The 20 Best Family-Friendly Hotels in Dubai
Dubai is an excellent destination for families, and it’s not hard to see why. From riding a camel in the desert sunset to leaping into a dancing fountain, there’s a lot that your kids can do for fun.
And fortunately, there are plenty of family-friendly hotels within reach of Dubai’s many kid-friendly attractions. Some are high-end resorts with swimming pools, parks, activities, and more, while others are geared toward the budget-minded family.
On that note, here is a list of the top 20 family-friendly hotels in Dubai. They’re in no particular order; all are worth a look if you want a kid-friendly place that also offers some adult-minded amenities:
- Jumeirah Beach Hotel
- Atlantis, the Palm
- JA Palm Tree Court
- Lapita
- The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
- Jumeirah Mina A’Salam
- Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites
- The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai
- Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai
- Roda Al Murooj
- Dubai International Hotel
- Premier Inn Dubai International Airport Hotel
- Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
- Fairmont The Palm
- Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments
- Rove Downtown
- Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
- Palace Downtown
- Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
- Caesar’s Resort, Bluewaters
This article will look at each hotel and highlight their pros and cons. To find out which hotel is right for your family, read on. For more affordable hotels check this article out on affordable Dubai hotels.
1. Jumeirah Beach Hotel
The sheer scale of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel will invite your children to get lost in the Sinbad’s kids club and the five large swimming pools. There’s also a private beach. However, the main highlight of the hotel is the complimentary access to the Wild Wadi Waterpark that comes with each stay.
The hotel is considered the best family hotel in the world. It arguably is at least the best family hotel in Dubai. There are 599 rooms and suites at the hotel, and all of them face the sea. There are also 19 villas where you can sit and enjoy views of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. And the hotel boasts over 13 restaurants at the hotel for you to enjoy with family, bars for the parents after-hours, and a secret, private beach to boot.
The cost is on the higher side, and understandably so. But you can often get good deals at online aggregators like Booking.com and Hotels.com. The free waterpark access makes it a no-brainer for parents with kids to entertain.
2. Atlantis, the Palm
Yet another go-to hotel for families, the Atlantis Hotel is a stunning resort on Palm Island. It stands against the sea as if it’s just come out of the water. Between the pillars inside the hotel, a few glass walls separate you and the vibrant sea life of the Persian Gulf. Some rooms have wall-sized aquariums where you can draw the curtains and watch the fish pass by as you eat breakfast and prepare for the days’ events
The hotel is lavish and has something for everyone. The Waterpark is the hotel’s biggest family-friendly attraction. But there are also pristine beaches and fantastic restaurants for you and your kids to enjoy some quality time together.
The experience of the artificial beach in the middle of the Persian Gulf is a spectacle that kids will love and adults will find awe-inspiring. And to add to the benefits, kids can dine free on half board. You should also keep an eye out for off-peak month deals, as these will enable you to visit a 5-star hotel for less-than-5-star prices.
3. JA Palm Tree Court
The JA Palm Tree Court is an all-inclusive hotel fit for families. It’s a little way away from the bustle of Dubai, and it sits onshore within a resort, the award-winning JA The Resort at the port town of Jebel Ali. Across the water from the hotel’s rooms is the artificial Palm Jebel Ali beach.
The resort sits next to a free-trade zone, but you won’t see any signs of the industry at the JA Palm Tree Court. The affordable hotel offers views at par with the best luxury hotels in Dubai. In addition to the vast ocean landscape, you can also enjoy 800 meters of private beach with your family when you’re not hanging out with them in the four large pools at the hotel.
There are as many as three kids’ clubs to keep the kids occupied when the parents want some alone time. There are also four tennis courts, a golf course and spa, horse stables, and plenty of other activities that can be organized, such as sea-plane flights and fishing trips.
4. Lapita
The Polynesian-style decor of Lapita is warm and inviting for families. The hotel is situated in the Dubai Parks and Resorts area. Staying here is relatively affordable, and it gives you easy access to the theme parks in the region.
Lapita is a large hotel with over 500 rooms. Sixty of these are suites, and if you’re lucky, you can book one of the three villas on the property. The rooms are comfortable and easy to throw back and relax in after a day of adventuring at the theme parks.
The property is part of the Autograph collection by the Marriot group. You can expect good food and beverages at the five restaurants. There are also spas, outdoor pools, fitness centers, playrooms for the kids, and more. Ask the hotel staff for help organizing activities for the kids on days off from theme parks.
5. The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
This Westin hotel is a prime spot for families. It’s right on Jumeirah Beach, very close to the heart of the Dubai Internet City and the Marina, and across from the Emaar beachfront. Expect stunning views of the sea and classic Continental-style decor with plenty of tropical palms and warm wood decks.
The kids will love the play areas and the poolside that is accessible and inviting. There is also a private beach where the entire family can have fun. Parents can drop kids off at the play area to spend some quality time together. The 5-star hotel property houses five pools, some of which offer stunning views of the Arabian Sea.
Westin also has a kids pool, a water sports center, and daily beach games. The Wild Wadi Waterpark is also within close distance for when you tire of the activities at the hotel.
6. Jumeirah Mina A’Salam
The Jumeirah Mina A’Salam in the Madinat Jumeirah Resort is a luxury hotel with lavish views from private balconies and a beach below. Many Dubai hotels play up the legend of Sinbad at Sinbad Kids’ Clubs. This hotel does it particularly well, with a fun kiddie pool and trained staff that keep the kids occupied with face painting, crafts, movie screenings, and sports.
The hotel also organizes family-friendly activities like the Junior Lifeguard Program, themed nights for kids, beach bootcamps, football billiards, beach cinema, and more. Their babysitting services are also highly praised.
As for adults, the hotel offers world-class golf and access to over forty restaurants, bars, and lounges at the resort.
7. Rixos The Palm Dubai Hotel & Suites
Rixos The Palm is a spacious, palm-dotted property with beachside cabanas and rooms that overlook the Persian Gulf and the beaches of The Palm. Rooms are appointed with charming oriental accents. The resort sits on one tip of Jumeirah’s east crescent and calls itself a multi-concept resort. You can also book all-inclusive, which makes it a great family-friendly vacation destination.
Parents enjoy excellent service, whether they are playing tennis at the courts or trying out the bars and restaurants. There are also four pools at the property, nine bars and restaurants, two kids’ clubs, a spa, and a fitness center. And if you’re in need of transportation, guests enjoy free shuttle buses to the Dubai Mall and the Mall of Emirates. The property is ideal for laidback family holidays, and you’ll generally hear a lot of happy splashing of kids in pools!
Pre-teens and teenagers also have their own separate clubs to hang out in while the parents do their own thing. One pool is reserved exclusively for adults. And for a fun dining experience, check out Istanbul Patisserie, which has train-shaped buffet tables for the kids.
8. The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai
The Ritz Carlton is a sprawling resort with opulent rooms, garden and sea views, and 350 meters of pristine white sands. Here, adults can enjoy the ambiance and service of an urban hammam. Cabanas, poolsides, hammocks, tennis courts, and golf courses and an adults-only pool will help you escape the bustle of the Dubai marina in the neighborhood.
Kids, meanwhile, have access to plenty of activities organized by the hotel staff. The Ritz Kids program is designed to keep kids from the ages of four to twelve engaged with building sandcastles, arts and crafts, separate evening programs, and more. Sometimes the hotel offers specialty courses such as Origami, Handicrafts, etc. Keep an eye out for those when booking.
The Ritz is also home to excellent restaurants with variety and much-praised presentation. For well-heeled families looking for a tasteful, impeccable design in a nearly-colonial building at a stunning location, this is a great hotel.
9. Five Palm Jumeirah Dubai
The Five Palm Jumeirah Hotel offers great value for families at reasonable prices. But despite the affordability, they do offer full-service 5-star services and facilities. The excellent location means that guests can enjoy sea views from their rooms but can also hop out for a visit to the main Dubai attractions. The hotel receives praise for the food and attention to detail when it comes to service.
Kids can enjoy special services at the High Five Club. Hotel staff members organize activities ranging from yoga games to crafts and more for kids between the ages of two and twelve. Note that if your child is younger than five, they must be accompanied by an adult. There are indoor craft areas, outdoor pools with fountain features, reading corners, family-friendly outdoor cabanas, and more for the whole family to enjoy.
10. Roda Al Murooj
Roda Al Murooj is a resort set in the heart of the city across Dubai Mall. The location makes it an excellent hotel for families who want to sightsee or shop in Dubai. Prices are affordable, rooms are outfitted with clean elegance, and there is a large swimming pool and lush gardens outside.
The hotel is well-situated to make the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo and Kidzania easily accessible. Parents can enjoy relaxing times at the spa, the private whirlpools, and, with Executive Lounge access, an exclusive members’ only lounge serving high tea and breakfast.
Kids stay for free at the hotel, and babysitting is available for the parents’ date night. The hotel doesn’t have a kids club, but the residences are comfortable for families. Excellent restaurants like the Pergolas draw plenty of travelers to the hotel.
11. Dubai International Hotel
Located at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport, the Dubai International Hotel is a standard family-friendly hotel with well-furnished rooms and, most importantly, location advantages. It’s a good option for families on a layover with kids who are looking for a comfortable place to spend the night or even two or four nights. The main benefit of staying here is that you won’t have to worry about missing your flight on the way home.
Guest rooms are soundproof, which is an important feature to look for in a family hotel. The hotel has a pool and an on-site restaurant, although there are some excellent shrimp restaurants nearby, such as Seafood Market and Casa de Tapas.
Families staying at the Dubai International Hotel will probably be spending more time exploring the city than exploring their hotel.
12. Premier Inn Dubai International Airport Hotel
Premier Inn is also located close to the airport at Terminal 3. Its location makes the hotel one of the best for short family trips to Dubai. If you don’t want to stay at a resort, then this airport hotel with a rooftop pool is a good, budget-friendly option.
The 3-star property provides easy access to the city. The 24-hour shuttle leaving the hotel is free and takes guests to top city attractions like Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Deira City Center, and Festival City. There is no kids’ club at the hotel, like at some of the other five-star properties on this list. But Premier Inn is, by all means, a family-friendly hotel where kids can have fun in the pool when they’re not out exploring the city with you.
13. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
Anantara The Palm is another one of the scenic resorts located at The Palm, on the east crescent. The property features 239 rooms – 130 of which are villas on stilts – set on the edges of a winding lagoon, so you can enjoy a private swimming pool at your doorstep. Families can choose the Two Bedroom Beach Pool Villa if they want.
One of the highlights of the hotel is the family escape that you can book for two or more nights to a hidden beachfront property. Playrooms can keep kids engaged while the parents enjoy a date or a night at one of the bars and restaurants of the property. And don’t worry; the playrooms are staffed by experienced childcare employees.
Even if you don’t step out of the property for the duration of your stay, you and your kids can enjoy delicious buffets, a longtail boat ride around Palm Island, and fun games at the Tuk Tuk Kids’ Clubs. Teenagers can enjoy their own space at the club meant for them: Chill.
14. Fairmont The Palm
Fairmont The Palm is a stunning property with Islamic domes and arches. It’s also a family-friendly hotel with modern facilities. You and your kids can enjoy the four pools when you’re not out exploring the city. There are also plenty of local seaside restaurants at this west coast location of the Fairmont hotel. You can take the Palm Monorail to Atlantis, Al Ittihad Park, and other locations around the city daily from just across the road.
The hotel also features a block of service-apartments well-suited for families. It gives off a friendly atmosphere despite being five-star in amenities. You and your kids can get your portraits painted by local artists, enjoy water sports and pool sports, explore the 800-meter beach, or play volleyball and tennis.
The Kids’ Club will keep your children out of your hair when you want a date night out. The excellent fitness center will keep parents happy while kids hang out at the Fairmont Falcon Kids’ Club. Kids enjoy summer camps, and kids all the way up to 16 can enjoy cooking classes and other activities. Kids under 6 eat for free, and those up to 12 enjoy half-price on the kids’ menu.
15. Two Seasons Hotel & Apartments
The Two Seasons Hotel brands itself a business hotel because of its proximity to Dubai Internet City. However, it’s a family-friendly property with 4-star facilities and an excellent location in the heart of Dubai. There are a whopping 1010 rooms at the hotel, and the hotel doesn’t serve alcohol.
The property offers a lot of value for the money, and kids get to enjoy their own special activities and time at the Kids’ club. There is also a 25-meter pool for the whole family. Parents can relax at the jacuzzi and spa, or enjoy fitness classes at the gym. Note that some rooms at the Two Seasons Hotel have sea views, while others have city views.
16. Rove Downtown
As the name suggests, Rove Downtown is located in the heart of the city. Towering skyscrapers loom across the sky as you enjoy a swim in the pool with your family. The hotel is located close to a metro station, which makes it an excellent option for families that want to sightsee.
Rove Downtown is within easy access of Kidzania, and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. You can also check out the Wild Wadi Water Park nearby, which is an attraction that families visiting Dubai should not miss. You can also enjoy a game at the Meydan Racecourse, or head out to some of the natural beaches around at Dubai Creek and La Mer North Beach.
Rove Downtown is a modern, spacious hotel with good food and service. Kids enjoy access to a game room, and parents with infants don’t have to pay for a crib.
17. Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
The Jumeirah Zabeel Saray features beautiful Islamic domes and arches, like many other Dubai hotels. Inside, rooms are opulent with warm, dark wood and gold accents. While parents enjoy a swim at the poolside bar or enjoy a couples’ massage at the spa, kids can hang out with other kids at the kids club.
For the unmarried couples looking for a hotel, you can certainly find places with these amenities as well.
The resort is an Ottoman-inspired property, designed after Ottoman palaces or sarays. Parents can enjoy time off at the Talise Ottoman-inspired spa or shop at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy sports at the hotel, from tennis to petanque. There is the ubiquitous Sinbad Kids’ Club for the little ones, and the Wild Wadi Waterpark is located nearby.
18. Palace Downtown
Palace Downtown Dubai is a beautiful hotel of lights and arches, located in the heart of downtown Dubai, on a manmade lake. When you and your family are not exploring the Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, and other iconic spots around the city, you can enjoy time off at the elegant Middle-Eastern spa or occupy a cabana and sunbeds by the palm-lined pool.
The hotel offers children’s menus at its restaurants, and you can get extra cots and beds if the need arises. You can see the dancing Dubai Fountain right from the terrace of the Palace Downtown. Right next door is an aquarium, a 155-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton, a haunted house experience the kids will love, and an Emirates A380 simulator.
19. Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
The Waldorf Astoria is a luxury hotel on a crescent of The Palm, with gorgeous views as you’d expect from the location. Rooms are spacious, and there is a 200-meter beach for the family to explore. There are six restaurants at the resort, serving food to suit everyone. And of course, there is a kids’ club, called the Coco’s Kids Club, to keep the little ones happy while you get on with some adulting. The hotel asks parents to remain at the hotel while their kids are at the Kids’ Club.
The Waldorf Astoria has a lot to offer in terms of family-friendly activities that you can enjoy together with your kids. The Water Sports Center helps to arrange pedal boating, snorkeling, boat tours water skiing, and windsurfing. Parents and kids can enjoy tennis together or a day of yoga. If you’re a regular visitor, the leisure membership program is a good program to join.
20. Caesar’s Resort Bluewaters
If you’re in Dubai with family, the family-oriented Bluewaters island is an excellent choice. Caesar’s Resort is located at the heart of Bluewaters, close to 132 shops and dining facilities. New Cove Beach will offer plenty of exercise and sun. And the Ain Dubai is the world’s largest observation wheel, and it must be checked out.
The resort features a Kids’ Club, stunning views of the ocean or the resort, Michelin-starred restaurants, and two temperature-controlled infinity pools. Bluewaters is the newest lifestyle destination in Dubai, and facilities are bound to be impeccably clean and sparkling.
Kids will also enjoy the easy access to the Laguna Water Park, Mattel Play! Town, and the Green Planet. All are kid-friendly attractions with tons of interesting stuff for younger visitors to do. And the best part? They’re right next to some more adult-minded amenities like heated pools, restaurants, and other things that will make parents happy.
Summary
That concludes our list of family-friendly hotels in Dubai. For a final recap, here are the main points we covered in this article:
- Dubai is home to a number of islands, resorts, and areas that are designed for families and family-oriented fun. Bluewaters is one such island.
- Resorts near the Wild Wadi Park and the Aquarium are very well-located for family-friendly activities and travel. Even if your hotel in downtown Dubai doesn’t have a kids’ club, it doesn’t matter when the Dubai Fountain is next door.
- There are several family-friendly all-inclusive hotels at The Palm and at Jumeirah beach for a laid-back holiday with family.
- Most top-rated resorts and hotels have kids’ clubs for pre-teens and teens. Most restaurants have kid-friendly menus at these properties.
- Tariffs for family-friendly hotels range from affordable to expensive. The location matters. A property at The Palm with its facilities and views will be a fraction of its cost if it’s located in downtown Dubai.
- The Dubai International Airport area is home to a number of family-friendly hotels, many around Terminal 3, with comfortable, 3-star amenities for the entire family. You don’t need to splurge on a resort at The Palm to have a good time with family in Dubai.
