Sofitel Dubai The Palm

Palm Jumeirah was built as reclaimed land in the shape of a palm tree, and Sofitel Dubai The Palm holds a plot on its East Crescent, facing the open water of the Arabian Gulf. The resort brings French hospitality to a shoreline that did not exist three decades ago. Rooms, suites and private pool villas make up the accommodation, each fitted with a balcony and, in the villas, a private plunge pool and cinema. The beach runs for 500 metres of pale sand, with a jetty at one end for boat trips and water sports, and an activity zone at the other for kayaks and paddleboards. Six pools sit across the grounds, kept at a steady 29°C, one merging visually with the sea beyond the palms and bougainvillea. Sofitel Spa with L'Occitane draws on Provence for its oils and rituals, with steam rooms, saunas and plunge pools attached. You can hear the Gulf from a beachside chaise as easily as from a suite balcony. It is, in the end, a resort built entirely around water.