One&Only The Palm Dubai

I am not sure where to start when reviewing this outstanding hotel. From the moment we entered reception, we knew that we had come to stay somewhere very special. You are overwhelmed by the peace and tranquility of the place which made it the perfect hotel to help mark our silver wedding celebrations. We were warmly greeted upon arrival by door staff and the duty receptionist who was very polite, friendly, and chatty. The reception area itself is breathtakingly impressive; beautiful and elegant. In fact the stunning interior design and beautiful soft furnishings is apparent throughout the entire hotel. Check-in was sleek and to mark the fact that we were there to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary, I was provided with some flowers by our host, Delly. A lovely touch. In the room, the most delicious sweet treats awaited us with a handwritten card. All personal touches that make all the difference. We were assigned a beach access room in one of nine mansions that was just perfect. Each mansion is spacious; set within gorgeous gardens, and was spotlessly clean with a small water feature and set within a courtyard setting upon first entering and an entrance hall that provides a private villa feel. Our room was furnished beautifully, with the comfiest high quality bed and crisp white bed linen. A plush coordinated carpet for added comfort. The bathroom was stunning with roll-top bath and understated chandelier adding to the elegance. While a dressing room area was the perfect addition for our 16 year old daughter who also accompanied us on our stay. Even the hairdryer was of a very high standard - a Dyson! Walking around the hotel grounds is a treat in itself, with carefully manicured gardens and the cutest rabbits that can be glimpsed hopping around. I actually used to look forward to the short walk to breakfast! And if you feel incredibly lazy, you can always book a buggy to take you to one of the restaurants. The family pool area is fabulous; once again beautiful. All sun loungers are super comfy and the covers were always spotless. Towels carefully folded/arranged and promptly cleared upon guests leaving. Relaxing music is continuously subtly pipped, a welcome change to some other Dubai hotels who now favour loud club music. We loved the double day beds that were located next to the pool and surrounded with shallow water - perfect if you ever fancied a cooldown, without becoming fully submerged. A selection of ice-creams is included, along with a cool box of iced bottle waters. Also, throughout the day, there are various little treats offered by the pool attendants, such as a smoothie shot, fresh fruit, a cool flannel or iced tea. We were really impressed by all the pool attendants, but chatted most regularly to Bobin who amazingly remembered us by name, and was always very pleasant. Breakfast - a daily treat! Hosted in the stunning and elegant Zest restaurant. All the waiting staff were extremely attentive and friendly. Remembering your preferences from the previous day. The selection of a la carte choices extremely plentiful and then supplemented with a daily special. Everything we ate was cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. The fresh smoothie selection plentiful and yummy. All accompanied by a buffet, consisting of fresh pastries, breads, fruits and various other items. Once again, all the waiting staff were brilliant, but we were regularly served by Ej? who was fab, and we chatted at length to Aswin. Aswin was truly lovely, desperately wanting to assist in any way he could. From noting down our preference for food for dinner, and sourcing a menu. Proactively remembering that I liked creamy sauces, and asking the chef to add this to a sauce. One day we asked his advice on how to source the viral mango ice cream for our daughter, and he even offered to buy it during his break! Then the management, truly incredible. On a daily basis, Leon Wertschulte would go out of his way to check that our every little need had been catered for. He was also very engaging, naturally charismatic. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and he went above and beyond in making our silver wedding anniversary celebrations especially memorable. Even waiting until 9pm on the evening we left to say farewell. I’m certain that the quality of managers is one of the reasons why this hotel operates so sleekly and is successful in all the staff working together so professionally, allowing every little detail to be considered. We dined on a half board basis, on one occasion dining in 101 which is an ambient restaurant set off a promenade. The other evenings, we dined in Zest that had an Italian theme. The food was always prepared to perfectly, and once again all the waiting staff were keen and super attentive. We met the sous chef on one occasion, and it was interesting to hear about his experiences. Overall the One & Only, the Palm, is sheer perfection in every way. An incredibly aesthetically beautiful, luxurious, and elegant hotel, where all the little details are seamlessly woven together. It was made even more special by a fabulous team of friendly and attentive staff who wanted to go out of their way to help guests enjoy their stay in any way possible. It surpassed our expectations, that were incredibly high on this occasion, and we are already looking forward to booking our next stay. Thank you all for an exceptional stay!

Fantastic 10 night stay. Faultless service. Luxurious rooms and amenities. High quality food. Beautiful and tranquil settting. We stayed in two interconnecting Palm Beach Premier Rooms. Housekeeping faultless. Higher level of quality vs O&O Royal Mirage. Half Board option was comprehensive and no supplements. Only real downside is the location. It’s at the very tip of the palm so if you intend to leave the hotel a lot it can be a pain.

The level of hospitality and cleanliness is extraordinary and can be taught. I travelled all around the world and tried most of the 5-star hotel chains, but One&Only is exceptional and on another level. We truly enjoyed our stay there and will visit again for sure.

For travellers with the highest expectations, this review is here to help you decide whether this is the right hotel for you. From the moment we arrived, the service was nothing short of exceptional — attentive without being intrusive, and delivered with a genuine warmth you can’t fake. A few moments stood out: A casual remark to my daughters (overheard by the bell boy) that our rooms weren’t connecting as I had assumed set off an immediate flurry of activity at reception as we passed through. Apologies flowed, and the team moved to rectify the situation immediately — even though I had never formally requested connecting rooms, only muttered it at check-in. A quick WhatsApp to my butler about laundry after my daughter got paint on her clothes at the kids’ club brought Fati, the lovely kids’ club attendant, to my door within 30 minutes to apologise personally. (The kids’ club itself is lovely — small but perfectly formed, and staffed by Emmy and Fati, who are so warm and engaging they almost convinced my grumpy teenagers stay.) By the pool, a conveyor belt of thoughtful touches appeared throughout the day — chilled cucumber slices for my eyes, icy towels, and tall, refreshing passionfruit iced teas (mercifully full-sized, unlike the thimblefuls at other “luxury” resorts that leave you questioning your life choices). While waiting for a taxi, my youngest mentioned (read: nagged) wanting a buggy ride. A porter overheard from several metres away and immediately offered to take her for a spin while we waited. I suspect she’ll now expect this level of service at every hotel, grocery store, and possibly school. (In fact, at the O&O Royal Mirage, she had to plead for a buggy ride and was only granted a begrudgingly brief circuit — more a tactical ceasefire than a gesture of goodwill.) These touches made us feel not just looked after, but actively conspired for — as though the staff had a secret council plotting our happiness while quietly judging incompetence elsewhere. The service here has surpassed almost everywhere else we’ve been — including O&O Reethi Rah, O&O Le Saint Géran, and any Four Seasons we’ve tried. A couple of Six Senses resorts have come close. Haven’t been to an Aman, so cannot weigh in on that particular cult. A few notes on the property itself: Four restaurants: one for guests aged 9+, and another reserved for those 21 and above. We dined only at 101, which was excellent. For more variety, Atlantis The Royal and Atlantis The Palm are nearby. In cooler months, the boat to One&Only Royal Mirage makes for a charming trip across — but in summer, you’ll need a taxi. If you go, Trèsind is the only place I’d recommend. The others… let’s just say you’ll wish you’d stayed at 101. Entry level rooms are extremely spacious and lovely. The pool has an unusual layout — a deep central strip down the middle, with shallower borders. If you plan to spend a lot of time downtown, note that the location isn’t exactly “popping out for a coffee” distance. Minor grumbles: We had to ask for our welcome drink. Unsure if it was delayed or just forgotten, but after a journey, you do want your refreshment to arrive before your patience evaporates. The welcome fruit bowl was never refreshed — hardly tragic, but for a place this polished, it is noticeable. That’s really all I can fault. And I am picky. My husband says ‘high-maintenance.’ He is correct. Following our stay, we moved to the sister resort — and for us, there was no comparison. (We stayed at the Arabian Court, which allows families, so I can’t speak for The Residence — the adults-only, higher-category section. I’ll share that very different experience in my next review.) In short, if you decide to stay here, expect to be treated like royalty — the kind that actually enjoys their reign, not the ones plotting their escape to another castle. As an aside: we stayed here in August as my husband had paperwork to do here. It’s very hot but pleasant in and around the chilled pool.. We didn’t go down to the beach. You can’t really dine outside in the evening. Otherwise, it’s perfectly fine. I didn’t try the spa. Next time,

A hotel with just 90 rooms offering a more personal feel is rare find in Dubai, making this hotel even more special. Our beach front junior suite was spacious, well furnished, modern and well equipped. Friendly staff and Great Service the only exception being the pool service, who had to be consistently asked to top up water when needed.