Ever wanted to swim with dolphins or stay in a hotel room bigger than your house/flat? Then you need to get in on what the luxury/food bloggers are doing because these guys have it made. Sandwiched into my very busy summer of travels I joined that exclusive club when I sampled the luxury Dubai lifestyle staying at the Atlantis The Palm.
To say I was out of my element staying here was an understatement. While I could almost see the food bloggers frothing at the mouth with anticipation about the mountain of food we would soon be eating (I kid you not it was a mountain of food). I sat looking at the menu trying to decipher exactly what I was eating. I mean pancetta and black truffles… that’s not the usual dish on my travel menu.
While the restaurants took centre stage as the feature of the trip (more on them in my next post) and left me in a food induced coma while longing to be a food blogger, it was the other offerings at the hotel that brought the luxury travel blogger out in me. I mean it’s not very often I get to stay in a place that offers this sort of luxury.
Hotel Bathroom Bigger Than My London Flat
11 Million Litre Aquarium inside the Hotel
Ride the Leap of Faith Water Slide
The Chance to Swim with Dolphins
What I liked about the Hotel was that while my room was so extravagant I passed many everyday families staying at the Hotel and enjoying the same facilities as me. Most staying by way of a package holiday deal, it’s great to see a Hotel of this 5 star rating offering deals that can be made affordable by the masses.
The biggest attraction obviously with so many families around was the Water Park. After all Dubai isn’t the coolest (temperature wise) place, especially in August and with the water park sitting right next door to the hotel it was a short walk through the wall of heat to the cool of waves, vertical drop water slides and rubber tubes. This isn’t some kiddies water park though, oh no this place has rides that even I was not up to the challenge for. The grand daddy of them being the Leap of Faith shown above… yeah my faith wasn’t that strong.
The big event of the trip for me and I know the food bloggers will most likely say it was eating at Nobu (not that I knew what Nobu was…) was getting to swim with the dolphins at the hotels Dolphin Bay. Their skin is so smooth and even though the sun was melting us in the water I could have easily played around with them all day, such peaceful animals.
I know you all know that I love the joy of planning my travel and exploring the world as a solo traveller BUT… I have to admin that after a couple of days enjoying the limousine service in Dubai in the luxury Dubai life like so many this way of travel isn’t so bad either. Everybody needs a bit of pampering now and then right?
I have to say a very big thank you to the Atlantis The Palm for sponsoring my stay at their hotel and allowing me to sample the food and facilities on offer, it was an absolute joy.
Wow awesome luxury hotel, I really like the way you kiss the dolphin . I am going to Dubai as well on December but I can’t afford to stay in luxurious Hotel.
You are so lucky! cheers!
Beyond, beyond incredible!
Thanks Andi, it really was a stunning hotel and I’ve not even shown you the fancy rooms that have one wall as the aquarium. Imagine sitting in bed and having the fish to look at all day long.
Sometimes a bit of luxury is just what you need, even if it’s not the usual thing you daydream about it.
I know that I really appreciated upgrading to a fancy private room when I visited Mango Bay in Fiji last year. I can only imagine how it must have been amidst the decadence of Dubai. That waterslide looks intense.
Just WOW! Pampered much?!
Just going to put it out there – that aquarium is sweet!!!
and I can totally see you riding the Leap of Faith 😉
Chris, that would have been an amazing experience! As much as I like to fancy myself as a backpacker, I’d gladly give up roughing it for a night to stay in such a posh place 🙂
Aaaah, yes, man cannot live by hostel food alone ;o) It was pretty awesome – the size of our rooms still fills me with awe, especially considering there were BIGGER suites! I must mail you the pic of yourself in the bathroom of that crazy aquarium suite in time for your next post… :o)
Also meant to say I’ve now added a link to this post to the bottom of my final Atlantis post 🙂
Wow what a beautiful hotel! I love the thought of being able to visit that epic acquarium and then swim with dolphins too.