Anyone who has been to Dubai or has looked at its pictures on the internet is aware of the existence of Atlantis, The Palm Hotel. Its pink, arched silhouette, reminiscent of a mosque altar, lit up on the covers of all guidebooks, photos of Kim Kardashian, and every second postcard in a gift shop.
Imagine Disneyland for adults where everything is there: luxury rooms, swimming pools, water parks, Michelin-starred restaurants, boutiques for every taste, from Tiffany & Co to Balmain. But as in every Disneyland, there are kids in it… Lots of kids. This story is about a lonely girl who dreams of visiting the hotel where Robert de Niro and Michael Jordan are staying and nothing can spoil her vacation. Almost.
“What are you going to do there alone?”
This question was repeated like a mantra by everyone I said I would spend the weekend in Dubai. No boyfriend. Without girlfriends. Totally alone. The interlocutors slapped my shoulder with pity: “Poor thing”, which suggested the excessive stigma of individual travel in Russia.
I too was completely satisfied with the upcoming adventure and two steps away from my travel dream: staying at The Palm, the legendary Atlantis. In the pictures, the hotel looked like a magical oasis of pleasure – desirable, authentic, inaccessible. In reality, everything was like that, except for one small nuance … The resort turned out to be a family! Most likely, I was the only one in the entire hotel who booked a single room. Newlyweds and extended families, with children and friends – families were everywhere, noisy, happy, taking up a lot of space.
It was a real challenge for me as someone who even prefers to dine in company. And this challenge was accepted.
Awaken your inner child
My friend, who has three children, likes to repeat: “If resisting is useless, you should join.” Therefore, without thinking twice, I went to Aquaventure, the largest water park in the world, located on the territory of Atlantis, The Palm.
This is a real icon of the city, they organize excursions here and come from all over the world – 105 incredible trips are worth it. This is where the concentration of enthusiastic children and young people increases! Seeing how cleverly the schoolchildren lined up on the slide saying “Jump to the Undiscovered”, I felt a slight envy, because I myself could not decide on such a “crazy”.
But even for people like me (who is dizzy from looking at a tall structure), the park is full of fun: a surf spot with artificial waves, a “river” with a calm current, you can swim on “donuts”. , a kilometer long private beach… And also, as it turned out, a day at the water park has therapeutic properties: All year I could not turn off my head and had fun like a child. My psychologist would be very pleased.
Oh my Michelin!
But even in a family hotel there is an adults-only time, and it has been known to start after sunset. The evening is beautiful at Atlantis, The Palm – the lights on the beach are on, the lights on the pool and the signs for the restaurants. By the way, about the latter. Now there will be shocking content: In Dubai, which is considered all over the world synonymous with luxury and obscenely expensive pleasures, the red Michelin guide came even later than in Moscow. The first stars in the emirate were solemnly deployed only in June of this year, which, of course, immediately brought the already developed local gastronomy industry to a completely sky-high (like the top of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper). Atlantis, The Palm hotel, had two establishments simultaneously marked by an influential guide: Hakkasan Dubai and Ossiano. The first specializes in Cantonese (a kind of Chinese) cuisine, the second – in the author’s interpretation, seafood.
To be honest, I admit I couldn’t go to Ossiano because I had to book a table a month in advance and I’m having trouble with long-term planning (learn from my mistake!). However, the helpful staff was able to organize dinner for me in Hakkasan, a real highlight of this trip. A completely different atmosphere reigned in the restaurant: category “16+”, no resort bustle, only soft light, restrained calm, relaxing music and an incredibly stylish interior.
If you can apply the adjective “sexy” to an institution, Hakkasan is just that. Sexy, exciting, mystical. It’s like you’ve moved to a completely different place. And the cuisine to match: complex yet recognizable, with spicy flavors, nuances and sophisticated presentation.
note: i love myself
In fact, Atlantis, Palm exists at the crossroads of two cultures (Eastern and European), different ages, interests, mentalities. Therefore, it does not matter in which company you come to the resort – alone, with family or friends you will find what you are looking for here: an unexpected, albeit rare opportunity to disconnect from everyday life and try something new. Descent from the 156-meter hill or a combination of pleasures. As for my solo journey, firstly, it was unforgettable, secondly, it made me friends with myself. As they say, with a good man until the end of the world! Yes, this is mine.
Source: People Talk
