From the instant you step thru the the front entrance, Atlantis the Royal places on a display. Water pours down inner glass walls, at the same time as hearthplace periodically flashes up. The stress to submit to Instagram is immediate, due to the fact you`ve arrived on the self-titled “maximum ultraluxury” lodge withinside the world.
This is not the world, aleven though. It’s Dubai, wherein “ultraluxury” has a particular that means and nouveau riche aesthetics are giddily embraced. Wealth like this turned into made to flaunt, now no longer accrue silently in financial savings accounts. Ultraluxury is over-the-top, clad with gold and marble.
That’s what the $1.2 billion Atlantis the Royal, the modern day assets from Dubai-primarily based totally hotelier Kerzner International Ltd., brought with a “Grand Reveal” display in January starring Beyonce: And it is what visitors have skilled considering its 795 rooms opened in mid-February.
The adventure of opulence starts offevolved withinside the lodge lobby, wherein the unifying subject matter of water (Atlantis, remember?) is hammered domestic with a towering aquatic sculpture and pool cutouts withinside the ground into which visitors on occasion tumble. Check-in takes place at unmarked golden counters, which require regular buffing with microfiber towels to take away dreadful signs of human presence including fingerprints.
Company officers first of all garnered headlines via way of means of announcing the top-degree suite, the Royal Mansion, could cost $100,000 a night time. Now a spokeswoman is demure approximately the price, announcing it is to be had upon request. And in February, Louis Vuitton booked the room for a personal purchasing event, so I could not visit. Instead, I turned into proven the Panoramic Penthouse, which took my breath away-beginning at a hundred thirty five,260 dirhams ($36,825), plus 22% in taxes, it had better. Shampoos and different facilities in rooms come from Hermès, Frette and Graff. On one facet of the lodge, visitors have an unobstructed view of the blue-inexperienced Persian Gulf. The different facet seems out over the fronds of the man-made Palm Jumeirah archipelago and the mansions of billionaires and royalty.
I stayed in a Seascape King, one of the fundamental rooms, however I use the time period lightly. The studio begins offevolved at approximately 4,a hundred thirty five dirhams a night time in excessive season. It’s big sufficient for a king-length bed, lounger and desk, and spacious closets. The fixtures is comfortable, and facilities withinside the grand toilets encompass golden toothbrushes, combs, a lower back scrubber, flip-flops and a seaside bag, all of which may be taken domestic with out charge.
For a lodge promising that “some thing amazing occurs at each second of your stay,” the fundamental rooms lack a wow factor. They’re beautiful, sure, and the perspectives are phenomenal. I turned into excited to look a excessive-tech Toto emblem bidet bathroom with a heated seat, aleven though that made me want the rest room flooring have been heated, too. (Clearly, I’m getting spoiled.)
But this is not a lodge wherein visitors disguise away of their rooms. Instead, they placed on their trendiest beachwear, take selfies in the front of the Bellagio-fashion fountains, buy groceries withinside the Valentino boutique or ee-e book a cabana at one in all numerous out of doors lounges. At Nobu via way of means of the Beach, for a further 10,000 dirhams, you and 9 buddies have get entry to to a residing room, a personal converting vicinity and shower, and a small personal pool. The price consists of bottles of Champagne and a few nibbles.
First, however, you may need to get a Botox top-up, ozone dialysis or stem mobileular remedy on the on-web website online Aeon Clinic for “regenerative wellness.” Or head as much as the real showstopper: the Cloud 22 lounge, an open-air area at the twenty second ground with thumping membership tune and a robust wind. An infinity pool with a double ledge is all that separates you from the lodge below. Here, too, you may ee-e book cabanas for a further rate and get your very own plunge pool, which the lodge does not matter as one in all ninety general swimming pools at the assets, inclusive of forty four in personal suites.
The beautiful Awaken spa has gender-segregated rest rooms, however six hammams, or Turkish baths, haven’t begun to open. The meditation with dolphins software is likewise pending.
The room price consists of get entry to to Aquaventure, the water park round the corner billed because the world’s largest. My 3-year-antique daughter had a blast withinside the infant splash areas, and if we had extra time I could have braved the slides with 360-diploma loops and darkish tunnels. With day passes beginning at 315 dirhams for adults, this really provides to the fee you get to your room.
At the lodge, every of the seven superstar chef-helmed eating places has a completely unique vibe and design, however the degree of carrier is celestial throughout the board. When we ate lunch at Jaleo via way of means of Jose Andre (get the rossejat, a paella-fashion pasta), 4 one-of-a-kind human beings requested if we desired a highchair for our daughter. At the breakfast buffet, out of nowhere she were given a hankering for tofu, and the kitchen fortuitously furnished a plateful. Meanwhile, I hadn’t completed my latte earlier than my cup turned into taken away and changed with a brand new one-twice.
This is wherein Atlantis the Royal earns its call and its ultraluxury reputation. Every few ft as you stroll the grounds, a protection guard, concierge, lifeguard or purifier locations their proper hand on their heart, bows ahead and says hello. All houses run via way of means of Kerzner have followed this obvious Covid-technology gesture, however it really made me sense like a queen.