TRAVEL WITH SIN: THE PALACE DOWNTOWN

 
 

Who can ever get enough of traveling? Well definitely not me! After a long summer of travels I can’t wait to catch up on my blogging and share with you all the adventures I have been on over the summer! As I am back to work we are starting of with one of the most exciting stay-cations of the summer. I headed to the stunning 5 star hotel THE PALACE DOWNTOWN to see what the buzz was all about.

 
 

WHAT?

Described as a city resort in the heart of Downtown Dubai, this hotel is way more than just that. Living up to it’s name, you truly feel like you are in a new age palace. 

 

 

CHECK IN
When we arrive to the hotel you can feel the dazzle. We enter from an impressive gate followed by a stunning drive-way to the entrance. When step out of the car we walk in to the lobby where we get greeted by friendly staff. The classic themes and traditional Arabian styled interior is overwhelmingly impressive to say the least. We walk by a small rose petal filled decorative pool just before the entrance to the Al Bayt afternoon tea launch.
We get escorted to the check-in counter and while we unfortunately experience quite a hassle with our check in, eventually a very helpful lady called Anita manages to smoothly check us in! 

 

 

THE ROOMS
Looking out across a mirror-flat lake, nestled amidst tall palm trees, this beautiful resort has all the charm and mystery of a Middle Eastern palace and all the flair and sophistication of a boutique hotel. The Palace Downtown Dubai features 242 guest rooms, including 81 lavish suites.
When we walk into our room the first thing we see is a private balcony with a stunning view on the back side of the Souk al Bahar restaurant promenade. The hotel also has rooms with views overlooking The Dubai Fountain and The Old Town or Burj Lake, which we unfortunately didn’t have, however the view was far from disappointing! 

 

 

Middle Eastern themed, the room is rich in colour and regional textures which are subtly woven into the interior schemes. Arabian motifs add authentic details to the room’s intricate design and the comforts of a traditional luxurious home. The bathroom is spacious and is surrounded by mirrors, perfect for a good old selfie! A centre point in the room is he big wooden bed which was so big I had to turn my google maps on to find John back.. The mattress? 10 out of 10. 

 

 

LUNCH
After unpacking our suitcases we made our way over to Ewan restaurant for lunch. As it was Ramadan in Dubai the restaurant was very quiet but the hospitality of the friendly manager named Ricardo make the restaurant feel warm and welcoming!
The food is a mixed buffet of traditional Arabian food, International buffet and Oriental cuisine. My favourite were the fresh juices – I had a mango orange juice – and a huge selection of Cheese! (Yes.. my dutch love for cheese will never fade) They also had a live BBQ where they cooked the best meats, a juicy roasted beef station and a selection of yummy stews.

 

 

THE SPA AT PALACE DOWNTOWN
After food we headed over to the spa. The Spa at The Palace Downtown Dubai offers a complete menu of world-class beauty treatments for men and women. Therapies include luxuriant facials, purifying body wraps, intense body scrubs and a 50 minutes royal massage, which is what we booked! What better way to start off the weekend?

As my fiancé is not a big fan of massages ( Lucky me) I was so surprised to hear it was the first time in 32 years he actually could enjoy a massage! Hurray, the day has come! Mark the calendar! The spa itself was absolutely stunning. The whole process from start to finish made me forget about everything and completely relax. We received a welcome drink while the therapist asked us some questions about our health, and trouble areas of our body. When I entered the room I could select the type of experience I wanted – from the oil scent to the music – it was all up to me! After a great massage I relaxed in the Jacuzzi before returning to our room. What an amazing experience!

 

 

DINNER AT THIPTARA
If you thought that was the most exciting part you haven’t yet heard about my dinner experience at Thiptara! I am a huge fan of Thailand! I traveled there over 8 times and me and John are so in love with this country that we decided to get married there end of next year. (in case you did not noticed.. YES WE JUST GOT ENGAGED!.. soon more up on the blog!) Knowing Thiptara is one of the best thai restaurants in Dubai this has been on our to-do list for far too long!

The atmosphere and the decor of the restaurant is breath taking.. Located at the tip of the Dubai mall water front there is no better front row to the Dubai mall fountain then here. The restaurant has full glass windows which gives you an experience like you are in the middle of the water! The presentation of the food was like a work of art. With every dish served John and I got more and more surprised. Stunning floral decorations and vibrant colours made the food taste even better than it already was! I can honestly not give any bad comment about our night! A must try is the Tom Yum soup and the Papaya salad. You can even see how the chef makes the dishes from the live cooking area at the entrance! Also try the black pepper beef, a dish I am still regularly craving for!

 

 

THE GYM
After a long night sleep John and I woke up early for a gym session in the Hotel. A friendly trainer showed us around in the fully equipped gym and there was one machine I could not resist to try out! The HypoxitTrainer – which looked like a Star Trek space ship – is basically a bicycle and while you cycle your body gets vacuum packed to ensure you lose more weight from your lower body! Just the experience was already loads of fun for me haha!

 

 
After the gym we again headed over to Ewaan restaurant where the buffet was transformed into a international breakfast buffet with dishes from all over the globe! My favourite was the freshly baked croissants straight out of the oven.. heavenly!

 

 

THE POOL
Even though it is usually steaming hot during Ramadan, we were lucky with the weather. The beautiful pool is surrounded by Palm trees and has impressive views of the hotel on one side and a view of the beach and the Burj Khalifa on the other side! There are also some private cabanas for hotel guest to hide away from the sun.

 

 

LOCATION
Just a few minutes walk through the amazing souk and the fountain water front you can find the Dubai mall. Not to forget, the hotel is also well placed for visiting the city’s attractions, such as the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. We had a little stroll around the shops and promenade to finish of our amazing weekend.

 

 

The palace downtown is honestly one of the most impressive and beautiful hotels I have been to in Dubai. From the restaurants, to the spa, to the comfy hotel rooms and the convenient central location, the palace downtown is the perfect hideaway!