Raffles The Palm Dubai

Character and identity

Set on the West Crescent of Palm Jumeirah, this 389-room resort styles itself as an 18th-century European palace transplanted to the Gulf, complete with Rosa Portogallo marble columns, Versailles-inspired gardens and a lobby crowned by Swarovski-studded chandeliers. The look is unapologetically maximalist: Francesco Molon furniture, gold and silver leaf, hand-woven silk tapestries, a 24-carat gold-leaf Blüthner grand piano in Blüthner Hall. Six restaurants and bars span Japanese at Matagi, Amalfi-inflected Piatti by the beach, jazz and cocktails at Sola, and all-day Le Jardin. The Cinq Mondes spa runs to 23 treatment rooms, and 24-hour butler service comes standard.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The defining feature here is sheer scale of decoration: this is one of Dubai's most theatrical interiors, and the room product, beach and butler service back it up. Book a club-category room or suite for Club Lounge access and the terrace sundowner views, and target shoulder-season rates when the Mediterranean terrace at Piatti is actually usable.