One staff member is wading through the pool, dragging a vacuum hose, while others scamper up and down ladders, removing past-their-best fronds from the palm trees that will offer shade to guests when they descend in a couple of hours.
The sun is barely peeping above the horizon and already Atlantis The Palm in Dubai – a massive resort that’s more like a mini-city, and one that never sleeps – is a hive of activity.
In the Kaleidoscope restaurant an hour or so later a buffet breakfast is ready, piles of food bearing witness to the fact chefs here have been toiling since before dawn, catering for tastes from all around the world.
Staff stand behind their stations ready to whip up eggs any way you want while vats of curry bubble quietly across the room.
Chatting to a young Australian couple wrangling their two kids at the table next to me, I discover they’ve taken advantage of Dubai’s flying hub to break their journey to the UK, where they’re moving for the next 12 months.
Taking time out at Atlantis is allowing Keiran and Michelle some privacy and flexibility while giving their toddler Sadie and her young brother, Louis, grinning from a high chair, time to acclimatise to the different time zone.
They said they’d considered staying closer to the shopping, for which tax-free Dubai is famous, but when they factored the kids into the equation the size and facilities at Atlantis made it their best option.
“I think probably realistically we figured that everyone was going to be tired, the kids are too young to appreciate going to the mall … so for us (it was) having somewhere to stay for a couple of days where everything’s here and we can have a swim,” Michelle says.
Both parents have wandered the grounds with the kids, visiting both pools, the beach area and “looking at the fish, mostly” in the Lost Chambers Aquarium, Keiran says.
They had nothing but praise for the staff who had helped them amuse the little ones, especially at the restaurants where they were sometimes apprehensive about dining.
“They’ve all been very welcoming with high chairs and a kids’ menu in every place,” Michelle says.
They say they’d do it again when the kids are older and Keiran says he’s looking forward to staying in the Imperial Club next time so they can take advantage of the childcare.
He says cost might be a factor for some families but when they looked at what they were getting for the price, it was worth it.
“When you look at the architecture here, they’ve made these islands (where the resort is built) and there’s more expensive places in Dubai.”
IF YOU GO:
GETTING THERE: Dubai is in the United Arab Emirates and is the hub city for Qantas which flies there daily (qantas.com). It’s an easy stopover for travellers on their way to and from Europe.
Atlantis, The Palm is about 30-40 minutes’ drive from Dubai International Airport.
STAYING THERE: There is a large range of stylish rooms to choose from, with guest rooms having views of either the Arabian Sea or the resort beach and Dubai skyline. If you’re in the mood to splash out, check into an Underwater Suite, which looks to the Ambassador Lagoon.
Along with the aquarium and waterpark, Atlantis also has a range of luxury boutiques; 23 restaurants, bars and lounges; and a nightclub. For room and activity rates, see atlantisthepalm.com
* The writer was a guest of Qantas and Atlantis The Palm.
