Atlantis The Palm holidays centre on two attractions inside the resort: a waterpark and an aquarium beneath the hotel. Before you pay for either, it helps to know what a stay covers, how the board plans work and what is open at the end of September 2026. This guide answers those questions the way a UK consultant would on the phone.
Quick answer
Atlantis, The Palm is a large family resort at the tip of Palm Jumeirah, and every stay includes Aquaventure World and the Lost World Aquarium. It is not all inclusive by default, although meal and drinks plans can be added. Our holidays add return flights from the UK and private airport transfers.
- Location
- The apex of the Palm Jumeirah crescent, Dubai
- Opened
- 24 September 2008
- Rooms
- 1,544
- Arrival airport
- Dubai International (DXB)
Is an Atlantis The Palm Dubai holiday worth it?
Yes, for families with children old enough to use the slides, and for adults who will spend most days at the waterpark. It is harder to justify for couples looking for quiet, or for anyone who wants to step out of the lobby and walk into the city.
The trade-offs are real. The resort is big, so walks between your room, the beach and the waterpark take time. Pools, beach and slides are shared across a very large hotel, and the waterpark also admits day visitors. Food and drink outside your plan is the largest extra cost, and the board section below shows how to keep it in check.
The value grows with every day you actually use the attractions. A family that spends four or five days on the slides gets far more from the room rate than a couple who visit the waterpark once. If you would rather spend your days in the city or on a quiet beach, a smaller hotel will usually suit you better.
What’s included in an Atlantis The Palm stay?
Two attractions carry most of the value. Here is what each involves, and what you pay for on top.
Aquaventure World
Aquaventure World sits next to the hotel and was expanded in March 2021. Atlantis now describes it as having more than 105 slides, attractions and experiences. It held the Guinness World Records title for the most waterslides in a waterpark from 2022, and Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi took that title in April 2026.
Rides range from gentle family slides to near-vertical speed slides, with a lazy river linking many of them. A new family area called Poseidon’s Village is replacing the older Barracudas zone. Taller slides have height limits, so check them against your children before promising anyone a particular ride.
Lost World Aquarium
The aquarium beneath the hotel holds more than 65,000 marine animals across 21 exhibits. Fourteen themed rooms use projection mapping, and a live mermaid show runs several times a day in the Ambassador Lagoon. It is an easy half day for younger children and a sensible plan for the hottest afternoon of the trip.
What costs extra
Animal encounters, such as swims and interactions at the marine habitats, are sold separately. So are cabanas, spa treatments and any meal or drink your board plan does not cover. We can price the encounters when we quote, so you know the total before you travel.
Is Atlantis The Palm all inclusive?
Not by default. Atlantis sells two meal plans and one add-on, and every package in the table further down this page is half board:
- Half Board: breakfast and dinner at selected restaurants. It must cover your whole stay, and everyone in the room has to be on the same plan.
- Full Board: breakfast, lunch and dinner at selected restaurants.
- Beverage Package: added to half or full board, it covers house spirits and beer, signature cocktails, wine by the glass, soft drinks, water, coffee and tea.
Full board with the Beverage Package is the closest you can get to all inclusive. Even then, some restaurants in the plans charge a supplement, and others sit outside them entirely. Check which venues a plan includes before you rely on it for a special dinner. A specialist can quote each option against the same room and dates. Give us your children’s ages when you ask, so the quote reflects your family.
When to upgrade: full board earns its cost when you will eat lunch on site every day, which usually means waterpark days with younger children. If you plan two or three city days, half board leaves you free to eat lunch wherever you are. The Beverage Package makes most sense for adults who would otherwise order drinks through the afternoon and evening.
Which room should you book?
Start with how much time you will spend in the room, then decide whether lounge access is worth paying for.
Ocean and Palm view rooms are the core rooms in the two main towers. Ocean view faces the Arabian Gulf, while Palm view looks back over the fronds towards the Dubai skyline. For families who spend all day at the waterpark, a standard Ocean King room is enough.
Imperial Club rooms come with access to a separate lounge. Our Imperial Club holiday uses an Imperial Club King Room, with lounge breakfast, afternoon tea and evening drinks, private check-in, a concierge team and a reserved beach area. Choose Imperial Club if you would otherwise pay for drinks each evening and want to skip the main check-in on arrival.
Terrace suites add an outdoor terrace, which helps families who want space away from the pool at nap time. Underwater suites have floor-to-ceiling windows looking straight into the Ambassador Lagoon. Both are priced on request, so ask for a quote alongside a standard room.
Where to eat at Atlantis The Palm in 2026
Atlantis paused several venues in April 2026. The restaurants that stayed open at The Palm included Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Nobu, FZN by Björn Frantzén and Wavehouse. Bread Street and Wavehouse are the easy family choices. Nobu and FZN are evening restaurants for a night off from the kids’ club.
Plato’s lounge is expanding into the lobby with a new terrace, due in October 2026. It is a useful spot for coffee between the waterpark and dinner, and for meeting up when a family splits for the afternoon.
Several famous names often listed with Atlantis are not at this hotel. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Hakkasan, La Mar and Ling Ling are at Atlantis The Royal, and all four were paused in April 2026. If a restaurant is the reason you are booking, ask us to check it is open for your dates.
Atlantis The Palm for families
Children’s facilities are split by age, which helps when you are travelling with a toddler and a teenager in the same party.
- Atlantis Explorers Club takes children aged 4 to 12 in three sessions: morning, afternoon and evening.
- Little Explorers is a play area for children up to 3, with a parent staying on site.
- The Zone is a space for teenagers aged 13 to 17.
Whether the Explorers Club carries a charge depends on your room type and the current offer, so ask us what is included for your booking. The evening session runs from 19:00 to 23:00, which is the one to plan around if you want an adults’ dinner at Nobu or FZN.
Atlantis The Palm or Atlantis The Royal?
They are separate hotels a short drive apart on Palm Jumeirah. Atlantis The Royal opened in February 2023 with 795 rooms and leans towards adults, with more of the celebrity-chef restaurants. Our Atlantis The Royal package also includes Aquaventure World and the aquarium, so families can use the same attractions from a smaller hotel. If you are also weighing up a quieter Jumeirah property, read how Atlantis compares with Jumeirah Al Qasr.
Booking an Atlantis The Palm holiday from the UK
We sell three packages that include The Palm, each built around a different room or combination of hotels. Prices below are the lowest future month on each package.
| Package | Room | Nights | Flights | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Atlantis The Palm holiday package | Room type quoted on request | 3, 5 or 7 | Economy from London airports, other UK airports on request | £1,119pp (3 nights), £1,409pp (5), £1,699pp (7), November 2026 |
| Imperial Club holiday | Imperial Club King Room | 3, 5 or 7 | Economy from major UK airports | £1,399pp (3 nights), £1,899pp (5), £2,419pp (7), November 2026 |
| Dubai twin-centre holiday | Atlantis Ocean King Room, then Al Habtoor Grand Resort on JBR beach | 6 | Economy or business class from major UK airports | £1,759pp economy, £3,139pp business, December 2026 |
Prices are per person based on two adults sharing. Dates, departure airport, room type and school holidays all move the price, and a UK specialist confirms yours before you pay anything.
Every package with a flight is protected under our ATOL licence, number 10713, and you receive an ATOL certificate when you book. If we were to fail financially, the scheme gets you your money back or, if you are already abroad, home. For when to go, flight times and UK entry rules, see our Dubai holidays guide.
