Sick and tired of reading articles all about “The Best Family Hotels in Dubai”, and want to know which hotel is actually THE BEST? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Here we have taken the top five hotels which meet a specific set of criteria (you can check the criteria here), and faced them off against each other for Location, Price, Amenities for Children, Food for Children and Family Friendly Rooms.
When we threw all of the hotels in the ring to fight it out we found one clear winner. The Best Family Hotel in Dubai is Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort. However, the others weren’t bad neither!
So if you’re looking for some more information or you’re still undecided, then read on to see how the others performed too!
Who Makes the Shortlist for The Best Hotel for Families in Dubai?
The first thing we needed to do was create a shortlist based on specific criteria:
- 5 Star Hotels Only
- 9/10 Rating Minimum on Hotels.com
- Childcare Available On Site
- Interconnecting Rooms Available
- Cribs Available
- On the Beach (What Family Holiday isn’t on the beach?!)
- Children’s Pool(s)
- Kids Club(s)
5 hotels made the shortlist, which we’ve briefly summarised below.
Jumeirah Al Qasr
Jumeirah Al Qasr is located at the beautiful Souk Madinat. This 5 star hotel has its own section of private beach which is important when trying to keep an eye on your little ones as they play with less crowds. On top of this there are 6 restaurants, 2 pool bars, 17 pools and a gorgeous roof top terrace.
When it comes to keeping the children happy and entertained you will be pleased to know that Wild Wadi Water Park is just next door, and access is FREE with your stay. Jumeirah Al Qasr offer babysitting as well as a kids club, there’s a playground on site and a shaded splash park too. For the older kids who are into their sports and activities there are 5 tennis courts on site and Ski Dubai is only 2.5 miles away.
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa is located at the foot of Palm Jumeirah, offering fantastic views of the man made island and the Arabian gulf.
On top of the 7 restaurants and 2 pool bars there are 3 outdoor pools, 2 tennis courts and its own private beach. For the kids there is a playground on site, children’s pool, indoor toddlers play for when it’s too hot and the kids club is FREE. The hotel also offers in-room childcare and a babysitting service for a fee.
The great thing about this hotel is the huge grounds that it sits on. There is plenty of grass around as well as beach, with football nets so the kids can have a kick around or play other games as and when they wish!
Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
Another hotel with a private beach and free kids club. There’s four restaurants and 3 bars / lounges as well as 2 outdoor pools and an indoor pool.
Make the most of the babysitting on offer and hit the nightclub in the evening to let your hair down. The Four Seasons Resort has indoor and outdoor play areas and a children’s pool to keep them entertained too.
Ritz Carlton
Probably one of the best hotels on Jumeirah Beach, The Ritz Carlton. This upmarket beachfront hotel hosts a whopping 9 restaurants and 6 swimming pools as well as children’s pool, playground and free children’s club.
The big pull for the Ritz Carlton isn’t just in the name but in the location. Located on The Walk at JBR, there’s so much going on in and around for kids and families. Where you have older ones who fancy their chances at Jet Skiing, taking on the world’s largest inflatable aqua park or hanging out at any of the beach parks, they’re sure not to be bored!
Fairmont The Palm
Situated on the luxury Palm Jumeirah Island which hosts many fantastic hotels, Fairmont The Palm is surely one of the best family hotels in Dubai. The 10 Restaurants and bars, 4 pools, children’s playground & splash park and private beach make this resort a major pull for families.
The kids club at Fairmont is suitable for ages from 18 months to 16 years and has a climbing wall, splash park, craft creative sessions, books, toys, jigsaws and much more. The world of wonderment doesn’t stop there, with a wide range of game consoles like Xbox, Wii and PlayStation games which are located in the chill out zone for your teenagers craving a bit of screen time.
Which is the Best Location for a Family Hotel in Dubai?
Now we’ve got our shortlist we need to look at locations. The location of your hotel is vital when considering a family holiday to Dubai. If you’re too far out you are going to miss all of the action which Dubai can offer kids such as Legoland, Motiongate, Dubai Mall Aquarium, Wild Wadi Water Park and more.
Jumeirah Al Qasr is located on Jumeirah Beach, in Souk Madinat and a stones throw away from Wild Wadi Water Park. Jumble Indoor Adventure. Ski Dubai, Bounce Dubai, Splash n Party & Air Maniax are all within a ten minute drive from the hotel; offering great family days out close to the hotel.
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa is located at the base of Palm Jumeirah, at the far end of The Walk on JBR. Jumeirah Beach Residence is a fantastic location for families. JBR hosts many family friendly restaurants with a ton of things going on at The Beach daily. There are children’s playgrounds dotted around the beach and side walk, Aqua Fun Water Park, Jet Ski rentals, a cinema and so much more!
Whether you are travelling as a family or as a young couple, Jumeirah Beach Residence is definitely the place to be.
Four Seasons Resort is located further north of Jumeirah Beach from Jumeirah Al Qasr. From this hotel you can expect views of Daria Island with Jumeirah Fishing Port, Mercato Beach, Safa Park and Laguna Water Park some of the more popular places to visit all within a ten minute drive. Downtown Dubai is just 15 minutes in a taxi where the family can enjoy Dubai Mall and all its activities.
Over to the Ritz Carlton and another hotel on JBR. Slightly further in to the centre of JBR, this hotel has everything your family needs in a location as we previously described with Le Royal Meridien.
Last on the list and with it’s location within the name, Fairmont The Palm is nestled into the south west trunk of Palm Jumeirah, offering stunning views looking back towards JBR and Bluewater’s Island. Although The Palm offers many luxury hotels, private beaches and incredible views, it does lack that cutting edge for families.
However, the hotel itself does offer a fantastic family resort, plus a short journey north to the tip of The Palm presents you with a great family day out at Aquaventure.
Overall the best place to stay in Dubai for families has to be Jumeirah Beach Residence. This area has the perfect mix of beach front living, shopping, activities, restaurants and entertainment. For that reason The Ritz Carlton is the best located hotel for families visiting Dubai.
The Best Family Hotel in Dubai Based on Price
Now we’ve got the location boxed off we’re sure your next wondering about prices. Below we’ve put together an average cost for a family room (2 Adults, 2 Children), per night, to give you an idea on which hotel offers the cheapest family stay.
| Hotel | Price (Per Person Per Night) |
| Jumeirah Al Qasr | £266 / $369 / 1,330AED |
| Le Royal Meridien | £564 / $783 / 2,820AED |
| Four Seasons Resort | £543 / $754 / 2,715AED |
| Ritz Carlton | £208 / $289 / 1,040AED |
| Fairmont The Palm | £109 / $151 / 545AED |
As you can see, there is a huge price difference between the hotels. However, some things to consider:
- Le Royal Meridien comes with larger rooms and includes breakfast automatically
- Fairmont the Palm is the cheapest, but they officially only have 1 double bed and two roll away beds on request.
Based on price alone, Fairmont The Palm does offer the cheapest of the best family hotels in Dubai. Just make sure you research the room sizes and beds to make sure you are comfortable before booking.
The Best Family Hotel Based on Amenities for Children
One thing is a guarantee when visiting Dubai, you’re never going to get bored! Dubai has many fantastic things to do for kids, but let us now take a look at what the hotels offer in regards to amenities for families.
Jumeirah Al Qasr
On top of the pools and pristine beach, kids staying at Jumeirah Al Qasr can enjoy any of the following:
Sinbad’s Kids Club: Containing over 1,000m2 of pools and play area’s as well as planned activities from the staff including face painting, crafts, games, sports and cinema.
Kids at Al Naseem: Swing sets, and outdoor playground, jungle gym and splash pad are more than enough to keep the little ones entertained here.
Wild Wadi Water Park: Of course, the main reason to stay at one of the Jumeirah Hotels is the unlimited free access to Wild Wadi!
Children’s Playground: Wear them out before lunch so they sit still and eat their food!
Tennis Court & Squash: Racket sports are a great way to develop hand eye coordination.
Games Room: If they really must, there is an on site games room for the those missing their technology.
Water Activities: Such as wind surfing, canoeing and diving.
Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project: Just a 5 minute walk from the hotel.
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort
The huge beachfront grounds that Le Royal Meridien sits makes this hotel an attractive proposition for families alone. The freedom to run and play is one thing, but here they make the most of their grounds by offering the below:
Tennis Courts: For the older children who like to try their hand at racket sports.
Kids Club: Aimed at children between the years of 4-12. Supervised children’s activities include outdoor games and crafts.
Crazy Golf: All families love a competitive game of crazy golf right? It doesn’t matter if Dad thinks he’s Tiger Woods on the golf course because at crazy golf, anyone can win!
Beach Volleyball: Another one for the older children to enjoy on the beach. Just grab a ball from the beach towel counter and off you go!
Table Tennis: Head indoors to escape the scorching heat in the middle of the day by teaching your active ones to play table tennis.
Children’s Playground: Does what it says on the tin and is a nice break from the pool and beach to mix things up for the kids.
Games Room: If they’re craving a little bit of alone time, head to the games room.
Water Activities: Teenagers usually love to head to the ocean. At Le Royal Meridien they can by enjoying Diving, Canoeing, Wind Surfing and Sea Fishing.
Four Seasons Resort
The Four Seasons really does look after children with great touches such as children’s bathrobes, toy camel mascots and complimentary use of children’s books, toys and games. On top of this they also provide excellent family facilities such as the below:
Racket Sports: Much like the other hotels, Four Seasons offers Tennis and Badminton for the older kids.
Kids Club: For 4 to 12 year olds there’s an award winning kids club on site.
Water Sports: For the more thrill seeking families try any of the water sports including Snorkelling, Diving, Canoeing.
Children’s Playground: What top family hotel in Dubai doesn’t have one?!
Ritz Carlton
Aside from being in the best area in Dubai for families, Ritz Carlton also offers great facilities for kids too.
Archery: For the family to try something different this Dubai holiday.
Bike Tours: Ritz Carlton offer families a different way to see Dubai with their really popular bike tours.
Racket Sports: Badminton and Tennis and Badminton much like the other hotels.
Children’s Playground
Water Sports: Available for an extra charge on the private beach.
Kids Club: The hotel’s family-friendly program features activities based on four concepts – water, land, environmental responsibility and culture. Tailored for children aged 4 – 12, children enjoy art and crafts, sand castle making and more.
2 Shaded Children’s Pools and a Water Slide
Fairmont The Palm
Fairmont The Palm knows how to keep families entertained with the below facilities:
Kids Club: Featuring the ever popular climbing wall.
Children’s Playground
Table Tennis
Cycling
Billiards
Splash Park
Overall, when it comes to the best hotel in Dubai for family facilities, Le Royal Meridien cannot be beaten!
Which Hotel Has the Best Food for Children?
Sometimes parents may think that their children absorb energy from the sun as they run around so much! However, natural light isn’t all you little ones need to keep going all day. They can as much as you, make the most of the fantastic cuisine that almost every hotel in Dubai has to offer.
All of the hotels we’ve listed in this article have kids buffet’s, a snack bar and children’s meals. They will also specially cook anything your child requests in smaller portions. The only way to tell who does it better is to try them all! So for this one, we’d say do not worry about the food for your kids in any of these top class resorts!
Which Hotel Has the Best Family Room?
We’d expect you not to be spending too much time in the room, with these hotels and Dubai itself offering so much to families. However, you still need somewhere to rest your feet after a day of action, and the last thing you need is the kids piling up on top of you whilst you unwind from the day!
Family Rooms at Jumeirah Al Qasr
Here’s what you can expect from the 2 bedroom family room at Jumeirah AL Qasr:
Room Size: 1,938ft²
Bedroom 1: 1 Extra Large Double Bed
Bedroom 2: 2 Single Beds
2 Bathrooms
3 Widescreen Televisions
Playstation (On Request)
Home Theatre
Hot Tub
Family Rooms at Le Royal Meridien
The below is what Le Royal Meridien offers families staying in a Family Suite:
Room Size: 700ft²
Bedroom 1: King Size Bed
Bedroom 2: Queen Size Bed
Flat Screen TV
Butler Service
Family Rooms at Four Seasons Resort
The Imperial Suite is most suited to families staying at The Four Seasons Resort and includes:
Room Size: 2,260ft²
Beds: 2 Queen Beds & 1 Rollaway or Crib
Flat Screen TV
Xbox or Playstation
Bluetooth Speaker
Separate Living / Dining Area
Family Rooms at Ritz Carlton
The family room at Ritz Carlton includes:
Room Size: 1,076 ft²
2 Bedrooms: King and Double Sized Beds
2 Bathrooms
Flat Screen TV
DVD Player
Family Rooms at Fairmont The Palm
The Deluxe Grand Family Room at Fairmont The Palm Includes:
Beds: 1 King sized and 2 Queen sized beds
In Room Movies
Television
Overall we think that Jumeirah Al Qasr offers the best family room. The size, amenities for children and beds aren’t comparable to the other hotels.
Which Hotel is the Best Family Hotel in Dubai?
So we’ve looked at Location, Price, Amenities, Food and Rooms and our five shortlisted hotels have been narrowed down to three; Jumeirah Al Qasr, Le Royal Meridien and Fairmont the Palm.
Even though each hotel had its strengths against the rest, Le Royal Meridien is the stand out hotel overall. The grounds of which the hotel sits and its incredible amenities for families will ensure you avoid disappointment.
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