DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island

Beachfront relaxation with family fun

DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island

Set on Marjan Island and facing a 650-meter private beach, our resort offers 13 dining options. We’re within eight kilometers of Al Hamra Golf Club and Al Hamra Mall’s entertainment. Enjoy the outdoor playground, Pirate Boat Aqua Zone, or the Tarzan Boat for adults. We have a new padel court, a spa, and indoor and outdoor pools to choose from.

This family-friendly resort in the UAE’s northernmost emirate has a private beach, multiple pools and a pirate-themed splash park. All rooms come with a balcony or terrace (and most have a sea view), while all-inclusive packages are available.

The beach resort is set on a cluster of man-made islands in Ras Al Khaimah, around an hour’s drive from Dubai airport. Golfers can tee off at an 18-hole golf course 10 minutes’ drive from the resort, but there’s not a lot to see elsewhere; this is a resort for sun and sea rather than sightseeing.

The sprawling, 725-room resort is made up of a main hotel building, flanked by five low-rise Bay Club buildings and 10 smaller villa buildings (which each house 15 deluxe rooms, rather than villas). Each area has its own pool surrounded by palm trees, while the sandy-coloured buildings feature subtle Arabesque accents such as decorative arches, mashrabiya latticework and brass lanterns.

There’s a 450-metre arc of white sand and turquoise waters for swimming and watersports. Take your pick of five pools, plus there’s an infinity pool reserved for Bay Club guests and an indoor pool in the ladies-only spa (a second spa offers treatments for both men and women). There’s beach volleyball, badminton, table tennis and aqua aerobics, while the thrice-weekly shuttle bus to Dubai Mall costs 125 UAE Dirham (£26) for adults and 100 UAE Dirham (£21) for kids.

Check-in was efficient, despite a large number of guests arriving and departing, and the freshly baked cookies were a welcome touch. Elsewhere, staff were friendly but often overstretched, especially in the all-day dining restaurant.

The Rooms

Entry-level rooms feature cream tiles and neutral furnishings, brightened up with colourful, coral-print rugs and artworks. Bathrooms come with sunken bath and separate rainshower. The new Bay Club rooms have more personality, with turquoise leather headboards and bright yellow benches, and come with Nespresso machine and a wet room-style shower next to the bath.

KING GUEST ROOM WITH BALCONY

KING DELUXE GARDEN VIEW ROOM

KING ACCESSIBLE ROOM WITH ROLL IN SHOWER

KING BAY CLUB SEA FRONT WITH BEACH ACCESS

KING JUNIOR SUITE WITH BALCONY AND SEA VIEW

ONE BED ROOM SEA VIEW SUITE WITH KITCHENETTE

ONE BEDROOM SUITE WITH BALCONY AND SEA VIEW

The Restaurants

There are four à la carte restaurants and a gastropub, which are only open for dinner and must be booked in advance. Dinner at Vespa was fine, with standard Italian fare such as porcini mushroom risotto, veal ragù with tagliatelle and stuffed swordfish rolls, but the restaurant lacks atmosphere and staff turned away guests who hadn’t booked, despite empty tables.
Overall, the quality of the alcoholic drinks and buffet food was disappointing. Breakfast at Al Marjan felt industrial, with queues for a table and at the buffet. There was a good selection of hot dishes (eggs Benedict, manakeesh topped with thyme, pork sausages) but many were only luke warm and of average quality.

There are also two pool bars, a lobby lounge, rooftop lounge and nightclub. Most guests are on an all-inclusive package and must wear a colour-coded wristband.