The sight of a beach perched right on Dubai Creek might surprise you – but if you’ve been here long enough, you’ll know anything is possible. What could be more quintessentially Dubai than an infinity lagoon with spectacular skyline views leading to a white sand beach, just steps away from a five-star hotel room? And, the whole area is surrounded by a lush green Links golf course, adjacent to a fancy yacht-filled marina.
Even better, the Park Hyatt, which just started welcoming visitors again, is stringent about all safety protocols so you can luxuriate in their retreat without a care in the world. You can opt for a day pass starting at Dhs350 per person (you get Dhs100 back in food and beverage credit), but we took full advantage of the new Daycation offer.
This includes a room from 10am till 7pm, access to the Lagoon, a beach bag and a chilled watermelon, all for Dhs850, with Dhs200 given back to you to spend as credit. For an additional Dhs300 you can even spend the night and make it into a staycation, complete with complimentary breakfast for two.
On arrival, the valet gives you the option of self-parking nearby if you’d rather and your temperature is discretely checked as you enter the lobby, with all service staff masked. The reception process is quick – with unused pens sitting alongside the sanitiser gel pump – before you’re handed key cards and escorted to your room.
It may seem like quite a stroll to get to your sanctuary but once you get there, the soothing sand, cream and white tones of your room will make you instantly relax. The beautifully appointed quarters come complete with a spacious bathroom, with an Insta-worthy stand-alone tub, and separate rain-shower.
You’ll find a complimentary beach bag – yours to keep as a memento – in the closet as you unpack. Already wowed by our lodgings, we popped our sunscreen and a book in there and emerged through the sliding floor-to-ceiling glass doors to see seemingly endless blue water just in front of us.
The hotel’s lagoon – a crystal clear pool that leads to a sandy beach at the shore – made its debut last year as part of the property’s huge revamp and renovation, but is still somewhat of an insider secret. At 100 metres long, there’s plenty of space for social distancing and there was never any hint of crowding as in-house guests and visitors soaked in the serenity just steps from their room.
Beach staff are always on hand to help if you need towels or refreshments but are never intrusive and have perfected the art of seemingly magically appearing just when you need them. There’s a gentle but upbeat soundtrack in the background – you’ll literally feel like you’ve gone on vacation – except you have vistas of the city’s trademark soaring skyscrapers in the distance.
After taking in the rays – we had the pick of spots as there were loungers, chic cabanas, and we even had a little private garden in front of our room – we cashed in our Dhs200 credit on a delicious lunch of ciabatta club sandwiches, crisp fries and ice-cold soft drinks that were brought quickly on elegant wooden trays that could be positioned wherever you wanted.
The hotel is perfectly positioned to take in the sunset, whether you stay at the lagoon, return to your private garden or change location to their Cape Cod-inspired, marina-side al fresco eatery Noepe. The only downside will be that the hours slip by, and soon it’s time to leave.
The biggest bonus of this daycation was having easy access to the room – if you needed to freshen up, soak in the tub, escape the mid-day heat and have a nap, the respite inside was invaluable. It also meant we made full use of the facilities as we were happily ensconced at the hotel for the full day making it feel like a proper holiday.
Our only regret? That we didn’t stay the night. But then again, that’s something to look forward to next time…
For more information, call: +971 4 602 1234 or visit hyatt.com
Find the Park Hyatt Dubai at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Port Saeed.
Photos: Supplied
