Rooms are smaller than the royalton and the london, but comforable and equipped for business. comforable bed, practical bathroom (unlike the royalton and the london).  The price is right too.

Our suite was a dream. Greys, blues, and gold, a hallway lead to a cozy living room besides which lay the bedroom. The detail was impeccable; the decor exquisitely appointed.  Welcome note, flowers, the small details always go a long way.

True to a real palace, the hotel has all the trappings of luxury beyond the usual expectations. The overall theme is Arabic, but rooms have the latest technology in terms of remote controlled lights, entertainment, and AC (frankly quite confusing). Our Diamond room had a nice balcony facing the grounds and the ocean and a massive bathroom with oversized everything. The room however wasn’t that big considering the size of the hotel. The décor – Arabia meets Versace. Very flamboyant! Annoying detail –you needed super human strength to squeeze out soap and shampoo from the dome shaped bottles. Nice touch: delicious and regularly replaced fresh fruit, complimentary water and mini-bar.

A few things worth mentioning:

A mere 302 rooms and 92 suites are spread over a palatial ground with multiple restaurants, shops, and spas and pools on each end, so expect to walk a lot (30 min end to end). The only shortcut for going from the east to the west wing is to ride a golf cart from outside near either of the pool areas. The hotel was also eerily quiet for full occupancy. The only indication of other guests was during the breakfast buffet or at the valet outside.

The staff ratio seemed pretty good with someone waiting at every corner whose main purpose was to guide you through the gilded labyrinth. Four different people came to check in on us in the first hour, but soon our butler took over and was pretty good handling everything from laundry and internet to replenishing the fresh fruit and mini-bar. Check-in was efficient with fresh flower bouquets, coffee, and dates. While the staff was courteous, they were a bit rough around the edges in terms of communication skills.

Food: We only had the breakfast buffet, which looked slightly better than it tasted. Though the spread was extensive and majestic -- fruits, pastries, cold cuts, cereals, omelets, and traditional Arab fare such as ful, falafel, halumi, etc. -- the taste was only above average, and not what you expect at a 7* hotel. I preferred the traditional Middle Eastern food knowing that it was the only thing that wasn’t being imported.

The salon was good but unnecessarily overpriced with blowouts and manicures pricier than Beverly Hills. My husband loved the spa. The pools are nicely landscaped with sunken bars, bridges, splash areas, lazy rivers, water slides and waterfalls; great for the family.

After three days, I suffered an opulence overdose, knowing how many resources were being consumed to run the establishment such as water, imported food, power, etc. I guess I shouldn’t complain considering Disney and Vegas are in my backyard.

Bigger may not always be better, but at the Emirates Palace, everything that glitters is gold!

The Cairns property, very different from its more fancy counterparts, was previously a Radisson (and sometimes it shows). Though the foyer is beautifully done in a mod-zen style, once you get past the elevators and walk to your room, it’s easy to see the Radisson underneath. The lobby leading to the rooms with its narrow, dark walls and non-descript carpet, desperately needs a do over. Once you get to your room things change for the better. Try and get an ocean front room on the second (and highest) floor and the views, from a small but well maintained balcony, will keep you going. The inside is quite modern with linear furniture and reef art in shades of sand and brown. The side tables, desk, and bathroom – all look like they belong to the former owner but somehow manage to fit in. Overall, a great room except for the archaic TV. Where's the flatscreen hello?

The pool is decent with multiple levels, a bar, hot tub, kids’ area, and landscaped seating, but belongs at a cheaper chain resort. The highlights are the restaurant and bar called Tides and Ba8- beautifully done in a mod style with Asian influences in a palette of blues, greens, and chocolate with wood and brushed steel. The serving areas are indoors, but the seating spills outside with sofas and tables overlooking the Marina. A perfect place to spend an evening after the day’s adventures. Very popular with locals as well.