Palazzo Versace Dubai

The rooms are large by local standards. The entry-level room, the Deluxe Versace, is 50 sqm with a balcony, and some have a 20-sqm balcony facing the city. The Premier Versace on the higher floors is 60 sqm with creek views, and it's also available with two queen beds, convenient for a small family. A family needing more space can choose the 110-sqm Superior Room with a living room, or a suite. The number of guests allowed per room will be confirmed at the time of booking.

The hotel has three pools, each for a different crowd: the west pool is the family pool, where toddlers can swim too. At the main pool, children under 5 don't swim, and the east pool, La Piscina, is for adults only. The kids' club is open to ages 4–12, and hotel guests get two free hours a day. The spa, nearly 1,000 sqm, includes a Moroccan hammam, sauna and steam room, in separate areas for men and women.

Dining offers a wide range: Vanitas is the flagship Italian restaurant facing the creek, Enigma serves Persian cuisine, and Amalfi by the family pool serves wood-fired pizza. Giardino is the breakfast restaurant, and on Saturdays it hosts a family brunch with a magician and kids' activities. Note: dinner at Giardino is closed until further notice, and at Vanitas children under 6 are not admitted. In the evening, head down to Q's Bar and Lounge, Quincy Jones's live-music bar, for ages 21 and over.

The downside: there's no beach, and the area itself, Jaddaf Waterfront, is quiet with not much to do on foot. On the plus side, the location is convenient for getting around: about 15 minutes from DXB Airport, about 8 minutes to Burj Khalifa and Downtown, and 3 minutes to the Al Jadaf metro station. Anyone wanting a beach holiday, or to walk from the hotel to restaurants and shops, will be better off in the Marina or Downtown.