The desert just got hotter. W Hotels marked the announcement of the grand opening of W Dubai – The Palm. Located on the Palm Jumeirah, the largest man-made island in the world and one of Dubai’s most iconic attractions, W Dubai – The Palm is the newest W Escape, the W brand’s playful spin on the traditional resort experience and is set to add a new beat to the already dynamic and pulsating city. With its electrifying style, evocative design and eclectic destination restaurants led by world-class chefs including Massimo Bottura and Akira Back, W Dubai – The Palm, steal the scene in this international hub.
The breathtaking design of W Dubai – The Palm celebrates the evolution of one of the most dynamic cities in the world, seamlessly juxtaposing the organic, natural curves of sand dunes and coastline with the marvel of the geometric lines of the city’s skyscrapers. It begins with the hotel’s iconic “W” sign patterned to resemble an evaporated desert river bed and the WHEELS (valet) area reminiscent of a falage, a cavernous riverbed covered by palm fronds. Leading guests into the hotel is a stunning display of Orsoni glass tiles in colours inspired by overgrown foliage that reflect the golden sun on the horizon.
Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Dubai
A head-raising, five-story atrium envelopes the Welcome Desk, a nod to desert fortresses and citadels of long ago. Golden trusses comprised of framed boxes sparkle throughout the space, representing different stages of modern construction in Dubai, a common sight of the ever-changing cityscape, and sit upon carpets that depict the island’s surrounding waters reflecting both construction and clouds. Completing the dramatic entrance is “The Soundwave” – a 6.5 ton, 30m long visual vector that represents a W sound wave. With 640 glass pieces, the towering fixture puts on a show of its own, illuminating in alternating intensities and colours to reflect the beats of the DJ in the neighbouring W Lounge.
The W Lounge is a stage to see and be seen and celebrates the city’s well-known love of opulence with several geometric fixtures that mimic the raw, natural form of gold. An artistic interpretation of a traditional fire pit sits in the centre of the W Lounge, signifying the bonfires that Bedouin tribes would gather around during their desert travels years ago. Connecting the W Lounge to the nearby VIP Lounge is a 13.5-metre sofa in muted earth tones, representing a desert mountain range – the skyscrapers of the past.
After checking in, guests can check out the incredible amenities of W Dubai – The Palm, including the hotel’s multiple pools that sit in a wave-like pattern in the centre of the Escape to form the W brand’s iconic WET® Deck experience directly facing a fabulous beach with views of the Dubai skyline. Here, guests can swim, soak up the sun and enjoy signature beverages while listening to live DJ performances.
The W brand’s signature AWAY® Spa invites guests to ‘Stroll in and Strut out’ offering ten treatment rooms, a steam room, sauna, experiential showers, a hammam and a couples’ suite. Guests are treated to a design inspired by the underwater perspective of a pearl diver, where iridescent shells reflect the sunlight that peeks through the ocean above. Relaxing, social and surreal, the space also features a Beauty Bar for touch-ups and ‘Quick Fix’ treatments. Lastly, guests can sweat it out at FIT (gym), which boasts state-of-the-art equipment overlooking the WET Deck, beach and skyline views, featuring abstract art inspired by the graceful forms of both jellyfish and the parachutes of adventure-seeking skydivers.
Read our review of the W Bangkok
W Dubai – The Palm is set to infuse even more decadence into Dubai’s booming, multicultural culinary landscape with six beverage and food destinations. Translated as “I will be right back,” Torno Subito is the first restaurant outside of Italy by global culinary genius, Chef Massimo Bottura – whose Osteria Francescana has been feted as the “World’s Best Restaurant.” The new destination restaurant borrows the phrase from the signs that hang in closed store fronts along the Italian Riviera of Massimo’s childhood.
Pro snowboarder turned adrenaline-fueled culinary master Chef Akira Back brings his modern taste of Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean essence to the Middle East for the first time at Akira Back. The entrance is marked by a vortex, meant to instantly transport guests to Back’s world. Inside, the design is inspired by “Wabi-Sabi,” the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and acceptance of the natural progression of growth, life and death. The walls of Akira Back are accented with shattered porcelain intricately arranged in inlaid concrete patterns.
SoBe (short for South Beach) is an adults-only playground inspired by the eclectic and vibrant spirit of Miami. This is the only rooftop bar in Dubai where guests can watch the sun sink into the Arabian Sea with 360-degree views to watch as the Dubai skyline lights up each night. Serving up eclectic live DJ performances, imaginative cocktails, and even tattoo artists, there will be nothing else like it in the city.
