First Look: Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah opens on Palm West Beach

The five-star waterfront family-friendly resort is home to a Trader Vic's, Factory by McGettigan's, Claw BBQ and more

Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah has opened in Dubai. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

Located on Palm West Beach, the hotel has more than 600 rooms and 10 dining venues.

The 65-metre-long swimming pool has ocean views and a swim-up bar.

Children have their own Pirates Kids Club, complete with life-size pirate boat.

Mowsem, which is Arabic for seasons, is the hotel's all-day dining restaurant.

Inside the soon-to-open Trader Vic's at Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah.

The hotel's Eforea Spa is Hilton's second UAE outpost of the upscale brand.

Spa facilities include a stunning wet room and relaxation area for men and women.

The openness and sense of space in the lobby welcomes guests to relax and unwind.

Barfly by Buddha Lounge at the newly opened Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah.

All rooms and suites have balconies to guarantee Dubai skyline views.

Claw BBQ, set to open in September, will offer American fare.

Guests can order poolside food and drinks from Zinc Pool Bar.

Set on its own stretch of shoreline, Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah will open a new beach club this winter.

Guests can get their sweat on in the fitness suite.

The team are ready to greet guests checking into the Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah.

Dubai's newest hotel has now opened for overnight stays.

The waterfront five-star Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah is welcoming guests from Wednesday.

Set on Palm Jumeirah, one of Dubai’s most popular tourist destinations, the hotel is a sprawling family-friendly property with 608 guest rooms, 10 on-site restaurants and bars and an impressive 65-metre-long swimming pool overlooking the ocean.

Making the most of its location on a private shoreline, all rooms come with balconies to ensure guests have views over the Palm Crescent, Ain Dubai and the Dubai Marina skyline.

Guests checking into Dubai’s newest hotel can enjoy all-day dining concept Mowsem, which is Arabic for seasons. The airy restaurant, which can seat more than 300 guests, has views out to the ocean and features sculptural coral-inspired artwork.

SocialBee Lobby Lounge welcomes visitors into the hotel and serves a variety of teas, coffees, snacks and afternoon tea. This sprawling space is managing director Andreas Searty's favourite part of the hotel, because it gives a “feeling of openness and space” he tells The National during our sneak peek.

Keep an eye out for the "bee" references throughout this area — from the cakes created from the nectar sourced locally in Hatta to the honeycomb-shaped plant pots around the periphery. As night falls, SocialBee transforms into an evening hub with drinks served alongside live music from a grand piano.

Stepping outside, the hotel’s 65-metre long, palm-lined swimming pool makes quite an impression. Jacuzzi-style corners, private cabanas and one of the longest swim-up bars we’ve seen, ensure this will be one of Dubai’s new hotspots for soaking up the sunshine.

Beyond the pool, a private beach club is taking shape, and is set to launch in the cooler months. Australian gourmet favourite Jones The Grocer is also on-site and is currently being extended out on to the hotel’s shoreline.

Inside the hotel’s Dh23,000 Imperial Suite

With more than 600 keys, the hotel offers a variety of accommodation options including 54 suites and 82 executive rooms, each of which comes with access to a sleek executive lounge where complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, evening drinks and canapes are served daily, alongside impressive skyline views.

For an ultra-luxurious stay, the hotel's soon-to-open Imperial Suite comes with a sea-view wrap-around terrace and bar, a whirlpool and private sauna and access to the executive lounge. Sleeping up to six people, stays in this spectacular suite cost from Dh23,750 a night.

Relaxation comes courtesy of Eforea Spa, Hilton’s second five-star wellness destination in the UAE, following the brand’s inaugural launch at the Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island. Treatment rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows so guests can enjoy Dubai skyline views pre or post-treatment. The male and female spa facilities are something special — with paving stones set in what appears to be a sparkling sea of crystals, all beautifully catching the light.

While the adults unwind, children will have a blast at the Pirates Kids Club where there’s a covered shallow pool, an outdoor playground and a huge indoor play area in the guise of an oversized pirate ship — complete with crawling tunnels, slides, climbing steps and more.

Coming soon: McGettigan's, Claw BBQ and a Tahitian Village

And there’s more to come.

From next week, Factory Bar + Kitchen by McGettigan's will open with an upscale twist on the popular Irish bar.

“McGettigan's is known to everybody, I don't need to highlight what it is but it's a different concept with the look and feel of a factory,” says Searty.

The new concept is being kept under wraps at the moment, but with a central stage, aged-barrel wall features, potted plants and an entire array of paraphernalia on display, including old typewriters, flat irons and more, it's set to be the Palm's new place to go for sports, live music and more.

A week later, Claw BBQ will join the fold, offering family-friendly American-style bistro dining on the first floor. The restaurant will feature a mechanical bull, pool table, arcade games and a working jukebox, plus an outdoor terrace for more sea views.

Trader Vic's is due to launch in October, offering guests its popular mixed drinks and Polynesian-style menu served alongside island-inspired visuals. Out by the pool, the brand will also launch Tahitian Village by Trader Vic's — a new concept in the UAE that brings together great food, sea views, island vibes and Tahitian thatch structures.

Joining the party in November is BarFly by Buddha Bar. The capacious restaurant features a mystic lounge concept with Asian bites, live music and an extensive terrace that looks directly over the ocean.

It's not the first time that Hilton has unveiled such a set-up. The Hilton Dubai Jumeirah is already home to a McGettigan's and a Trader Vic's outlet, while Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island has an on-site Claw BBQ. For Searty, it's a recipe that works.

“These restaurants are good and we want to complement each other and we want people who stay with us to get that experience in the hotel itself. And we believe that our destination at the Palm West Beach is going to be complimenting all the restaurants we have.”

A diverse team

With a highly trained Hilton staff of more than 700 representing 60 nationalities, one of the most diverse in the industry, the hotel also has an even 50/50 split between men and women.

And the team at Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah have been trained to make sure every stay there is a special one.

“Perhaps a couple are having their wedding anniversary, and that's the reason they're coming all the way to Dubai. We will recognise this and focus on making some unique experiences around that. We tailor each stay to the individual guest”.