This resort effortlessly combines the laid-back vibe of a beachfront, family-friendly resort and a luxury destination getaway. The hotel is set amid a collection of low-slung buildings and palm trees, where curving brick walkways wind through emerald lawns and tropical gardens to a modernist A-frame lobby with soaring wood-beamed ceilings, marble floors, and carved wooden chairs. The first impression is both grand and easygoing, qualities that characterize this resort. Several stone-lined pools dot the property, but the private beach is the true star, stretching 2,625 feet along the Persian Gulf. The hotel is part of the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and includes 13 restaurants and bars, ranging from the casual beachfront atmosphere of Captain’s to White Orchid, a more formal tropical villa-style restaurant that draws locals and tourists. While families are particularly welcome here, the romantic setting attracts a large share of couples too.

Set within Jebel Ali Golf Resort, this hotel is not centrally located, and most of Dubai’s famous landmarks are a 25- to 50-minute drive away. But the resort provides shuttle service to select destinations, such as the Mall of the Emirates. Situated near the currently abandoned Palm Jebel Ali project (a larger version of the famous, man-made Palm Jumeirah), the resort is a 40-minute drive from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and Dubai International Airport is at least 45 minutes away, depending on traffic. The Walk, a stretch up high-end shops and cafes next to Dubai’s famous Marina Beach, is about 25 minutes away by car, and the lively souks of Al Ras are a 50-minute drive from the hotel.

Spread throughout several buildings, Junior Suites are breezy and large, starting at 581 square feet. White stucco walls, travertine floors, carved wooden furniture and wall art, and vaulted ceilings make the rooms comfortable yet luxurious. Warm wood tones contrast the purple and green motif repeated throughout the suites in thoughtful ways, from the throw rug to the pillows on the contemporary sofas to the silk bed runners and paintings on the walls. Arabesque flourishes, like the lattice woodwork on some wardrobes, add a graceful note to the rooms, while an arched window over French doors lets in plenty of natural light. All Junior Suites include desks, flat-screen TVs, PlayStation game consoles, DVD players, safes, free bottled water, minibars, and electric kettles with coffee or tea. Suites also include attractive stone-lined terraces with umbrellas and stylish lounge chairs, and many suites overlook the beach. The king or twin beds with duvets are extremely comfortable. Bathrooms are chic and spacious, with mosaic stone tiling and light marble as well as separate bathtubs and walk-in showers, double-sink vanities, and high-end Elemis toiletries. 

The 14 suites comprising The Residence, an exclusive building, include a host of in-room amenities like personal butlers, a welcome bottle of Champagne, free daily international newspapers, and free laundry services. Some of the furniture in some of the Junior Suites in The Residence showed some wear-and-tear, and looked a bit cheap compared with the furniture in the other Junior Suites, though the carved doors lining the entryway are an elegant touch. One-Bedroom Suites in the Residence are beautiful, though, with timeless contemporary furniture and fixtures, separate sleeping areas, and plenty of space for families or groups.

The resort offers 13 bars and restaurants and three swimming pools (plus a fourth available to guests of The Residence), as well as golf and water sports, but the crown jewel here is the private beach. A sweeping 2,625 feet of white sand along the Persian Gulf, the beach here is clean, calm, and utterly unspoiled. Rows of padded turquoise loungers face the waves, and behind that, a landscaped grassy nook holds more loungers under shady palm trees.

La Fontana serves an excellent breakfast buffet included in certain room packages, as well as casual lunch and dinner buffets throughout the day, while La Traviata offers great Italian standards. White Orchid, a more upscale on-site restaurant, serves a pan-Asian menu including Thai and Chinese specialties that draws guests from the resort and across Dubai. Reservations may be necessary for certain on-site restaurants, and guests should check ahead. 

The resort’s three pools have stone terraces and swim-up bars, while some include separate kids’ pools, though these areas can be crowded, and getting a poolside chair may require waking up early. Water sports include water-skiing and diving, and guests can use the nine-hole Jebel Ali Golf Course. Tennis courts, a fitness center, volleyball courts, a shooting club, inflatable on-water obstacle course are also on site, and an array of weekly activities ranging from sports tournaments to camel rides keep guests busy. The counterpoint to all this activity is the on-site spa with a huge array of massages and treatments that allow for calm pampering. The hotel has a CoolZone and a ChillZone, for kids and teens respectively, as well as horse and pony rides and day care. 

Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and there's an array of event and meeting spaces on-site with full catering and audiovisual services available. The hotel runs a scheduled shuttle service to several of the major malls and landmarks throughout the city, and intra-resort transportation is also available.

Guests of The Residence are entitled to unlimited mini-golf, up to three hours of free babysitting per week, and access to Signatures Lounge, with snacks throughout the day and cocktails in the evening. Guests who book for more than three nights receive welcome bottles of wine, free water sports for adults, free green fees, a dinner cruise, and free personal training and tennis lessons, though all have various restrictions and limitations and guests should check with the hotel in advance.