FIVE Palm Jumeirah

The entry-level room, Superior, is 38 sqm, and suits up to 3 adults, or 2 adults and a child up to age 12. A family of four can choose the Double Queen room of the same size, with two beds. Those wanting more space can pick the Luxe One Bedroom Suite of 80 sqm, for up to 4 people, or the two-bedroom suite of 125 sqm, for up to 5. According to the hotel's website, every suite and villa has a private pool or a jacuzzi.

The hotel has a 150-metre private beach, an infinity pool and The Social Pool. Important for families: only children over age 6 are admitted to The Social Pool and the Beach by FIVE pool. Younger children use the children's pool only. The kids' club High FIVE accepts children aged 2–12, with two free hours a day for guests. The ReFIVE spa, with a hammam and a rooftop pool, is for ages 16 and over.

The food is varied: Cinque, Italian; Maiden Shanghai, Chinese; JADE with pan-Asian cuisine; Praia on the beach; and Numâ with Arabic cuisine. For a light meal there is The Delisserie. The gym is open 24 hours, and there is also a Pilates reformer studio.

The drawback is clear: this is not a quiet hotel. Anyone looking for a calm holiday, or a family with young children wanting to spend most of the time at the pool, will run into age restrictions and loud music. From DXB airport it's about a 35-minute drive. Couples and groups of friends coming to have fun, eat and go out in the evening will find exactly what they're looking for here.