Al Madam Vacations from ￥145,164

We stayed at Sofitel Dubai The Palm for 4 nights in August as a family of 5, with children aged 7, 14 and 17. We booked a 2-bedroom Family Apartment, which was spacious and worked well for five. However, it felt dated and would benefit from modernisation. The kitchen has a full-size fridge/freezer, washing machine and combination oven, but wasn’t well equipped for five. We had to request extra glasses and more clothes hangers. The hotel provided these promptly. There was no coffee machine, although one was brought to us when requested. The filtered water was only lukewarm, but the hotel supplied complimentary bottled water. We also found the beds quite firm, but a mattress topper was provided. The resort was very busy in August, with the pool and common areas feeling relatively small and limited loungers. We didn’t use the beach because of the heat, although it would be more enjoyable in cooler months. The buffet had a good selection and the Porterhouse steak restaurant was excellent. Half board and the dine-around option gave us plenty of choice. Drinks are expensive, with bottled water around £8–£10 per litre. Breakfast gets extremely busy, so arrive early if you prefer a calmer experience. Following a few issues, management kindly provided lounge access, which was much quieter and greatly improved our stay. The staff and management were friendly and helpful throughout. Overall, I’d recommend it for a 3–4 night family stay at the right price as it’s a nice hotel.