Jumeirah Al Qasr

When the architecture of a Dubai resort is inspired by the ancient folk tales of One Thousand and One Nights, you know it’s going to be good. When it’s a Jumeirah, you’ll never want to leave. Guest rooms are festooned in Arabic flourishes at every turn, including scalloped archways, carved wooden doors and palatial velvet draperies. Even the beginning room category here is as luxe as it comes, with a private balcony, marble-lined bathroom and expansive 595-square-foot floor plan. One Bedroom Ocean Suites feature a separate sitting room, panoramic private terrace and home theater; we also love the Two Bedroom Presidential Suite for its views over the glimmering Arabian Gulf and “pinch me, I live here” floorplan (including a kitchen, two spa-like bathrooms and an oversized terrace).

An expansive, downright sheikh-worthy luxury resort on the ocean, with 9 restaurants, glass-clear canals and a garden-shrouded spa.

Hands-off. Doting staff will even happily arrange your airport transfers (via BMW or Mercedes V-Class cars, no less).

All guests have gratis access to the nearby Wild Wadi Waterpark Dubai, not to mention an on-site spa that rivals anything you’ve ever seen—with a meditation garden, ladies-only areas and garden-flanked al fresco treatment pagodas.

It’s not often that you walk to the end of a pier set over the ocean for dinner, but tonight, at the hotel’s award-winning Italian restaurant Pierchic, that’s exactly what’s on the table. On tonight’s tasting menu? Beef carpaccio with truffle and Tuscan ricotta gnocchi.

Pai Thai - Romantic water front restaurant MJ's Steakhouse - European Arboretum - International cuisine Khaymat Al Behar - Arabian Al Fayrooz Lounge - Lobby Cafe Al Hambra - Mexican cuisine Pierchic - Seafood Koubba Bahri Bar Jambase