This Is Evident Even from a Comfortable Distance – Locals Might Joke That the Hotel’s Criss-Crossing Interlinked Towers Resemble a Toddler’s Tower of Lego Blocks, but a Second Glance Reveals Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates’ Gleaming, Teetering, Wave-Curving Design as Nothing Less Than an Architectural Marvel.

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Imposing Without Being Ostentatious, Bold but Beautiful, the 178-Metre Tall Structure Is Stunning Viewed from Any Angle – a Spark of Artistry in a City So Often Defined by Gaudy Designs That Date Like Yesterday’s Paper. If Atlantis the Palm’s Disney-Esque Glow Spoke of Dubai’s Childlike Ambition, Then Atlantis the Royal Ushers a New Era of Sophistication.

Much of This Claim Rests on the Array of Distractions on Site. the Lobby Opens up onto the Centrepiece, a Dramatic Water and Light Show Set to Music, Blasting out at 30-Minute Intervals.

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It’s Impossible Not to View the Skyblaze Spectacle as a Mini Homage to the Dubai Fountain That Sits in the Shadows of Burj Khalifa, Perhaps Constructed to Remind Guests They Needn’t Trouble Themselves with Leaving the Resort – Even to Visit the World’s Tallest Building. Blasting Flame-Throwers and Wall-Sized Fish Tanks Flanking the Lobby Spell out the Hotel’s Dual Themes, Fire and Water. (And Why “The Royal”, We Wonder?)

Sitting Astride 2Km of Private Beach on One Side, the Building’s Sleek, Sultry Design Makes the Most of Its Prestige Spot, with All of the 795 Rooms Boasting Either Unobstructed Balcony Views over the Palm’s Snaking Fronds, or Looking out over the Persian Gulf.

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Surviving Breakfast Alone Is a Herculean Feat, with the Main Gastronomy Buffet Offering No Less Than 17 Live Food Stations, Serving More Than 100 Dishes from Six Different Global Cuisines – the Kind of over-Opulent Spread That Anyone Who Has Ever Tackled an Old School Dubai Brunch Will Recognise – and Serving Generously Until Noon to Allow Time for Multiple Stomach-Lining Courses.

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Yet Most Local Buzz Appears to Have Gathered Around a Dinner by Heston, the Latest Outing from the British Firebrand Behind London’s the Duck. Heston Blumenthal’s Shtick Is Finding Inspiration from Ancient British Recipes Discovered in Obscure Tomes and Enlivening Them with Modern Molecular Trends.

Heston Blumenthal’s New Spots

Yet Most Local Buzz Appears to Have Gathered Around a Dinner by Heston, the Latest Outing from the British Firebrand Behind London’s the Duck. Heston Blumenthal’s Shtick Is Finding Inspiration from Ancient British Recipes Discovered in Obscure Tomes and Enlivening Them with Modern Molecular Trends.

But Does Dubai Really Need Another Atlantis Hotel?

It’s Undeniable That This New Property Makes a Very Different Offering to Its Big Sister. While Atlantis the Palm Lures Families in with Aquaventure Waterpark and the Lost Chambers Aquarium, the Royal Is Quietly Courting Couples with Decadent Dining and Half of Its Own 90 Swimming Pools Found Inside Private Suites.

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That Might Depend on Your Definition. Despite Being Half the Size of Its Older Relative, the New Venue Is Still Undeniably Epic in Size and Scope – Meaning However Many Dining Destinations It Offers, It Will Never Feel Truly Intimate, as the Flow of Casual Visitors to All Those a-Name Restaurants Surely Erodes That Most Crucial Currency for Luxury Experiences: Exclusivity and Anonymity.

Is This Really the World’s “Most Ultra-Luxury” Resort?

That Might Depend on Your Definition. Despite Being Half the Size of Its Older Relative, the New Venue Is Still Undeniably Epic in Size and Scope – Meaning However Many Dining Destinations It Offers, It Will Never Feel Truly Intimate, as the Flow of Casual Visitors to All Those a-Name Restaurants Surely Erodes That Most Crucial Currency for Luxury Experiences: Exclusivity and Anonymity.

Is Dubai’s Atlantis the Royal Really the World’s ‘Most Ultra-Luxury’ Hotel? We Review the Palm Jumeirah Resort Where Beyoncé Made Her Comeback, Home to Michelin-Starred Chefs Heston Blumenthal and Nobu

By Elena Rostova

• Oct 8, 2026 • 6 min read

Is Dubai’s Atlantis the Royal Really the World’s ‘Most Ultra-Luxury’ Hotel? We Review the Palm Jumeirah Resort Where Beyoncé Made Her Comeback, Home to Michelin-Starred Chefs Heston Blumenthal and Nobu

Direct Answer • Key Takeaway

But 15 Year's Is a Long Time in the Lifespan of “The World’s Fastest City”, and While the All-New Atlantis the Royal Sits Snugly Next Door to Its Older, Bigger Sibling, It Represents a Very Different, and Much Evolved, Vision of Luxury.

Elena Rostova

Lead Health, Wellness & Medical Journalist

Elena Rostova holds a Master's degree in Public Health Journalism. She covers groundbreaking medical research, holistic wellness trends, mental health awareness, and nutritional science.

Tags: dubais atlantis royal really worlds most ultra luxury hotel we review palm jumeirah resort where