Raffles The Palm Dubai Raises the Bar on Glamour in the Arabian Gulf
An extraordinary setting deserves an extraordinary hotel and Raffles The Palm Dubai goes beyond that description in every superlative detail. Set on 25 acres of Palm Jumeirah Island bordering the Arabian Gulf, the five-star hotel meshes classic design and grandeur with the Raffles brand’s storied attention to the desires and needs of its 21st-century guests.
The 369-room resort is a Baroque architectural fantasy, topped by domes and edged by ornate private balconies that provide accommodations with vistas of the island and the azure sea. The interior is the work of master craftsmen who have created spaces featuring 24-karat-gold ceilings, intricate metalwork, and carved columns of Portuguese marble. Illuminating it all are more than 6,000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers.
More from Robb Report
The spacious rooms and suites themselves are ornamented with gold and silver leaf and Venetian glass accents and are appointed with furniture from the ateliers of Italy, cared for by an in-house curator. Even more luxurious are the villas, which occupy their own exclusive setting along the shore.
Just behind the resort’s 500 meters of private beach—one of the finest on the island—is an expansive pool set in lush gardens that add to the feeling of serenity here.
The hotel’s myriad dining choices reflect Dubai’s global appeal. Matangi’s intimate and elegant decor takes its cue from the restaurant’s contemporary approach to Japanese cuisine. The elevated izakaya menu is balanced by Japanese-inspired cocktails, premium spirits and beers, and a wide array of sakes. At Piatti by the Beach, it’s all about Italian flavors, with an emphasis on seafood and pasta served with a view of the sea. Le Jardin, as the name implies, overlooks the garden and terrace, and features an extensive buffet based on international cuisine.
For afternoon tea and light meals there’s the palatial lobby lounge, where guests can listen to the sounds of a bespoke Blüthner Louis XIV grand piano. Live music of a different kind provides the atmosphere at the award-winning Sola Jazz Lounge. Here the menu includes Asian and Mediterranean small plates as well as innovative cocktails like a Black Satin Negroni and a Gin-Tarragon Collins.
A holistic approach to wellness underpins the treatments, rituals, and massages at Cinq Mondes Spa, which are designed to relax, restore, and rejuvenate the mind and body. The 3,000-square-meter sanctuary boasts one of the island’s largest indoor pools, along with 23 treatment rooms, two private spa suites, two traditional hammams, and six hammam treatment rooms.
Since the founding of its flagship property in Singapore in 1887, Raffles Hotels & Resorts have become synonymous with luxury and the ultimate in personalized attention, and that tradition continues with the concierge team at Raffles The Palm Dubai. From arranging dining reservations and valet service to curating individualized itineraries that let guests experience the best of the destination, no request is too difficult to accomplish. It is one reason behind the famous Raffles philosophy, which declares that you “arrive as guests, leave as friends, and return as family.”
Sign up for RobbReports's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
