Destinations of the World News
The UAE’s best family stays
Summer is here, school holidays are around the corner, and if indulging in a well-deserved family break is on the cards, you’ll find plenty to inspire in this special guide to the best hotels in the United Arab Emirates
Amazing suites, pools with waterslides and thrilling theme parks on the doorstep – our guide to the top family hotels
FOR THEME PARK FUN – YAS VICEROY ABU DHABI
With two rooftop pools, access to Yas beach and plentiful kids’ facilities, the hotel is ideal for a family vacay, with the immense Yas Grand Suites able to accommodate two adults and up to three children. For an additional AED150 a night, the hotel will even provide a tent for the kids to “camp out” in your suite, albeit comfortably – with a mattress and a duvet. Your kids will be like moths to a flame when they spot Generation V, Viceroy’s 335-square-metre indoor kids’ zone. Supervised by trained staff, with bright coloured interiors, it’s perfect for kids aged from two to 12 years with a colossal soft play area, playhouses, sound tubes and “investigating stations”, plenty of toys and PlayStations and a space for reading and quiet play. Hotel guests are entitled to two hours of free play per child per day. Then there’s the small mention of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld – both just minutes away. The first and only Ferrari-branded theme park is every little boy’s fantasy, while Yas Waterworld, with 43 rides and slides for all ages is summertime relief for all the family, with a special toddler-friendly section. www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
FOR CLASSIC BEACHSIDE LUXURY – THE ST. REGIS SAADIYAT ISLAND RESORT, ABU DHABI
Set on one of the emirate’s most gorgeous beaches, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort is a playground for the kids with a peaceful beach and two family pools. The cave-themed Sandcastle Club designed for kids between one and 12 years old (under fours must be accompanied by parents or a carer) has a whole stack of things to keep the little ones busy – from face painting and arts and crafts to physical activities to get them moving: think hopscotch and stretching to beach
football. Kids can also cool off in the adjacent lifeguard-staffed splash pool with water slides and fountains. Luxury starts young at the opulent hotel, which as at all Starwood properties has a Family Traditions programme to pamper their miniature guests, including a special turn down service with cookies and warm milk, child-sized dressing gowns and slippers. www.stregissaadiyatisland.com
TO PAMPER YOUR LITTLE PRINCES AND PRINCESSES – EMIRATES PALACE
Some hotels go that extra mile for kids and this is certainly the case at Emirates Palace. The sprawling property is already something of a wonderland for the little ones – with a beach and adventure pool complete with a lazy river run, cascading waterfalls and two water flumes. Then there’s Sarab Land, the kids’ club catering to children above five, which has an enormous outdoor play area with fantastic, regular scheduled activities: think mini tennis and junior football to table tennis, boules and bird watching. There’s also indoor activities such as arts and crafts, games consoles, puzzles, face painting and henna painting. Mini spa-goers can sample cute-as-a-button treatments at the Kids’ Spa, such as mummy-and me-facial or the Princess Scrub, a 30-minute chocolate or strawberry scrub, which finishes with healthy cookies. Teens will go wild for the water sports, with wake-boarding, waterskiing, mono-skiing, inflatable rides, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding. Parents can rest easy knowing there’s a Kempinski Kids Ambassador on speed dial, who also leads the “Magical Journey”, a back and front-of-house tour, for budding hoteliers between four to 10 years. Parents of babies and toddlers may feel like applauding the hotel for its comprehensive on-request amenities, from bottles, feeding paraphernalia and potty seats to baby carriers and kid-sized bathrobes and slippers – and most importantly: a rubber duckie for the bath. www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/emirates-palace
“MINI SPA-GOERS CAN SAMPLE CUTE-AS-A-BUTTON TREATMENTS AT THE KIDS’ SPA, SUCH AS THE MUMMYAND ME-FACIAL”
FOR THAT MALDIVES FEELING – ZAYA NURAI ISLAND
Just a 20-minute boat ride from Saadiyat, Nurai Island is regularly referred to as Abu Dhabi’s Maldives, and the Indian Ocean vibe is on the mark at Zaya Nurai Island, where the 180-square-metre Beach Houses are fabulous for young families. With designer décor, state-of-the-art technology and dreamy shades of blue as far as the eye can see, each is fitted with a king sized bed and a separate living room with king-size sofa bed. The expansive outdoor decked area is where you’ll spend most of your time, with shaded daybeds and a private 25-squaremetre pool, though there’s always the resort’s main pool, set alongside the allday dining restaurant. Watersports aplenty include stand-up paddleboard, snorkelling, pedalo boats and sea kayaking. Children of ages will adore the resort’s over-the-water swings, but only the older kids will be able to test out Nurai’s surf pool. As for indoor entertainment for the little ones, the kids’ club Petite Z has fun games – think face painting, movie time and hair braiding, as well as tailored food and drink menus (under fours must be accompanied). www.zayanuraiisland.com
FOR LITTLE WILDLIFE WARRIORS – ANANTARA SIR BANI YAS ISLAND RESORTS
If a safari is on your mind, but you’re short of time, Sir Bani Yas Island, just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, is truly the next best thing. The natural island is home to 13,000 animals, from gazelle, Oryx and giraffe to cheetahs and striped hyenas. The nature and wildlife drives (suitable from ages one and up) offer an unforgettable experience for animal loving kids, while the waters are bursting with marine life, with dugongs to five species of sea turtles including the Hawksbill Turtle, dipping the surface right before your eyes. Yes there’s a beach and pool, but the real appeal is for the outdoorsy roster of island activities including mangrove kayaking (from eight and up), mountain biking, horse riding, archery (from six and up) and even pearl diving. The kids’ club is for ages four to 12 with a special lounge for teenagers, with computers and gaming but with so much to do, it’s likely they’ll hardly use it. www.sir-bani-yas-island.anantara.com