There are certain hotel brands that you know and trust to always provide you with an exceptional experience whenever you visit. Waldorf Astoria is one of these and the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah provided me with that unmistakable blend of modern luxury, exceptional amenities, and unparalleled service as well as one of the best balcony views I’ve ever seen.
Stepping into luxury at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai
Located on Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah it’s a long drive past the new and old hotels that line the right side of the outer leaves until you reach the Waldorf Astoria Dubai, where a security guard awaits to let you in to the exclusive 5* hotel. The exceptional service begins even before you step out of your car as staff are waiting to open your doors and whisk off your luggage to your room.
We were welcomed to the Waldorf Astoria Dubai hotel by the lovely Kiara, who checked us in and gave us all the information we needed for our two-night stay. The most important information we needed were the times for our spa treatments and the time the breakfast buffet opened until. We were then escorted to our room by Zhark who explained how to navigate the vast corridors, lifts and staircases that wind their way through the vast hotel.
Our suite was a Two Queen Bed Deluxe with Palm Sea View a 55 sq. m Deluxe Room, featuring a comfortable seating area, work desk, and two queen-sized signature Waldorf Astoria beds. One of my favourite features was the stunning marble bathroom with double vanities, large bath and separate walk-in shower with beautiful lighting, soft fluffy towels and the most comfortable robes of any hotel I’ve stayed in.
However, my favourite feature of the room was the balcony and the absolutely incredible view of the private beach, the palm and the city full of skyscrapers behind it. However, standing on the balcony in the 30-degree Dubai heat looking down at the pool and sea all I could think was ‘I need to be in water’ so the sea was the first on the agenda.
The Waldorf Astoria Dubai has two temperature controlled swimming pools open from 9am until 8pm both with lifeguards, waiters and fresh towels and cold bottled water waiting for all guests. There is a stretch of private beach with lovely sun beds, which really do feel like beds, and the sea is just cold enough to be a relief from the heat of the day but warm enough to be able to get straight in and have a nice swim. For children there is an inflatable assault course, trampoline and climbing wall available at an extra cost. But don’t worry if you’re a 34 year old woman who is still a child at heart and wants to review the entire hotel experience because it is open to all guests!
We found the adults only pool area to be beautiful and tranquil and stayed there one evening while the sun was going down. Well actually we stayed because our wonderful Nigerian waiter Thomas informed us it was happy hour and made sure we took full advantage of it with Pina Coladas, Mojitos, Margaritas and my favourite, a Passion Fruit Daiquiri, all of which were fabulous and went down a treat. We took a few steps onto the beach to watch the sun disappear over the horizon of the Arabian gulf then headed back to our suite to get ready for dinner.
The Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah features six iconic restaurants and bars, guaranteed to impress even the most discerning of food lovers. But we were more than impressed with our evening meal, so much so it will be reviewed separately by our Editor in Chief as we felt it deserved its own spotlight. But to try and put it briefly…
Social is an award-winning restaurant, with a modern and playful take on authentic peninsular Italian cuisine by Chef Carmine Faravalo. The restaurant offers diners an elegant atmosphere with views of the palm and Dubai, however our table was not in the restaurant, we were to dine in the kitchen and be served by the chef himself. The menu consisted of some of the best twists on Italian classics I’ve ever had and the use of ingredients such as beef cheeks, oysters and tomatoes in the dishes were just sensational.
Each delectable course was paired perfectly with wines from all over the world by our Sommelier Isabella whose Austrian and Thai heritage has obviously given her a wealth of knowledge about food and wine and what goes together perfectly. It was wonderful to be able to talk to Carmine about his career and all the places he’s worked and incredible chefs he’s learned from as well as hearing the many ways his upbringing in Naples had become the inspiration for many of the dishes we ate. My personal favourites were beef rib taco, seared scallops with green peas and crispy beef cecina and a deconstructed Tiramisu that was constructed right in front of us which was the messiest, most fun and delicious Italian dessert I’ve ever experienced. Bravo chef!
But the evening meal wasn’t the only impressive feast I got to indulge in at the Waldorf, the breakfast buffet is something else. Alongside the standard selection (I say standard but the quality of food is absolutely not standard) of pastries, cereals and breads there are a number of chefs cooking fresh food such as eggs, pancakes, omelettes, waffles and there is even a separate kitchen and chef cooking pork sausages and bacon (you won’t find this in many places in Dubai!). We also loved the detox juices and fresh orange juice as well as the friendly table service who made sure we had everything we needed from multiple double espressos to ginger tea.
There is just one more thing I must mention and that was our private spa treatment experience at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai gorgeous spa. The spa features over 3,200 square metres of palatial indoor space with an extensive array of hydrotherapy facilities and thermal relaxation rooms. We were treated to one of the 2 private couples suites where Sandra showed us around our luxurious suite that featured changing facilities, a steam room, sauna, treatment tables, hot tub and experience shower. After an hour or so of spa we had an incredible 90 minute De-Stress Candle Massage with Neom products. My therapist Aya was attentive to all the knots in my lower back from sitting like a hunchback at my desk each day and Natasha was able to treat Charlotte’s skiing injuries with the greatest of care. The ladies left us feeling more than just refreshed and de-stressed. This was the longest massage I have had and I cannot tell you how amazing I felt afterwards.
The Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah more than exceeded my expectations of what a luxury hotel is. Attentive service, incredible food, pristine facilities and beautiful decor it just ticks all the boxes and remains as one of the best hotel brands I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
Crescent Road
The Palm Jumeirah
Dubai
U.A.E
