by Victoria Pollitt | Dec 10, 2020 | Accommodation, News, Top Story
A first for Dubai with four-star beachfront hotel from Riu
The first four-star, all-inclusive, beachfront hotel has opened in Dubai.
Hotel Riu Dubai is a large family hotel with children’s pools and a water park.
Splash Water Park at Riu Dubai
It is Riu’s 100th hotel in the world and the chain’s first in the Middle East.
The modern hotel has 800 rooms, two children’s pools (one with slides), three large pools for adults, a children’s park and club and a broad terrace with direct access to a large beach.
The hotel has a ‘Splash’ water park, with slides and other attractions for adults and children over 1.2 metres tall.
A restaurant at Hotel Riu Dubai
There are four restaurants and six bars including swim-up bars at the hotel which is located 11km from the airport on the Deira Islands beachfront.
Riu is a Spanish chain with 100 in 20 countries around the world.
Its 24-hour all-inclusive concept includes all meals, snacks and drinks at all the hotel’s bars and restaurants, without limits or schedules.
A Riu Dubai suite
It also includes enjoyment of all the facilities and services such as the water parks, day and nighttime entertainment and access to the gym and spa, where only the beauty and wellbeing treatments carry a charge.
Luis Riu, chief executive officer of RIU Hotels & Resorts, said: “The opening of the hotel Riu Dubai is a major milestone in our hotel chain’s international expansion, because this is our first hotel in the Middle East.
“This is a unique opportunity to offer all our experience with the 24-hour all-inclusive product, which is so popular among our European and American customers, but this time in a completely new destination.”
The lobby
Riu partnered with developer Nakheel to build the hotel, creator of world-famous developments including The Palm Jumeirah and Dubai’s new coastal city, Deira Island.
*For more information on Riu hotels, read some of our reviews from our family stays in
Fuerteventura and
Lanzarote.
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by Victoria Pollitt | Mar 1, 2018 | Advice
Where to find the winter sun in January
A family holiday in January gives you and your children something to look forward to and enjoy in the slump after Christmas when it is cold and dreary.
Here are our top picks for the best locations for a family holiday at the start of the year.
Canary Islands
Travel time from the UK: 4 hours
Temperature: 17-21C
Playa del Papagayo, Lanzarote
For decent warmth in January, the Canary Islands are the closest option to the UK. Lanzarote is the least high rise island in the Canaries with a great volcanic landscape, good theme parks, a submarine trip you can take and fine beaches.
We travelled there one January – read about the best beaches, parks and attractions for children in Lanzarote.
The other islands are also great options including Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura (read our review of a holiday in Fuerteventura here).
Dubai
Travel time from the UK: 7 hours
Temperature: 20-25C
Dubai
The Middle East is only really bearable with children between October and March. Dubai is a fantastic family destination – great beaches, warm sea, huge resorts and lots of attractions.
It is expanding all the time, with a new Legoland recently opened to go with water parks, indoor ski slopes and giant aquariums.
Caribbean
Travel time from the UK: 9 hours
Temperature: 26-28C
January in the Caribbean is peak season for a reason.
Tropical paradise doesn’t come cheap but the weather is perfect and the beaches are stunning sandy white stretches.
The Dominican Republic is more affordable than other areas and accommodation will often be an all-inclusive hotel.
If you want to get out and about, Barbados has villas to rent and Antigua is a small and safe option – both are well served with flights from the UK.
Australia
Travel time from the UK: 20 hours
Temperature: 23-26C
Holiday season down under, January is when the schools are off in Australia.
The weather is hot everywhere but probably best in Melbourne. There are beaches aplenty and some great sights along the fabulous Great Ocean Road.
Children can enjoy a zoo, an aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Centre in the city. Try an excursion to Phillip Island to spot some penguins.
UK
Temperature: around 2-8C
If you don’t want to fly, consider somewhere with plenty of indoor entertainment in Britain.
Center Parcs is at its cheapest in January and you can spend all day in the pool if it is raining.
Or try a city break because the coastal resorts have shut down – how about York which has several indoor museums – Our 10 tips for visiting York with children.
Where do you like to holiday in January, let us know in the comments!
