest’s unique quest for mindfulness, health, and happiness. It awakens the elements of nature: body (earth), mind (fire), emotion (water), and spirit (air). 

There is a never-ending array of treatments and experiences, including a Halotherapy Salt Cave, a Hydrotherapy pool, a Charcoal Sauna, and many more—many of which I had never heard of!

I opted for a one-hour AWAKEN massage, which combined aromatherapy and Swedish massage styles with Reiki energy healing. Therapist Kudzai from Zimbabwe beautifully administered the massage. She did such a great job of relaxing me that I fell asleep!

After a quick shower and change of clothes into something smart casual, it was off to estiatorio Milos for dinner on the restaurant’s terrace, overlooking the Skyblaze Fountain, one of the world’s unique performance fountains. Skyblaze provides an intimate viewing experience unlike any other. Where a normal fountain is typified by a classical water formation arranged in rings and arcs, Skyblaze is designed as a field, with water and fire expressions creating surprising movements as they appear and multiply from anywhere within the field. This arrangement makes choreographies, gestures and patterns impossible on a classically configured fountain.  

Dinner was superb—as it was now evident that everything is at Atlantis The Royal. I started with the Milos Special: lightly fried paper-thin zucchini and eggplant arranged in a mountain around copious amounts of Saganaki cheese and Tzatziki. I then followed with a wonderfully cooked filet mignon, eaten at leisure while watching those beautiful fountains and listening to the wonderful music. After dinner, I walked around the fountains and the Elements Terrace to take some night photos and then I retuened to my wonderfully cool and calming room before falling asleep once again. 

NEW ADVENTURES
Waking up to views of the Palm Jumeirah skyline was not getting old. The ever-changing quality and direction of light made it feel like a new destination every time I looked out through the enormous sliding glass doors across the balcony of my room, and each day at Atlantis The Royal brought new sights and adventures.

Breakfast at the Royal Club Lounge is a wonderful experience. You have a choice of a full Continental or English Breakfast buffet. The bacon and sausages were veal, in keeping with the laws regarding pork consumption, but both were equally delicious. There is also a selection of omelets and some excellent breakfast choices, especially the pastries and muffins.  

The Afternoon Tea at the Royal Club Lounge is also fabulous—excellent English-style sandwiches, quiches, scones with clotted cream, pastries and a great selection of teas. It’s civilized, quaint, and oh-so genteel—right there in Dubai! 

Atlantis The Royal has ninety pools and I also got to relax in a lounger at Nobu by the Beach, the debut pool and beach club by the iconic Japanese restaurant. With seductive deep house music played in the background by a live DJ, it was the perfect place to relax and tan. A few yards away, the beach beckoned—Atlantis The Royal has one mile of private beach overlooking the Palm Skyline, with beautiful, warm sea water enticing one to swim. 

WORLD-CLASS DINING
Fine dining is a given at Atlantis The Royal, and of the 17 world-class restaurants, 8 are headed by celebrity chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal, Ariana Bundy, Costas Spiliadis, and Mich Turner. I was fortunate to have dined at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Milos and Ariana’s Persian Kitchen. Each restaurant offered a wonderful menu, including delicious signature dishes.

The Meat Fruit at Blumenthal was tremendously special. It’s a velvety, incredibly tasty chicken pate disguised as a mandarin and served with a wonderful, toasted sourdough. This dish is a multi-day recipe requiring three cooks on the cold larder to work five hours daily. The chicken and asparagus with a delightful pea puree were incredible, and the signature, freshly made Tipsy Cake (I opted for the non-alcohol version) was heavenly.

At Ariana’s Persian Kitchen, the whole experience of exotic Iranian and Lebanese culinary delights was sensory overload for my taste buds! From the traditional welcome with Iranian blue salt and walnuts, to sambuseh–the Iranian samosa, kabab koobideh with the most incredible saffron rice and almond slivers coated in 24 karat gold dust and a pomegranate and rosewater mocktail to wash it all down.

Everyone loves cake and a trip to Mich Turner’s, The Little Venice Cake Company, for cake and tea, was another hour beautifully spent—just tasting those muffins, cupcakes and nougat was enough to make me envious of those who regularly have special cakes designed and created by the wonderful ladies that work there. My hosts, Penelope, an incredible cake artist, and Lucy, made sure that the tea and cakes were mind-blowingly tasty and provided me with some wonderful background to the wonderful company and store, including its connection to British Royalty through Mich.  

Although I didn’t dine at the incredible Ling Ling, a unique ultra lounge experience by the Tao Group, a nighttime visit, with high-energy music provided by the live DJ, reminded me oh so much of the nightclubs of my youth, but with much more luxury and panoramic views of Dubai’s glittering skyline from its two levels on the 22nd and 23rd floors. 

MORE ADVENTURES
No visit to Atlantis is complete without a visit to Lost Chambers Aquarium at the sister resort, Atlantis The Palm, a 10-minute shuttle ride away. The main feature is the Ambassador Aquarium, an incredible 3 million gallons containing over 65,000 marine creatures and another 21 exhibits to explore.

A massive highlight for me was participating in the AquaTrek extreme, walking through the Ambassador lagoon thirty feet underwater, coming face to face with fish, rays, and sharks, and getting some priceless underwater photos and videos. This experience starts with a ten-minute instruction session, including a rundown of hand signals used underwater and a full list of safety precautions.  

After donning the provided wetsuit and oh-so-stylish yellow Crocs, I climbed down a couple of steps into the water; the heavy helmet, reminiscent of the old school diving helmets, was placed on my shoulders and the oxygen tank was put on the back and connected. The pressure was set and it was time to descend the ladders, accompanied by diver Danny, into the lagoon, stopping at every step to clear the ears and give Danny the OK sign. All too soon, it was time to climb the ladders back to the surface, but what an experience, especially for someone who isn’t a strong swimmer.  

My last night was reserved for a truly memorable ten-minute flight on the tethered, helium-filled Dubai Balloon with incredible views of Palm Jumeirah from around 500 feet up. I was lucky enough to get the balloon to myself and a pilot who was very happy to let me walk around the enclosed circular basket, taking as many photos as I wanted. The humidity on the ground, which permanently fogged my lenses, gave way to a deliciously cooling breeze and clear lenses!  

Atlantis Resorts is a division of the South African Company Kerzner International, and that connection is reflected in the multicultural and multi-national staff, who are efficient, friendly, professional, and very attentive. Walking past almost every staff member during my stay, they would greet me with the Arab gesture of placing the right palm on the heart. Attention to detail throughout the resort is mind-blowing; no detail is too small to ignore.  

I left Atlantis The Royal, sadly, wishing that I had been able to spend more time there and experience more of this incredible resort, including visiting the beautiful art galleries and high-end stores, but vowing to return to this Jewel in Dubai’s Golden Crown.  

For more information on Atlantis The Royal, visit atlantis.com/atlantis-the-royal