Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa is a well-known luxury resort in Dubai, situated in the heart of Dubai’s famous Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) area, offering stunning views of the Arabian Gulf and easy access to the beach.
The resort features a range of luxurious rooms and suites with modern amenities and stylish decor with some of the rooms offering panoramic sea views.
We were lucky enough to spend the night at the resort a few weeks ago as I found a fabulous deal on one of my booking platforms. We booked to stay on a half-board basis, meaning that we had breakfast and lunch or dinner included.
Hotel Facilities
Guests can enjoy a wide range of recreational facilities, including visiting one of the three swimming pools (two of which have swim up bars), water sports, a fitness center, tennis courts, and Spa.
The resort has its own expansive private beach area with direct access onto JBR beach and fabulous views across to the Ain Dubai.
The hotel is family-friendly and offers activities for children, as well as an outdoor children play area, mini golf and a Kids Club. Arlo was too young to access the Kid’s Club this time, but I’m sure we will make use of it in the future!
Dining
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa itself has twelve restaurants within the resort. It also offers a complimentary shuttle bus to the neighboring Grosvenor House Hotel which has an additional thirteen restaurants that you can choose from.
For lunch we are at Le Deck which is located around the first pool area in front of the hotel. It is shaded and with air conditioning fans and so, although we visited on the hottest day of the year, we still managed to have our lunch outside.
For dinner, we headed down to Geales, a British gastro-inspired outlet. Breakfast was included in Brasserie 2.0 (the same restaurant that the hotels infamous Saturday Brunch is held). Anything and everything you could possibly want for breakfast was on offer – including a pork station located at the very back of the restaurant!
Location Attractions
The hotel is conveniently located near popular Dubai attractions such as the Dubai Marina, The Walk at JBR, and the Palm Jumeirah.
We love to visit the hotel for the day making use of the Pool Access Passes but it was really lovely to be able to fully relax and unwind as a guest in the resort.
Those were the words of our taxi driver once we arrived in Mauritius and oh, was he right!
We originally planned to go to Mauritius to celebrate my 30th birthday, but as I was 38 weeks pregnant at the time, the trip was postponed! Roll on 2023, and we travelled to Mauritius with Arlo and were able to celebrate his first birthday whilst we were there.
Emirates runs daily direct flights from Dubai to Mauritius and we opted for the flight departing Dubai at 2.30am which meant we arrived in Mauritius at 9.30am. There is no time difference between the UAE and Mauritius which worked out great for us with Arlo’s sleep schedule. We also didn’t suffer with any jet lag either way.
We arranged airport transfers in advance with our hotel, and the driver was ready and waiting for us upping arrival. The journey from the airport to our hotel was approximately one hour so we were relaxing in our hotel lobby with an ice tea by 11am.
Sugar Beach Hotel
When pricing up hotels, Sugar Beach Hotel was very competitive and the rate was inclusive of all food and beverages. The rate also included complimentary golf at three golf courses across the island which was a selling point for Ryan. Sugar Beach Hotel has three beautiful restaurants as well as the option to order pizza to be delivered direct to your Sun lounger at any time of day! Furthermore, as a guest of Sugar Beach, you are also entitled to access the facilities and restaurants of the sister hotel which is located just next door.
When deciding on our room type, we opted for a garden facing room and were located on the ground floor so we had direct access from our room to the lovely vast garden area which then headed directly onto the beach. Arlo loved running around out there.
Each day, the staff would update the activities board by the pool to show which games or activities were scheduled for the day for the hotel guests to participate in. These ranged from croquet (with bowler hats and parasols – so cute!) to walks into the local town.
Arlo’s First Birthday
We were lucky enough to celebrate Arlo’s first birthday whilst we were over in Mauritius. So, for his birthday morning, we decided to book a boat trip and head out to do some dolphin spotting. Typically, that morning Arlo decided to lay in and so we had to wake him up (which pained me to do so haha). We set off on our boat trip at 7am for two hours. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any dolphins but we got a beautiful view of the beachfront from the sea, the weather was calm and so the boat wasn’t choppy at all and it was a really lovely way to spend the morning.
After the boat trip, we headed to the buffet for Arlo’s “holiday assortment” which included: omelette, pancakes and fresh fruit.
The afternoon was spent with lots of swimming and splashing around in the pools.
For lunch, we headed over to Citronella and the staff prepared a cake with a sparkler for Arlo’s birthday which was so sweet and they all gathered around to sing happy birthday. It was the perfect way to celebrate our baby boy turning one.
Activities & Things to Do Nearby
The nearest town was a 35 minute walk from our hotel – Ryan experienced this first hand as I sent him to buy more baby formula as we ran out a lot sooner than I had anticipated! He said the town had a real buzz about it with tourists and locals alike sat in the bars and restaurants having lunch. You can also check out my other blog here on Things to do in Flic-En-Flac!
I would love to return to Mauritius as it really was the perfect family holiday destination to relax and unwind.
We absolutely loved our stay in Flic-en-Flac when we visited in March, staying at the beautiful Sugar Beach Resort. As our hotel was all-inclusive, we really didn’t need to leave the hotel! We also had our one year old in tow and so decided we mainly wanted to use the trio to relax (you can read all about our trip here).
Flic en Flac does however, have a range of tourist activities that you can enjoy! Here are some things you can do while visiting:
Snorkeling and Diving: Explore the underwater world by snorkeling or diving. You’ll find colorful coral reefs and a variety of marine life.
Tamarina Golf Club: If you’re a golfer, play a round at the Tamarina Golf Club, which offers scenic views of the ocean and mountains.
Hiking: Explore the nearby Black River Gorges National Park, which has hiking trails that lead to waterfalls and lush forests.
Dolphin Watching: Take a boat trip to spot dolphins in their natural habitat. This is a popular activity in the area.
Rum Tasting: Mauritius is known for its rum. Visit a local distillery for a rum tasting experience.
Local Markets: Explore local markets like the Flic en Flac Market or Cascavelle Shopping Village for souvenirs and a taste of Mauritian culture.
Island Tours: Consider taking a day tour to explore other parts of Mauritius, such as the capital city of Port Louis or the Chamarel Seven Colored Earths.
Water Sports: Try water sports like water skiing, parasailing, or paddle boarding if you’re feeling adventurous.
Be sure to check the availability and operating hours of these activities, as they may vary depending on the season and local regulations.
We recently spent the weekend at the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, a hotel that we’ve visited many times before but have never actually stayed at.
Upon arrival the valet staff helped us with our car and luggage and escorted us to the check in desk where we were greeted with a lovely complimentary drink.
We were extremely lucky that our room was ready upon arrival and were taken straight up after a smooth check in. As soon as the door opened I was delighted at the lovely, spacious room. It had a beautiful, shaded balcony that had a table and chairs and extended down to a larger balcony with two sun-loungers on it. The bathroom had a shower cubicle as well as a lovely big bath which I knew I’d be lounging in later in the evening.
At the time that we arrived, Arlo was napping, so Ryan laid on the bed with him and I sat out on the sun-lounger, with a packet of crisps and a glass of rosé – it was heavenly.
When Arlo woke up, we headed down to the pool. I managed to grab some beds, even though the hotel was very busy at the time, due to it being a Public Holiday.
We all swam through the lagoon and somehow ended up at the pool bar! I had an iced coffee and Ryan had a pint (or two) of Peroni. Arlo absolutely loves swimming and he had so much fun splashing around swimming around by the pool bar.
Bussola
For lunch, we were spoilt for choice with restaurant options, but we decided to head over to Bussola. The restaurant is divided into two sections; a pizzeria which is located upstairs, and the main restaurant which can be found on the ground floor. Ryan and I both fancied pizza and so we headed upstairs. I opted for a pizza with mozzarella and pork guanciale and Ryan had a pepperoni, we both shared pieces with Arlo as well who was loving the pizza just as much as we were!
After lunch we went back to our room to give Arlo a bottle and hope that he would have a nap – this was a bit later in the day than we would normally allow him to nap, but that’s because we knew we were heading out for dinner in the evening. Arlo and Ryan both fell asleep so I laid out on the sunlounger on our terrace and had some time alone in the sun. It was bliss.
Baba Steakhouse
Our room was booked on a half-board basis, which meant that we had breakfast and a choice of lunch or dinner included in our stay. We decided to visit to Baba Steakhouse for dinner as it’s a restaurant that we hadn’t previously tried in the Westin hotel. Baba Steakhouse has a great set menu for you to choose from as part of the half-board package as well as a three course children’s menu.
To start with, Ryan had the Calamari, and I had the Crab Cakes. Both dishes were so tasty and had a contemporary Asian twist on the classic dishes. For our main course, we both opted for steak. I was a bit cheeky and ordered off of the children’s menu for my dessert because I really fancied the chocolate brownie and ice cream.
By this point, Arlo was very tired so we headed back upstairs to the room and put him to bed. Ryan and I then sent out on a terrace and had a glass of wine before we felt too warm and decided to go to bed ourselves.
Minas Kitchen
If you’ve ever been for Saturday Brunch at the Westin, you will know that it is located in the restaurant.
Mina’s Kitchen is the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina’s buffet restaurant and is the place that you can find the fabulous breakfast buffet (and their lively Saturday Brunch)
The interior of the restaurant is lovely, showcasing high ceilings with a beautiful, monochrome checkered floor, and with lots of greenery throughout the restaurant. The breakfast buffet choice was fantastic. They offer a fabulous selection of cold-cuts, cheese, pastries, fruit, pork and a live cooking station for omelettes etc.
Jungle Bay
Did you know that if you stay at the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina or Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort that you get complimentary access to the Jungle Bay Waterpark throughout your stay!
Jungle Bay Waterpark has a great selection of slides for kids of all ages as well as a big splash pad for the smaller babies and a wave pool.
External hotel guests can also visit Jungle Bay Waterpark for the day at a rate of AED200 per adult, AED75 for kids over the age of 4 and free for all children under 4! They also have a ladies day on a Monday where access is AED100 for ladies.
We absolutely loved our stay and I would really recommend the Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina as a great place to stay with children.
If like me, you’re going to be spending your summer here in Dubai, and not sipping Champagne in Sorrento; or eating grilled prawns in Positano, then this list, of the top Mediterranean restaurants, is perfect for you.
North Miznon, DoubleTree by Hilton JBR
North Miznon is a hidden gem located at the DoubleTree Hilton along JBR. The menu consists of healthy, fresh dishes including grilled meats, grilled fish and a range of vegan options.
Restaurant TWO.0, Cove Beach
Located at Caesar’s Palace on Bluewaters Island this stunning al-fresco dining spot has a mouth-watering menu based on classic Mediterranean dishes. You can select fish from it’s fresh fish counter; order a rustic pizza cooked fresh in the pizza oven; or one of the freshly made salads. My personal favourite is the classic Greek Salad.
Ula Dubai
Ula Dubai really transports you across the ocean to the Mediterranean as soon as you step foot into the venue. With its stunning Boho interior, everywhere you turn is the perfect Instagram photo-opp.
I absolutely love the Halloumi and Truffle Pizza. Ula also offers a great selection of cocktails that you can sip at sundown or whilst enjoying a lazy lunch.
Laguna Lounge, Sofitel Dubai The Palm
This stunning beach dining spot is described as “Ancient Greek agora meets the French Riviera” and it truly feels that way. Laguna Lounge offers Mediterranean-inspired cuisine which is accompanied by a selection of premium cocktails and shisha service.
Boardwalk, Park Hyatt Dubai
Boardwalk, located at the Park Hyatt Dubai, is a breath-taking venue with an extensive menu and fabulous views across the Dubai Creek. I would absolutely recommend the Crab Rigatoni pasta which is served with an Amalfi Lemon Sauce and is truly divine.
Alba Terrace, The Abu Dhabi EDITION
The Abu Dhabi EDITION is one of my favourite hotels, I love the minimalist, chic vibe that greets you throughout the hotel. Alba Terrace has a gorgeous menu, filled with all of those classic Mediterranean inspired dishes. From Burrata, oven-baked pizza to Prawns A La Plancha the options are endless. I would also recommend checking out their cocktails, especially their Limoncello take on an Aperol Spritz!
Villamore, Kempinski Hotel Palm Jumeirah
Located at the Kempinski Hotel Palm Jumeirah, Villamore offers upscale beachside dining in a relaxed and chic setting. The restaurant offers stunning views across the beach with the Dubai Marina towers glistening in the background. Whether you’re after a light salad or a hearty paella, Villamore has you covered.
Seagrill Bistro, Fairmont The Palm
Seagrill Bistro is a long time favourite of mine. The restaurant has a cool, chic vibe going on and the food is fabulous. Whenever I visit the Fairmont The Palm for a beach day I love to head into Seagrill Bistro for a Lobster Roll at lunch.
Cleo Mediterraneo, Dubai Creek Resort
Located along the Boardwalk of the Dubai Creek Resort, you can really picture yourself being sat in the South of France, looking out across the yachts that are moored up in the Dubai Creek Marina.
In the warmer months, the restaurant is the perfect place to dine inside. With décor that transports you to the Mediterranean from the moment you step inside, complimented by the fresh seafood counter which really makes you feel like you could be in a small seaside town in Greece.
With a great Raw Selection including freshly shucked oysters and a variety of seafood carpaccio, Cleo Mediterraneo is a fabulous place to dine.
The summer heat is just about upon us, so splash into summer and take a dip in one of these ten fabulous swimming pools that you can benefit from with your Privilee Membership! One of my favourite things about Privilee is that even on those super hot days, you can head to a hotel for just a few hours in the morning to enjoy some time in the pool and leave before lunchtime when the real heat sets in, and you never feel as though you’ve wasted any money on a full day pool pass!
1. Palazzo Versace Hotel
Sipping on an Aperol Spritz whilst laying around the Capri Pool at the Palazzo Versace Hotel, it’s easy to forget that you’re lounging by the Dubai Creek Harbour, and not in the Italian Amalfi Coast. I absolutely love spending the day at the Palazzo Versace as it caters to the whole family. It has three beautiful swimming pools, La Piscina, Portofino and Capri as well as seven restaurants and bars (within which Privilee Members receive a 25% discount!)
2. The Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah
The Kempinski Hotel & Residences Palm Jumeirah has a Main Pool that the whole family can enjoy, especially Mums and Dads with the swim-up pool bar! The hotel also has a shaded kid’s pool surrounded by additional sun loungers so that parents can lay back and watch the children play.
3. Cove Beach Dubai
A slice of adult-only heaven has arrived on Privilee! Cove Beach Dubai can be found on Bluewaters Island and has three swimming pools available for Privilee Members to enjoy every day of the week. Cove Beach hosts a range of events each day so you can choose to party the day away, or relax and unwind, it’s totally up to you!
4. InterContinental Dubai Marina
Hidden amongst the concrete jungle with stunning views of the Dubai Marina, the InterContinental Dubai Marina offers chilled vibes, cocktails and the comfiest sunbeds – I don’t know what more you could want from a pool day! The pool is open daily from 8am to 8pm and has a gym on the same floor, just in case you wanted to have a quick workout before cooling off in the rooftop pool.
5. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
Another family friendly pool day is the Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. This Thai- inspired hotel has a stunning 50 metre infinity pool with ample sun loungers surrounding it. But the highlight of the hotel for me has to be the beautiful lagoon winding throughout the resort.
The lagoon has a shallow sand bank which is the perfect place for little ones to sit and play before diving into the lagoon for a swim. One of the best parts is a little wooden boat that passes through the lagoon every few hours selling drinks – I like to treat myself to a fresh coconut – but if you’re lucky, your little one may even be able to have ride on it!
6. Melia Desert Palm
Melia Desert Palm is an oasis located a short drive out into the Dubai Desert. The hotel has a beautiful infinity pool, with views spanning over the connected polo club. If you’re heading out that way you should definitely make sure to pop into the Samana Spa for a massage before driving back to reality!
7. Fluid Beach Dubai
Fluid Beach Club can be found at Th8 Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah. It’s the perfect place to chill with friends from day into night. This adult-only venue offers Privilee Members and up to four guests 25% discount off F&B so you can soak in the sun, sip champagne and stay for sunset all whilst saving money!
8. Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk
Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk is another great venue to visit as a family. The stunning Soleil swimming pool has a great shaded kid’s pool attached with a splash pad for them to enjoy. The pool can be accessed from the hotel’s sixth floor and offers a great view of the Dubai Skyline.
9. Hyde Hotel Dubai
The rooftop pool at Hyde Hotel Dubai has views of the Dubai Skyline that are hard to beat. This adult-only venue has super-chic décor, Burj Khalifa views and (I must say) some of the comfiest sun beds I have experienced. The hotel has complimentary valet parking and offers 20% discount off food, beverage and brunches across all outlets.
10. Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
Last, but by no means least, is the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah. This hotel is one of my absolute favourites when I’m in need of some downtime. As soon as you pull up to the front of the hotel and are greeted by the friendly valet team, you feel at home. The hotel provides the feeling of both luxury and comfort with its five star service and super comfy beach sun loungers.
The Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah has a fabulous infinity pool that all of the family can enjoy. Also, tucked around to the righthand side of the resort, hidden amongst the palm trees, is an adult-only pool where you can really switch off and enjoy the peace and quiet.
Living in Dubai we are so lucky to have so many beautiful hotels and resorts right here on our doorstep. That’s why I am so thankful to have my Privilee Membership which allows me to make the most of all they have to offer!
Ryan and I decided we weren’t going to be doing Christmas presents last year so I was very surprised on Christmas Day when I opened a large box containing two tickets to see Chris Brown! An actual life long dream (well, a dream since 2008). I then realised that the concert was in Germany. My first response was, “Amazing… what about Arlo” and we thought we had enough time to figure it out. Roll on March and, not only did Arlo come with us to Munich, we also flew out Ryan’s Mum and Grandma to meet us! It’s times like this when we realise the difficulties of living abroad and living away from our families. We can’t just pop away for a long weekend now that we have a baby. So, we thought it would be a great idea for them to meet us in Munich, as it’s only a short 2 hour flight from London. That way, they would get to spend a lovely weekend with us and Arlo, and we would have trusted babysitters for the night of the gig – win win!
Traveling light with an 11 month old is almost impossible, but we were adamant that for two nights we didn’t need to check in a case. So poor Ryan basically had one outfit for the whole weekend to save space for me and Arlo in the hand luggage case! Now that Arlo is eating three solid meals a day, I took eight of my trusted Ella’s Kitchen pouches as a back up and also measured three small pots of 30g porridge for Arlo to have for breakfasts so I knew we would be covered in case we weren’t able to order anything suitable whilst we were there.
We arranged our airport transfers via Booking.com as it was significantly cheaper than many other taxi quotes we received. We could also amend our booking to include an infant car seat which was very efficient.
Day One
We had an early start as we left home at 5am, arrived at the airport for 5.30am and were in the Emirates Lounge by 6am. Our flight departed Dubai at 8am. We were traveling with our friends Emily & James from Dubai and it was a huge help having those extra pairs of hands for the flight. Upon check in, the staff were extremely helpful and moved us so we were sat in a row of four with extra leg room. We blocked off either end of the row and let Arlo sit / walk / crawl on the floor for the most part of the flight which was great as he was able to move much more freely and he tends to get a bit sassy if he feels too restricted.
Once we arrived in Munich we were through immigration relatively promptly and were straight through as we didn’t need to wait for any checked in bags. Our driver collected us and we had a thirty minute journey to the hotel. We booked the Aparthotel Adagio access München City Olympiapark due to it’s proximity to the Olympiahall where the concert was. The rooms were relatively basic but clean and came with a kitchenette cooker, fridge, sink and kettle. We informed the staff that we would be traveling with Arlo ahead of time and they had already arranged an infant cot for our room.
It was lovely to meet up with Ryan’s Mum and Grandma at the hotel and then the seven of us headed over to the Olympic Tower in the Olympic Park. There is a fine dining restaurant, Restaurant 181, located at the top of the tower but we didn’t arrive with enough time for lunch and they do not allow children under the age of six for the evening. You can go up to the viewing platform at the Olympic Tower for (e)13 per person and it provides 360degree views of Munich as it towers over the surrounding buildings.
We stopped for a bite to eat and a few cocktails in Restaurant Olympiasee which was at the base of the Olympic Tower. The restaurant was very casual but had a real buzz about it with many people seeming to be in the area to watch an ice-hockey event. We had currywurst sausages, cocktails and beer and it was a lovely way to spend the rest of the afternoon.
We headed up to our rooms relatively early as we were all ready to crash after a long day of traveling.
Day Two
The seven of us met in the hotel lobby for a 9.30am start and we took the subway into the main town centre, Marienplatz. We were fortunate that the subway stop was less than a five minute walk from our hotel and had a direct line for 20 minutes to reach Marienplatz. One of the only restaurant resrvations I made for the trip was for breakfast at a cute cafe called Cotidiano which was around a 15 minute walk from Marienplatz subway stop. However, when we arrived we were informed that the cafe didn’t take reservations, so had quite a lengthy wait outside in the cold! Once we sat down we knew that the breakfast was going to be worth the wait. The cafe was packed to the brim with people enjoying beers, prosecco and wine with their brunch. We were also joined by James’ cousin, Adam, and wife, Faye, and we all spent a good few hours chatting, eating and drinking. We all ordered a variety of eggs, avo, and sweet and salty pancakes. Everything tasted delicious, especially the (e)4 prosecco!
After brunch, we walked back to the Centre of Marienplatz and found a rooftop bar overlooking the markets. It had outdoor seating and it was only 1 degree so we warmed ourselves up with pints of Aperol Spritz!
We walked through the market and headed to a nearby beer hall which was packed to the brim! The guys had their steins of beer and Arlo slept the whole time!
That evening we had the concert so headed back to the hotel for a quick change then all went for dinner at Bavarie Brasserie in the BMW museum. Ryan’s mum and grandma then took Arlo back to the hotel and the six of us walked five minutes to the Olympiahalle to see Chris Brown!! The gig was absolutely amazing and so worth all of the travel to see him.
Day Three
Ryan’s Mum and Grandma were being collected from the hotel at 12pm for their flight home. So we decided to go for a walk to a nearby shopping centre they had visited on their first day. When we arrived, we were surprised to find that the shopping centre, and every shop nearby was closed! We didn’t realised that, by law, shops in Germany are only allowed to open on four Sundays throughout the entire year, and this wasn’t one of them! So we headed over the road and enjoyed a trusty McDonalds before walking back to our hotel.
After saying our goodbyes, me, Ryan and Arlo took the subway back into Marienplatz to meet Em and James (who were also devastated by the fact that there was to be no shopping for the day)! It appeared that the only thing to do was to head to one of the famous beer halls so we walked around twenty minutes to Augustiner-Keller which had been recomended by a few friends. We entered the hall and felt like we were walking into the Hogwarts dining hall. It was very large with grand lights and a stage at the front. It was absolutely packed and clearly the place to be on a Sunday afternoon in Munich.
We had a night flight back to Dubai which departed Munich at 9.30pm. Arlo was such an Angel as he fell asleep at take off and we woke him up at landing. We got back to Dubai around 6am and were home around 7.30am. I was not jealous of Ryan, Em and James going into work that day.. although I had a full day of looking after Mr Arlo!
With Ramadan fast approaching, and due to commence on Thursday 23 March, you can be sure to make the most of those shorter working days by taking full advantage of your Privilee access.
Gym
If you have the opportunity to work reduced hours during Ramadan, then it could be the perfect opportunity to start your fitness journey and keep active during your free time.
You can choose from boxing, core training, ladies only fitness classes, CrossFit and many other classes from the Privilee App. I love the classes at FitRepublik as they offer such a wide variety. They also have various locations throughout Dubai for you to choose from and you can make use of two classes a week with your Privilee membership.
Another fun way of keeping active this Ramadan is by spending the afternoon paddleboarding – and what better way to do it than at the Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah, in the calm water with a stunning backdrop of the Dubai Marina skyline. What’s more, Privilee Members can save up to 20% on water sport activities here!
Swim
Why not catch up with friends at any of the pools and beachesthat Privilee has to offer and with the added benefit of nothaving to worry about the cost of a full day pass! I absolutely love the Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort as it not only has a large, kid-friendly hotel pool, it also has the beautiful lagoon that you can swim and relax in.
The hotel welcomes families and, sometimes even offers ‘boat rides’ in the pool for you little ones – how adorable!
Play
Privilee has 41 venues which provide complimentary access for up to three children when attending with an accompanying adult, so why not squeeze in some afternoon playdates. One of my favorite venues for this is the Fairmont The Palm. The hotel has easy, sheltered self-parking which is complimentary (just make sure you get your ticket stamped on the way out). The hotel also provides complimentary access to its Falcons Kids Club from 10.30am-7pm daily. The hotel offers a good amount of shaded area – which is perfect when attending with small children. My ideal day would be lounging in one of the cabanas with an iced coffee whilst the babies sleep after tiring themselves out on the splash pad!
Beach walks and play time on the sand during the time of year when the weather is just perfect
You could always spend the afternoon playing tennis at one of Privilee’s venues. …. If you’re a beginner, like me, you can even avail 25% discount of tennis lessons at the Habtoor Grand Resort, Autograph Collection.
Dine
Enjoy those longer afternoons and early evenings as a family and enjoy dining at one of Privilee’s restaurants in which you can redeem discount. One of our favorite restaurants for a lazy afternoon lunch is the Beach House at the Anantara The Palm Dubai. The restaurant gives Mediterranean vibes whilst offering a great view of the Palm Jumeirah and the Atlantis hotels. Treat yourself to the grilled seabass and a glass of rose before the summer heat sets in!
Relax
One of the things I absolutely love about living in Dubai is that any hour of the day, on any day of the week, you can pop along to one of the stunning five-star hotels and make use of the facilities as if you were a hotel guest checking in to start their holiday. So with these extra few hours of freedom a day, you may be looking to relax and unwind, and what better way to do that than at one of the adult only venues that Privilee has to offer.
Terra Solis Dubai offers just that. A tranquil oasis located in Jebel Ali which provides an adult only escape, with complimentary pool access and 10% discount off food and beverages. Terra Solis Dubai will also be hosting an Iftar feast, offering an unforgettable Ramadan experience.
If you would love to make the most of all of these activitiesand more, just like I have, then you can sign up to Privilee at www.privilee.ae to enjoy all of these benefits, and more.
In the summer, we were lucky enough to get hold of tickets to the England v USA world cup game in Qatar! I was in England at the time and managed to persuade my Dad to come along with us as well!
Roll on November and England beat Iran in their first game 6:2 and we were absolutely buzzing for our game the following week!
The Journey
We were traveling over to Qatar with friends so we went over to their hotel to meet for lunch and then took a minibus down to Dubai World Central Airport. The main airport in Dubai is DXB, but as Dubai were running several “shuttle flights” daily over to Doha, they made use of DWC airport for this purpose. We flew with Qatar Airways for the 40 minute flight over to Doha.
Our flight left Dubai at 5pm and arrived in Doha at 5pm local time (factoring in the one hour time difference). Doha Airport had such a buzz about it. People from all over the world were there, playing music, wearing flags, dancing. It was an incredible thing to experience. We saw a couple of Mexican fans with their flags and sombreros and I went over to say hi and have a photo with them.
900 Park Fan Zone
We took a local taxi to the 900 Park Fan Zone which was attached to the Intercontinental Hotel. The fan zone atmosphere was incredible, people were dancing on the tables, offering face paint – and you could buy as much alcohol as you wanted (unlike how the Daily Mail had been reporting!)
We stayed in the fan zone for a few hours and watched the Denmark game on the big screen before getting an Uber over to the Al Bayt stadium.
Al Bayt Stadium
The drive to the stadium was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Our taxi driver was amazing and connected our phones up so we could play all of the England songs. We were all singing along getting so excited for the game. The taxi driver then drove down a side street to a small café and brought us all a cup of tea. It was so kind of him.
The traffic to enter the stadium had really built up so our taxi driver pulled over on the side of the road and we ran across the motorway to cut the queue! As we entered the grounds of the stadium, people were chanting and there were bands playing music with dancers.
Entering the stadium itself was a feeling I think I will remember forever. By the time we had arrived, the majority of fans were already there so there was a great atmosphere. We headed down to our seats – Row B – and as we sat down the camera panned to us and we could see ourselves up on the big screen!
My Dad had a flag made with our home town, Lowestoft, and a Leeds United badge (his team) and he was so excited that it made it up onto the big screen as well!
England v USA
The game itself was probably the most disappointing part of the trip! The score was 0.0 and honestly, not a lot happened during the match. We were surprised that the fans were mixed so we were sat amongst both England and USA fans for the game.
The Journey Home
I have to admit, leaving the stadium was a bit of a nightmare. We followed the queues to the taxi, which took about 45 minutes to walk, and once we arrived, there wasn’t a single taxi, Uber or Careem in sight. Everyone was piled in this car park, confused and not sure what to do. We ended up knocking on car windows asking for a lift to the airport and paid a local guy QAR400 to drive us there. It should have only been a 45 minute journey but took almost 2 hours in traffic. We arrived at the airport as our gate opened – luckily we had been provided with our return boarding passes on the outward journey and had no luggage so were straight through and boarded within no time. By this point it was 4am and we were all exhausted. I slept the entire flight back to Dubai.
Although we didn’t get the score we had hoped for, and didn’t see any goals, being able to watch England play in a World Cup game with my Dad is a memory I will treasure forever.
Ah, the Maldives. Was it actually a dream? I swear we waited almost two years for this holiday and it went by in a flash!
Ryan and I visited Ozen Life Maadhoo in December 2020 and it was our first time visiting the Maldives. That Christmas, my lovely Mum got drunk and said she would take us all there on holiday to celebrate my dads 60th birthday in 2022. Full of regret the next day, she told us it wasn’t happening. But once Dad spent a bit of time thinking it over, they decided that we should all go. So I reached out to Ozen and we booked three of their Wind, overwater, villas.
Roll on March 2022 and our little Arlo was born. We decided it would be best to change our room to an Earth Villa with a pool, which was located on the beach front, as this would be a better option with Arlo.
Mum, Dad, Katie and her fiancé Tom flew over to Dubai and spent the night at ours, this allowed them to break the journey up from the UK. We then all flew over to the Maldives together from Dubai.
The flight is only 3.5 hours and we booked the 2.30am flight which got us to the Maldives at 7am. It was the first night flight we’ve done with Arlo but he was such a trooper and slept for the majority of the flight – which meant Ryan and I were able to get a few hours in as well. When landing in the Maldives you’re required to fill out an entry form, which we had completed in advance and were provided with QR codes. Unfortunately, not everybody had completed this so the queues at immigration were quite lengthy. It also took a bit of time to collect our cases but once we were through to the other side and greeted by the Ozen staff, that’s when we knew our holiday could really start.
We were taken to the Ozen private lounge in the airport and provided with water, tea and coffee before we were escorted to the Ozen speedboat to take us to the island. The trip is 45minutes from Male. One huge benefit about the Indulgence Package with Ozen is that it also includes transfers to and from the hotel. If you opt for a hotel that requires you to take the seaplane, this can incur charges of up to $500 per person, each way.
Blowing of the Conch
Of all the things my sister was excited for when arriving at Ozen, it was the greeting of the staff as we disembarked from the speedboat. Just as described on their website, the staff were ready and waiting to blow the conch and play the drums whilst greeting us onto the island.
We were taken to the lobby for a glass of champagne and were introduced to our butler, Blue. Blue provided us with our itinerary which covered everything from our restaurant bookings, excursions and spa treatments. Blue then take us each to our rooms so we can unpack and get settled in before meeting up at the pool bar.
Restaurants
Ozen has a great selection of restaurants and bar options on the island. From authentic Chinese cuisine at Peking; traditional Maldivian dining at their beachfront restaurant, Lonu; to the incredible underwater dining experience at M6M, it really caters to everyone.
Each morning we would meet up at The Palms, the buffet-style restaurant where breakfast was served and would enjoy our breakfast with a Mimosa, or two. The pool bar, Joie de Vivre also has a daily snack menu whereby you can order pizzas, sandwiches, spring rolls etc. (all of which is also included in the all inclusive package).
Excursions
When Blue provided us with our itinerary this included a selection of excursions which are complimentary as part of your stay. This included a snorkel trip (which I opted out of so I could stay with Arlo), but the rest of the family enjoyed this and even saw sharks on their trip!
One evening we had the sunset fishing trip. Not to blow my own trumpet, but I caught two fish! One was a grouper fish and the other was a red snapper. The Captain arranged for the snapper to be taken back to the hotel and we had this grilled for lunch the next day. It may be because I caught it myself, but I think it might have been the best fish I have ever eaten!
One of the other evening excursions available is the sunset cruise and we were lucky enough to see dolphins! It was so magical.
Ryan and I also decided to opt for one of the paid excursions and go swimming with sharks! The boat trip was approximately thirty minutes from Ozen to an area where nurse sharks gather. The experience was incredible, although I was quite nervous once I was actually in the water and they were nudging and bumping around us! It was definitely a bucket list moment.
We had the most incredible family holiday and created memories that will last a lifetime.
Vacays and Sunny Days 