Atlantis hotel is Dubai's Palm jewel

While the towering glass sculpture in the main lobby might not be to everyone's liking, we thought the abundant murals, carvings and paintings were generally tasteful and set the right tone for the Atlantis-themed resort.

The hotel sits at the outer tip of the Palm Jumeirah, which gives it an unfettered view of the waters of the Gulf.

Indeed, water is a central element of the resort, as it is seemingly everywhere you look, starting with the vast three-storey aquarium, which holds 2.9 million gallons of water and a jaw-dropping 65,000 fish (including one rather lonely-looking whale shark).

Outside are two massive swimming pools and fountains galore, while a short walk away is the hotel's 42-acre waterpark, Aquaventure, which features a 60-foot slide appropriately called the Leap of Faith. And last but not least is a saltwater enclosure, Dophin Bay, which as the name implies allows customers to feed and frolic with dolphins.

The hotel also offers a private beach that faces the interior of the Palm, which means you mostly get a view of row after row of villas. However, the sand is very soft and the setting is very tranquil compared to the crowded water park and pools.

Once you check in, navigating the hotel can be a bit of a challenge due to its sheer size, but at seemingly every doorway and elevator bay there were cheerful staff on hand to guide you around.

Room options

Room options vary from standard to ultra luxurious. At the high end, the Neptune and Poseidon suites have private floor-to-ceiling underwater views of the aquarium from the bedrooms and bathrooms. Or if you really have money to burn, you can opt for the $25,000 a night Bridge Suite that spans that hotel's two accommodation towers.

Our standard deluxe room had two queen size beds but did not feel cramped. We liked the ipod dock and the view from our ninth floor balcony of the Gulf and the aquarium, which was directly below us.

However, the large bathroom was the real crowd pleaser as it had a separate bathtub and a powerful overhead rain shower. The most stylish feature of the bathroom was that you could open a partition in the wall to give you a view of the Gulf while you soaked in the tub.

The only blemish of the room was the bureau, which had two handles that were broken - surprising for a luxury hotel.

Among the amenities that are great for families are the kids club, which is open from 11:00am to 11:00pm, and the hospitality room, which is also open all day and offers free fruit, snacks, and soft drinks, along with TVs and computers (internet connections cost extra). Another great attraction is the Lost Chambers, which is sort of an underground labyrinth that contains small aquariums and displays revealing the secrets of Atlantis.

Resort activities

Families looking to get the most out of a one-night stay should know they can arrive as early as 10.00 am - the same time the water park opens - store their bags and use the resort's facilities even if their room is not ready for check-in (which normally begins at 14.00).

Also, guests on their final day are free to use the facilities even after they check out at noon, which effectively means you get two full days' access to Aquaventure and Lost Chambers for one night's booking.

This represents a good value as the charge for non-hotel guests at Aquaventure is Dhs200 for adults and Dhs165 for kids, while the Lost Chambers costs Dhs100 for adults and Dhs70 for kids. (Dolphin Bay is not free for hotel guests and costs Dhs625 for both adults and children.)

Adults looking for a more peaceful vacation can unwind at the beach or outdoor pool or use the spa, which has 27 treatment rooms. If you love food and drink, it could easily take a week - and a small fortune - to sample all of the restaurants and nightclubs on the property, including celebrity chef offerings Rostang, Ossiano, and Nobu.

We particularly enjoyed Nasimi, which is an outdoor restaurant that has comfy couches on the beach, and a DJ spinning cool music all evening. From our table we had a nice view of the Dubai marina skyline, as well as the Palm Jumeirah monorail, which adds a futuristic vibe to the beach resort setting.

AME Info reviewed the Atlantis anonymously and paid its bill in full