Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort and Spa

We stayed for one night at the Sofitel in a family suite with breakfast, evening meal and Club Lounge access. As we were only there for one night/two days, we didn’t get a chance to use all of the hotel’s facilities, but overall we enjoyed our stay. The suite itself was huge. It was definitely a little dated and could probably do with a refresh, but it was very spacious, quiet and comfortable, with two bathrooms and two TVs, which was great for a family. The balcony was also really lovely and a nice place to sit out. For one night, the room was absolutely fine and we really appreciated having so much space. We really liked the pool area. We paid extra for one of the swim-up cabanas and, although they are quite expensive, we thought it was worth it. Being able to sit in the cabana and dip straight into the pool was lovely, particularly in the Dubai summer heat. The pool was also actually cool, which made such a difference when it was so hot outside! Service around the pool was excellent. The staff were very attentive, and the food and drinks we ordered were good. The Club Lounge was probably the most disappointing part of the stay. The breakfast selection in the lounge was quite limited, although they did make fresh eggs for us. We did have the option of using the main buffet restaurant for breakfast, so that’s worth bearing in mind — we just chose to stay in the lounge. The afternoon tea offering was also quite limited, and the evening cocktails weren’t particularly good. They were drinkable, but definitely not what we were expecting from a Club Lounge at this level. On the plus side, the staff in the lounge were attentive, and it was really convenient being able to pop in throughout the day for a coffee, soft drink or water. We also really appreciated that children were allowed in the lounge throughout the day, including during the evening drinks period, as we know this isn’t always the case with hotel lounges. The hotel itself has an impressive, large and open reception area and generally we found the service good. The only strange experience we had was when our phone had died and we asked a member of staff if they could help us get a taxi. We were simply told to use the app. We normally would, but obviously couldn’t because our phone was dead, which was the whole reason we’d asked for help! It felt a little dismissive and not really the level of service we’d expect from a five-star hotel. Overall, we enjoyed our short stay. The huge suite, swim-up cabana and cool pool were the highlights, particularly during the summer. The Club Lounge didn’t quite live up to expectations and the rooms could do with some updating, but we’d still say it was a pleasant stay and worked really well for a short family break.

Wonderful service by Marta and amazing food. Family friendly as well.

Sofitel Palm Kathy provided an amazing massage service, felt so relaxed and calm after the session. She is very knowledgeable, professional with ferry hands I would recommend her

Helen and Rachel were wonderful at the L’Occitane Spa. I’ve been here several times before and it’s always a delight — especially the amenities. Would highly recommend.

SHAHZAD SAQIB MANANA very good