Dubai? I’m ready for the plunge!
Amanda Holden heads to the desert – for the ultimate water challenge
The question was: would I be able to conquer the challenge of Poseidon’s Revenge? During our stay at Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai, we rushed to the resort’s famous water park which features rides ranging from ‘namby-pamby mild’ to ‘hair-on-fire terrifying’ – and Poseidon is definitely at the terrifying end of the scale.
According to the promotional blurb I read beforehand, the ‘fun’ begins moments after you enter a capsule. The floor then falls away, sending you plummeting at speeds of almost 50kph – and then the fury of Poseidon propels you upside down. I’ve suffered some gruelling experiences as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent, but surely nothing could compare to this?
Dubai really is the most brilliant family holiday destination. The flight is relatively short (about seven hours) – an important consideration when you’re travelling with young children. And good weather is practically guaranteed. The only complaint you could make is that it is sometimes too hot.
From the moment you arrive, the service is unbelievable: no one can do enough for you. The staff in the hotels and restaurants all love children. Perhaps it’s my tidiness OCD, but I value the fact that everywhere you go is absolutely spotless. What more can you ask for? It’s also a very safe place – you never hear reports of people having their valuables stolen.
Nobody can pretend that Dubai is a great cultural destination. However, it has other delights, particularly its hotels. The last time we were there, we stayed at One&Only The Palm, which strikes me as a sort of hotel version of the Palace of Versailles.
This time we chose to stay at Atlantis, which has a completely different vibe to One&Only. They’re both extraordinary, but I’d say Atlantis is better for children. Like One&Only, the Atlantis is on the Palm Jumeirah archipelago. The main building has two distinctive towers linked by an arch (I’m told the arch features a mind-blowing suite – something to return to one day!).
At 113 acres, the resort is vast-with a mile of bright white beach. What gets the children excited about Atlantis is the 42-acre Aquaventure amusement park. There are also the fascinating underground tunnels of The Lost Chambers Aquarium and interactive encounters of Sea Lion Point.
We went to the water parks for two days solid; I found the whole experience hilarious. I was in an all-in-one wetsuit, walking around drenched for two days, and it was the best fun I’ve ever had. I’d like to say we went on every single ride, but I have a confession: Poseidon got the better of us.
While my husband Chris looked after one child, I eventually persuaded the other to accompany me but she chickened out when we got to the top and I couldn’t leave her on her own. Because I didn’t know where the ride ended, I couldn’t even tell her to wait for me at the bottom. So it wasn’t lack of courage – more a lack of planning.
However, I’m glad to report that we did try Shark Attack, where you climb on a one or two-person tube and journey down into the Tower of Neptune’s mysterious core, before emerging in the middle of a shark-filled lagoon. This isn’t quite as scary as it sounds – the only risk is that you might die laughing from all the fun.
With children, you have to satisfy the two Fs – fun and food. There is always plenty of fun for kids at Atlantis, and lots of good food. We were able to use the Imperial Club Lounge, an amazing place where you can have breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea or, later on, cocktails. We had breakfast in there most mornings – there was a huge buffet service, which I prefer because you can get everything immediately and there are snacks, such as fruit, available all day for the children.
Their favourite restaurant was Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Kitchen. Not only was the food great but the restaurant has a garden to play in. It felt very safe and very relaxed – there was nobody turning their nose up at the noise the children were making. It’s much more relaxing for parents to know your children can play and they’re not bothering the other guests.
When I was a kid, our family holidays were spent camping in Cornwall. I didn’t get on a plane until I was 16. When I was really small, I remember going to Butlin’s where I think I won the Little Princess competition. In some ways the atmosphere in Butlin’s felt the same as Dubai because it seems so safe and you enjoy that joie de vivre that you get from the very best family holidays.
Our children didn’t find the heat a problem – they’re real sunworshippers. The other thing they really liked was the talent competitions around the pool. I hid at that point. I was thinking: ‘Oh my God, if anyone knew I was here, I’d end up judging it!’
The great thing about staying at Atlantis is that everything you need is right here – you don’t have to venture outside the resort. Was I tempted to hit any of Dubai’s famous shopping malls? No, not really, when you’re in Dubai, the best thing you can do is relax.