Inside Dubai’s ridiculously over-the-top new resort

When Beyoncé untied the bow on Dubai’s glitzy Atlantis the Royal in 2023, the whole world was watching. Never had there been more money spent on a hotel launch, with the Cowboy Carter artist reportedly paid more than $US24 million ($36.5 million) for the one-hour show, the highest private paying concert in history.

Atlantis the Royal in Dubai is one of the city’s most opulent hotels.

The brand is known for its high-profile openings, with Kylie Minogue spinning around for sister property Atlantis The Palm in 2008. In contrast, “our Kylie” was paid a relatively meagre £2 million ($3.85 million) for her 60-minute slot, however the lavish affair involved a fireworks display so grand it was seen from space. Known for their ostentatious decor, supersized (and somewhat controversial) aquariums and celebrity-backed restaurants, the Atlantis hotels don’t shy away from extravagance.

Behold, Atlantis the Royal has entered the chat. Joining the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab as Dubai’s newest architectural icon, the 795-room, 43-storey hotel on Palm Jumeirah has become one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. Spread over two terraced towers connected by a skybridge that doubles as an infinity pool and bar Cloud 22, rooms are stacked like bougie Lego in individual blocks, staggered to create the feeling that the porous mega-structure is actually more private than it is.

From various points within, you can spy the neon-blue of the glass-walled pools afforded to some suites. As well as 90 swimming pools (44 of which are infinity pools housed within private suites or residences), the hotel features 90,000 square metres of glass, the equivalent to 10 FIFA football fields, and 150,000 square metres of marble. When I visit, the dancing fountain is choreographed not to Bey, but to The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights.

Two white-gloved men dressed in stylish navy and white uniforms swing open the doors to welcome me in. Columns of flames shoot up in a glass water feature to my right before I’ve even reached the soaring lobby. Water is the overarching theme here, and the lobby’s centrepiece is a striking chrome sculpture with surrounding oblong-shaped droplets to sit on, representing the first drops of water in the desert. There are two large aquariums, reminiscent of those in the sister property next door, albeit updated with next-gen digital visual artworks to make it appear as if the fish are swimming in a space that wouldn’t be out of place at Tokyo’s teamLab Planets.

Pool villa suites overlook the fronds of the Palm Jumeirah.

My 55-square-metre King Palmscape room has a balcony and overlooks the multi-million dirham digs threaded into the fronds of the Palm Jumeirah. Amenities are a step above most: Atlantis’ own take-home room mist, faux-gold toothbrushes to complement the brushed gold furnishings, plus a complimentary beach bag for both me and my guest.

We also get access to the luxuries at the Royal Club Sea Lounge, and rock up daily for complimentary Moet, espresso martinis and just-shucked French oysters. There’s the option to eat breakfast here a la carte, but there’s no beating Gastronomy. In the style of the emirate’s signature all-you-can-eat brunches, it’s what might be the world’s best buffet, with various stations and dedicated rooms serving up everything from mimosas to gravlax and doughnuts.

The subtle nuances that make this hotel so special, such as the Awaken Spa - a modern hammam.

Bouncing between the hotel’s 17 dining spots is one of the unique advantages of this stay. You really don’t need to go anywhere else. Why would you? Eight of the eateries have celeb stats, including Nobu by the Beach (the Japanese chef’s debut beach club) and Spanish tapas spot Jaleo by Jose Andres. With its medieval vibes and a concept that explores the history of English cooking with dishes dating back to the 1390s, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is not your usual supper.

But Ariana’s Persian Kitchen by Iranian chef Ariana Bundy is the clear standout. It’s an underrepresented cuisine among luxury Dubai hotels, and everything – from the soft, feminine Arabic-inspired decor to the exquisite dishes such as walnuts in sea salt and rosewater sea bream – has been done with exquisite style and class.

A peek inside the 520-square-metre Panoramic Penthouse reveals luxury has no limits.

But it’s the subtle nuances that make this hotel so special, and they’re just as evident in the Awaken Spa, where I melt into the charcoal sauna, Himalayan salt room and chromotherapy LED light beds. My heart sinks, however, when I see “dolphin meditation” as part of the offerings, a sobering reminder that the brand continues to keep dolphins in captivity.

The waterslides at the hotel’s Aquaventure waterpark (guests get complimentary access) are great fun, but the dolphin experiences are a polarising aspect of this brand. It’s not everyone’s vibe, but this hotel has come to build an impressive reputation for itself. And just in case you want to part with a cool AED135,260 ($56,000) a night, a peek inside the 520-square-metre Panoramic Penthouse on level 43 reveals luxury has no limits. A Barbie-core, pink-marbled ensuite, wraparound terrace with glass-walled pool and Hermès amenities make this worthy of the A-list (including Beyoncé).

THE DETAILS

FLY + DRIVE
Fly to Dubai with Emirates (emirates.com) then take an Uber to Palm Jumeirah.

STAY
Atlantis The Royal Dubai offers stays in its King Palmscape room from AED3565 ($1478) a night, with a two-night minimum stay, see atlantis.com/atlantis-the-royal/stays

The writer stayed as a guest of Atlantis The Royal.