One&Only Royal Mirage review: 9/10

Why book One&Only Royal Mirage

One&Only Royal Mirage stands out amongst the high rises that line the coast overlooking Palm Jumeirah. For starters, its low-rise complexes and villas are almost entirely hidden by lush towering palm trees and gardens hiding tennis courts. Secondly, its private beach (home to the stylish Drift Beach Club) is double the size of its competitors. The hotel opened in 1999 and is still among the most revered and loved today. The Dubai grande dame embraces Arabian in its décor, with arabesque arches, latticed details, gold touches, opulent fountains, and gardens – spread from the Palace to the Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage. This is a true city centre resort – and a destination for true escapism. Book a stay at The Residence – a hotel within a hotel and part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World – for an exclusive country-club feel with homely apartment-like rooms, its own library, dining room and lobby and private poolside.

Location

Thanks to its reputation of being one of the oldest and most established resorts in the city and UAE, One&Only Royal Mirage was able to snap up 65 acres of incredible real estate that few have been able to compare to this day. Set in lush gardens backing onto the golden beach, there’s a distinct island beach feel to it, though it’s right by Dubai Marina, Mina Seyahi and overlooks the Palm Jumeirah. It’s a 20-minutes from Downtown, 30 minutes from the airport, and primed for exploration, less than an hour to Abu Dhabi. It’s a superlative location offering easy access to both new and old Dubai.

The vibe

There are three distinct vibes in the hotel’s three areas, the Palace, Residence and Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage. The Palace is the bustling beating, and the poolside is packed with families and groups. The Residence is more salubrious and peaceful, largely couples wanting the feeling of a small hotel within the facilities of a large resort – and its private club-house style wing and terrace are quiet and genteel. The Arabian Court feels just as it suggests, low-rise with fountains, arabesque arches, greenery and a great spot for multi-generational groups. The restaurants are a mix of external and internal guests, and the beachfront is popular for children’s parties. The resort feels like a mini town more than a hotel with so many facets to discover and different vibes to embrace on each day of your stay.

Rooms and suites

There are 221 rooms across the resort’s three areas, featuring standard doubles, suites and even private pool villas, all of which channel the luxurious Arabian theme. At the Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage, there are deluxe double rooms alongside two categories of suites, which follow a white and unusual hot pink theme. In the Palace, there are four categories of room, from Superior rooms to Royal Suites – the latter with vivid pops of cerise of turquoise. Insider tip? Book a ‘room’ at The Residence – a hotel within a hotel and exclusively part of Leading Hotels of the World. Guests stay in an accommodation that feels like a private home and have access to a clubhouse-style space with a private restaurant, terrace, library, bar, and adults-only pool – there’s also a separate check-in area. There are no elevators, which makes it feel even more homely, and interiors are neutral and modern yet Arabian. Our room has a terrace with loungers and seating overlooking The Residence’s garden and pool, which we fully use, alongside a deep soaking tub and marshmallow bed.

Food and drink

While staying at adults-only The Residence, we enjoy daily breakfast under parasols and palm trees on the private terrace, looking out to Palm Jumeirah. Breakfast is spectacular, with the freshest, most colourful fruit, an ample buffet and extensive a la carte. The Palace and Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage each have their own breakfast haven, at Celebrities at The Palace, and Rotisserie at Arabian Court – outside of breakfast, Celebrities by Chef Mauro Colgreco (featured in the Michelin Guide) offers fine dining French. The latter is sublime for a romantic or occasion dinner, with a tasting menu paired with the most incredible wine list spearheaded by its passionate and charming award-winning sommelier who has plans to open his own wine bar in his native South Africa.

One&Onyl Royal Mirage is a hotbed of fantastic food and beverage, celebrity chef-helmed eateries, MENA’s 50 Best, romantic garden and waterside bars and crowd pleasers, from beach lunches to afternoon tea – plus one of Dubai’s chicest beach clubs, DRIFT. We enjoy beachside lunch at Thge Palace’s Beach Bar and Grill on one day and sushi at the Arabian Court’s gardens at Eauzone on another. Sundownesr at beachfront Jetty Lounge – one of the most romantic waterfront offerings in the city – and Rooftop drinks under starry Arabian skies in the velvet red majlis of The Rooftop Terrace & Sports Lounge after dinner. Other hero outlets include Tagine, an intimate majlis-style space serving Moroccan cuisine, and Trèsind – elevated modern Indian cuisine and one of Dubai’s most lauded restaurants, recognised in the inaugural Dubai Michelin Guide and MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants –

Setting the benchmark for innovative dining in Dubai, Trèsind is renowned for its progressive Indian cuisine. A blend of the French word Très, meaning “very”, and Ind, short for Indian, Trèsind celebrates bold Indian flavours and time-honoured techniques, presented through Chef Himanshu Saini’s modernist lens. Since launching in 2014, Trèsind has become one of Dubai’s most lauded restaurants, featured in the Dubai Michelin Guide and one of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants. Guests staying in The Residence can enjoy their private clubhouse-style space – a real treat that encourages the feeling of being within a hotel.

Spa and facilities

Only Royal Mirage’s spa is a true piece of heaven – an Arabian-inspired, multi-tiered oasis where the smell of oudy rose fills the air. There’s a hammam, plunge pool, sauna, steam and treatment rooms that deliver 28 pages of much-loved therapies like massages and facials, but also inventive treatments unique to One&Only, like the Nature’s Resonance by ESPA, where guests wear headphones, immersing them in binaural beats, the Solfeggio scale, and the natural rhythms of Arabia while enjoying a soothing massage. Royal Mirage-specific treatments embrace the healing techniques of Arabia. Guests never need to leave the resort, with Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio by Bastien Gonzalez and Zouari Hair Salon also on offer.

One&Only Royal Mirage is int entirety spans 26 acres, across a palm-strewn garden with fountains, courtyards, stand-alone villas and clubhouses, golden sands and also onto three floodlit tennis courts and two padel courts – which offer free court time for guests and also private lessons with professional coaches in Russian, English, French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic for an additional fee. On the seafront, guests can enjoy watersports or venture out into the emirate with tailored and guided tours that are on offer and bookable via the hotel. Everything is taken care of – making One&Only Royal Mirage one of the most entertaining and all-encompassing resorts in the UAE, if not the world.

The verdict

One&Only Royal Mirage is one of the best resorts in Dubai – an incredible oasis right in the city, thanks to a coveted location and acres of grounds snapped up back in 1999. This is a resort for everyone, couples, families, elders, solo travellers, thanks to its concept of three unique areas and its strong Arabian palace theme. For peace and exclusivity, book The Residence, which gives you your own private areas, a homely feel and free rein to explore and book into areas in The Palace and Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage. Keep in mind that due to current construction, there can be a fair bit of noise in the day around the beach and pool – and lovers of peace may want to avoid the poolside and outdoor spaces on weekends, thanks to the music pumped out from resorts across on Palm Jumeirah.

Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage, doubles from AED1,050, The Palace doubles from AED770, The Residence from AED1,280; oneandonlyresorts.com

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