Kid friendly bar in Dubai? Enter: BFF
FoodKissed
Up until last year, the forbidden word in our domestic conversation was “target”. This year, with the man starting on his own venture, we have more sophisticated words like “investments” and “break even” terrorizing our little household. Mr. FoodKissed had been walking around like a volcano ready to erupt and the pressure was so palpable that even the 3 year old figured it wiser to stay decent and away from inviting trouble.
Realization finally dawned that it was probably time for a break to relax and refresh our heated up systems (HALLELUJAH!). With 2 days in our kitty, a family staycation was decided on. Our requirements were standard – beach, pool and kid-friendly. Some research helped and the booking was made with Double Tree Hilton, Marjan Island. We left at 1.30pm on Thursday, drove for an hour to Ras Al Khaimah and handed the keys to the valet at the hotel at 3pm.
Splendid sights of the sea and shore. @doubletreemarjanisland #foodkissed #staycation
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A video posted by Neenu Sajin (@neenu_foodkissed) on
Check In
Check in was great – the lady at the reception (was it Zeyara? my memory fails me) was wonderfully accommodating. Complimentary chocolate chip oat cookies (fresh-out-of the-oven-hot) were distributed to us; samples of custard tarts were extended to us from the Friday brunch promotion stand; inviting views of the pool outside promising a pleasant evening ahead.
Rooms
We had booked 2 Sea facing King rooms. At checkin we were told that the second room was being cleaned and would be ready in a bit. Unfortunately, we had to wait in our room #1 for 40 minutes for room #2 to be ready. They somehow got luggage tags mixed up and we were delivered our bags 20 minutes after check in. Two very crucial factors they MUST perfect at the earliest to avoid agitation in guests within the first hour of arrival.
Let me get into one more specification regarding the sea-facing rooms. Room #1 was perfect with the balcony giving a gorgeous view of the sea and skyline. Room #2 however had a balcony with a concrete wall that was above my waist level – easily giving zero view of the sea from the room. THAT is a colossal waste of money for a sea-facing room, with no view of the sea. We did not try asking for a room change, so I don’t know how they would have addressed this matter otherwise.
The rooms otherwise, were very neat, tidy and comfortable. The beds were perfect, the tub clean and the showers mild (my mister prefers wickedly powerful showers – so yes, he was grouchy about it). Toiletries were of Crabtree & Evelyn, lighting was lovely and the wifi fast.
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Resort Facilities
Pools were aplenty. There were warm and cozy children’s pool next to huge, temperature controlled adult pools. The weather was quite cool with chilly winds blowing, making the teeth chattery and the towels much in demand after a dip in the pool. The resort was seemingly in full capacity, yet the crowd was comfortably spread out due to the very many swimming pools and the long stretch of beach. Activities kept the beach busy – jetsky, banana boats etc and while there, we saw seawings land and take off. The PirateBoat Aqua Zone play area was bustling with kids and adults alike, where they splashed around in water rides and bucket rains.
The highlight for me was two other zones – the Kids Outdoor Play Area and the Kids Paradise. The outdoor park had swings, slides, trampolines and climbing frames all atop rubber padding. The indoor playroom was sensational with all sorts of crayons, educational games, xbox games, face painting, dance sessions and rock climbing walls.
Food & Beverages
Two nights in, and we tried almost every F &B outlet in the resort, including room service! Here are my observations:
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The Verdict:
Double Tree Hilton, Marjan Island is a PERFECT staycation spot ESPECIALLY if you have kids to entertain. There are so many avenues to have them engaged for a good two days, easily. The staff is friendly, the hotel is clean and the rooms are comfortable. There are two new restaurants due to launch soon, which will cover Turkish and Asian cuisines. The resort spa is called Eforea Spa but unfortunately, I could not manage to take a peak in there. The resort has lively nights with live music and other entertainments like fire shows. There is of course bits and pieces that they can tweak to make the place even more appealing, but for a family with kids looking for a nice weekend break, this resort does the job very well.
We, hereby, present Double Tree Hilton Marjan Island with the FoodKissed Family’s Seal Of Approval!
Website: http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/index.html
A photo posted by Neenu Sajin (@neenu_foodkissed) on
A walking epitome of food-lust, permanently craving for chicken, cheese & chocolates of all and every form. A marketing and content writing professional living in Dubai with my husband, who has learnt to be the perfect side-kick in food explorations around the world. If you find me raiding the fridge at ungodly hours, I'm just inspiring my tummy.
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