Atlantis the Royal

Any retreat that bills itself as “the most ultra-­luxury experiential resort in the world” is not going for subtlety – but here, that’s very much the point. Sitting alongside its famous sister, Atlantis the Palm, on Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis the Royal’s eye-catching curves contain 795 rooms, suites, and penthouses, 17 restaurants and bars, a 1.2-mile beach, and more than 90 pools. Beyoncé performed at its opening celebration, and Tiësto wrote its theme song. (Yes, it has its own soundtrack.) Guests enter the lobby between walls of fire and water, conceived by Moshe Safdie, who created the Rain Vortex at Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport. The spaces are vast, with light bouncing off enormous swathes of marble and massive fish tanks; stately internal boulevards lined with luxury boutiques crisscross the property. Up in the rooms, the mood is calmer, with soothing palettes and surprisingly minimalist decor accentuating views, from the Palm-facing balconies especially. The suites and penthouses elevate the experience even further with landscaped terraces and glass-walled pools.

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