Where to stay in Dubai – Fairmont the Palm, Dubai

When considering where to stay in Dubai, Fairmont the Palm, Dubai is a really fantastic choice. I say this because I have stayed in a few 5 star hotels in my years of travelling the world but Fairmont the Palm, Dubai is up there with the best out of the bunch. There is something about everything being extra luxurious in dubai. Everything is bigger, sparklier, more flambouyant and just totally boujee.

Usually, I have a list of potential hotels saved for every destination I am considering visiting. I did not have one for Dubai and I’m actually not sure why; so having to pick a hotel was so confusing. We finally settled for Fairmont the Palm because it looked stunning on instagram tagged photos and for the room, the deal was incredible.

Location

Fairmont the Palm, as the name suggests, is located in the Palm Jumeirah area of Dubai. It is just off the popular promenade and sits on a row of other hotels, bars and beach clubs. Now, this area is known for being quite boisterous and away from the main sights. We had considered staying Downtown, which is closer to the Dubai Mall etc and also considered hotels in the Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) area. Ultimately, we got a much better deal with the Fairmont and decided to stay in Palm Jumeirah. The great thing about Dubai is that everywhere is about 20 mins away. Palm Jumeirah to Downtown Dubai was about 25 mins and Palm Jumeirah to JBR is about 15 mins.

The Reception

Walking into Fairmont the Palm, Dubai felt like walking into a palace. It was grand, it was boujee, and it was stunning. To your right were the reception desks; to the left were the Guest services’ desks. The reception lounge was such a huge space and gave you an idea what to expect from the hotel’s luxurious experience. A few staff wandered around ready to help with any question you might have or luggage you might need help with.

Check-In was quick and in less than 5 minutes, we were all checked in and advised to hang around since we had arrived too early. We were given welcome drinks, a soothing towel and the concierge stored our luggage. Once we realised we had about 2 hours to burn, we headed for the kids play room. Of course, Adanna had the best welcome as she grinned from ear to ear and jumped from toy to toy.

Room

Our room was the Deluxe Heritage Palm Sea View Room. It had a king-sized bed and private balcony overlooking the sea, the palm promenade and the Dubai Marina skyline. As it was our first time in that side of the world, we had no idea what their room sizes looked like. Our baby, Adanna might have been the happiest as she had so much space to crawl and play around. We had contemplated booking a suite since we were staying for 7 days but I’m glad we got the room instead. It was so much bigger than a standard UK hotel’s Junior suite.

The room had a walk in closet on one side and also had a dining and lounge space. Fairmont the Palm, Dubai was kind enough to provide a cot for our baby for free. I’ll be honest, I always side eye hotels that ask you to pay for baby cots.

The bathroom was huge with a shower and bath while the toilet was closed off further inside the bathroom. The mirror was huge and the design was very modern.

Related Post: Tips for Travelling with a Baby

Restaurants in Fairmont the Palm, Dubai

We booked a half board experience, which meant that we had breakfast and dinner in the hotel. I’m sure we could choose between lunch and dinner but dinner made more sense since we were going to be out most afternoons.

There were 6 restaurants to choose from and we ate at Flow Kitchen, Little Miss India and Seagrill Bistro. Boldly Asian would have been one to try but it was adults only. We did not have time to try Frevo and Café Beirut by the Sea but with how lovely the 3 we tried were, I would not be surprised if the others were just as good. Our favourite was Little Miss India. The food was literally out of the world yummy and the service was top notch.

Fairmont the Palm, Dubai – Other Cute Spots

Delicacy

Now this was my spot! It was a café with sweets and treats and drinks. When my friend visited, we sat here for a chat and hot chocolate. It is very aesthetically pleasing with a bicycle dolled up on the side. Delicacy reminded me of London’s Elan Café and their macarons were yummy!

Mashrabiya Lounge

This was the chill area in the lobby extension. I saw a few meetings happening here and we did relax here a few times. The space was very laidback and had a living room feel to it. Of course, the aesthetic was stunning like everything else; its theme was middle eastern and had reminded me of photos I had seen of rich, Arabian furniture.

The Cigar Lounge

How fancy for the hotel to have a cigar lounge lol?! Mr E went for a mooch and ended up buying a cigar to take home as souvenir.

Fairmont the Palm, Dubai – Amenities we enjoyed

I always think that what makes a hotel extra special are its amenities and service. With Fairmont the Palm, Dubai, we could have easily stayed in the hotel for the whole time we were there and it would have been ok. It was almost like they brought outside into the hotel so you did not have to go anywhere if you did not want to. This makes sense considering how hot it can get in Dubai. In the summer months, I’d imagine that most guests would rather stay in and use all the amenities the hotel has to offer. I’m guessing that is why the big hotels in Dubai have everything you’d want for a full all-inclusive holiday.

Family Pool

Fairmont the Palm, Dubai has 2 pools; one was adults only and the other was a family pool. I thought that was cool so couples on baecation and friend groups did not have to put up with kids splashing everywhere lol. We hung out around the family pool and it was actually really fun. The food from the kitchen was yummy and of course, there was a kids’ menu. There were empty sun-beds every time we came out, no matter what time it was and we noticed lifeguards by the pool as well which I appreciated.

Private Beach

Dubai is known for its beach clubs and before we travelled, I had actually made some enquiries for baby friendly ones. We had planned to go to Nammos beach club for a full day but once we checked into Fairmont the Palm, we realised we did not need to. The hotel had its own private beach; which was accessible from the back and through Palm Jumeirah promenade. It was a short walk and in less than 2 mins, we were on the beach. The area cordoned off for hotel guests is actually big enough with areas for ball games, chair loungers and cabanas. There is a safety zone on the beach to indicate the swimming area and it is just such a lovely space to spend a day enjoying the sun and watching yachts go by.

Kids play area

We arrived quite early before our room was ready so we spent our first few hours in the kids play area. Our baby LOVED it. I thought she’d be too tired to play but turns out she just needed to kick start her holiday with some fun activities. There was a cinema room, games room and of course, a soft play area for the younger kids; which was where mine played. We were the only ones there both times and I’m guessing that most parents picked outdoors like the pool over the play area. But it was lovely to have that choice as well.

Fairmont the Palm, Dubai – Service

Guest Services

This is where this hotel scored really high. We went to Dubai with no idea what activities to book. Even though I had done my research, travelling with a baby meant that most activity bookings are quite last minute. The Guest Services helped us arrange taxis – car hire to/fro Abu Dhabi and to the airport. They also introduced us to the external service (that was situated in-hotel) for out sunset yacht booking since we wanted a tailored experience. I appreciated how honest they were with advice on where to go with a baby and what the expectations were. We went on every experience feeling confident and reassured.

Room Service

Travelling with a baby means that you rely on room service most nights and that is the reality. Fancy dining is currently out of the question since we are not yet at the stage where we can comfortably hand our baby over to a nanny/play club etc. There is no reason why not; it is just not something we are comfortable with at this moment. Room service was always punctual and I remember saying to Mr E that I had never seen a more robust room service menu. Most hotel room service menus are very limited but not at Fairmont the Palm, Dubai. It was pages and pages of choices.

FAQs on Where to Stay in Dubai

Where is the most child friendly place to stay in Dubai?

I would say Downtown as it is close to everywhere especially if travelling with older kids. However, if you want a beach stay, Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah Beach areas are a great shout.

Is Fairmont the Palm child friendly?

YES. Infact, Dubai is possibly one of the top 3 child friendly places we have visited with our baby. It caters to everything to make families feel comfortable. There is a play room, kids pool and the menus in the onsite restaurant all offered kids’ options.

Is Fairmont the Palm, Dubai expensive?

It is on par with the other hotels in Dubai. I would say that your money goes far when it comes to Dubai hotels. A 4 star hotel in Dubai is easily a 5 star hotel in other parts of the world. We booked Fairmont the Palm, Dubai as a package deal with British Airways Holidays so we got some discount. 

Can you visit Fairmont the Palm, Dubai if you are not staying at the hotel?

Yes. The restaurants are open to the public.

A summary of my thoughts on Fairmont the Palm, Dubai

I soon realised that Dubai does luxury very differently to anywhere else I have been in the world. Their 5 star means 5 star and perhaps, this experience is similar to any other 5 star hotel stay in Dubai. We definitely felt like we got more than we expected and great value for our money. 

Fairmont the Palm, Dubai is a family friendly hotel and it is a fantastic choice for where to stay in Dubai. You can tell that everything has been done with the thought of welcoming kids. However, it also felt somewhat romantic and I can totally see myself there having a romantic baecation with my partner. The rooms face different parts of the hotel so it is worth mentioning if you’d like a room that does not face the promenade for a much quieter experience. For us, facing the promenade was all part of our Dubai experience especially for the most incredible sunsets.

Bisous, ‘Bugo x