"Where will you spend the Eid Holiday?" That's the question I often hear when the Holy Month of Ramadan comes to an end. For the first time in my six years in Dubai, I struggled for an answer. It has always been difficult to prepare for an Eid getaway in my line of work. Schedules are only released just a few hours before the holiday itself, but I always have something in mind. Well, except this year.
My clueless stare and my "I have no idea" answer surprised a lot of people. Perhaps my holiday OCness, the force that made me do a Plan A, Plan B and even Plan C to Z, is already gone. Or maybe, I am already in love with the magic of spontaneity. :)
It was only the day before Eid al Fitr that I knew I'd get a two-day holiday break, which simple means Ed and I can go on an out of town beach trip. Yay! So, when the official announcement was made, I immediately hit Booking.com for a last-minute hotel stay booking! The spur-of-the-moment planning made me giddy, but it also gave me a hard time as most rates have doubled or tripled. Even an overnight stay for two in a budget resort somewhere north had a whopping price of a thousand dirhams! Seriously? But after almost two hours of hotel-hunting online, I finally found a seemingly perfect sweet escape destination with a reasonable rate.
Ed and I spent the Eid Holiday at The Ajman Palace.
The Ajman Palace
The last time I was in Ajman, The Ajman Palace was just a skeleton-frame structure. Now, the heritage resort stands along the coastal road like a giant sandcastle with a classic Arabian design, arched windows and wind towers. The grand lobby is modern, spacious and every inch luxurious! It has the warmth and sophistication of a real Arabian palace.
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| the elegant lobby of The Ajman Palace |
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| the majestic dome at the hotel lobby |
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| a tranquil and elegant hideaway in the UAE |
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| the warm welcome: cold towels and refreshing drinks were offered upon check-in |
The Ajman Palace's Seaview Room
Halfway through the check-in process, I gathered the guts, flashed my warmest smile and shamelessly asked for a complimentary upgrade. I know, it's a silly move! I desperately wanted a room facing the sea and not the city! An escape in a beach resort will be less sweet if I'll have a view of cars and buildings rather than the beauty of nature!
Guess what? The Ajman Palace Hotel and Resort gave me what I longed for!
We were given a deluxe room at the second floor with an unobstructed view of the stunning infinity pool and the Arabian Gulf! I was literally jumping in pure delight. Just like the hotel lobby, the room is emblazoned with elegance. It has a sophisticated Arabian-style furniture and fittings. The cool tones of turquoise and aquamarine perfectly match the wondrous view of the sea from the tall glass window and the terrace.
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| a king bed fit for a King in a deluxe room |
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| our room with a terrace facing the Arabian Gulf |
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| Just exactly what I needed! |
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| the breathtaking view from our room's terrace |
The Ajman Palace's Super Spacious Bathroom
Another plus point for The Ajman Palace is the spacious bathroom with a tub and separate walk-in shower! It is so roomy that you can actually do some crazy dance without hitting the sink or something. Heh! :) The bath amenities are from Elemis, a luxury British spa and skincare brand. I had a fresh-from-the-spa scent after taking a shower! I love it!
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| Do you know what this means? It's bubble bath time! :) |
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| the walk-in shower |
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| Elemis! I love! |
Holidaying at The Ajman Palace
Late in the afternoon, I found myself lying in a sunbed, savoring the balmy sea breeze. It was refreshing for a little while, but the overly warm weather had me feeling suffocated that I had to run to H2O Lounge Bar to grab a drink! I returned to my daydream spot with a lemon-mint smoothie and everything went back to perfect.
My husband spent an ample time at the infinity pool. Well, his idea of a relaxing holiday is completely opposite to mine. He can actually swim for hours if I'd stay by the pool. I love the water too, but apparently, I am more of a quiet quality time seeker. It's great that The Ajman Palace catered both our interests.
For those who love to do absolutely nothing other than daydreaming by the sea (like ME!), there are loungers and covered sunbeds. On the other hand, the fun and thrill-seekers can enjoy recreational activities such as table tennis and beach volleyball aside from swimming in the pool and in the beach!
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| The Ajman Palace has enough sunbeds for everyone! |
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| table tennis by the sea |
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| covered sunbeds and an area for beach volleyball |
Sunset at the The Ajman Palace Private Beach
At dusk, we moved closer to the beach and waited for the sun to set. I know everyone will agree when I say that the atmosphere is more romantic at sunset! On that time of the day, everything at The Ajman Palace turned more beautiful. The golden hue of the sky created silhouettes by the sea and wrapped the utterly breathtaking castle-like hotel with a romantic glow. It is a time when extreme sappiness is acceptable, so we took really cheesy photos by the beach. Heheh. Allow me to share just one! :)
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| What makes a perfect holiday? Sunset by the beach! |
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| happiness and sappiness :) |
Dragon's Place Restaurant
There are several dining options at The Ajman Palace. We opted to have our dinner at Dragon's Place; an Asian Fusion restaurant serving Japanese and Thai cuisines. Our dining experience was fabulous that it deserves to have a separate blog post! Click on the "pink" link to know more about Dragon's Place.
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| Asian dinner at Dragon's Place |
The Not-So-Perfect Holiday Moment
Our stay at The Ajman Palace was running smoothly until I woke up from slumber early morning. It was too warm and I was restless! I blamed the thick duvet for some time until I decided to get up and check the aircon setting. It was only then that I discovered the faulty air-conditioner in our room; temperature was stuck to 25 celsius! Anyhow, the problem was immediately fixed after I asked for an AC repair, but it somehow broke the perfect holiday vibe. :(
As I wasn't able to have a proper sleep, I asked if we can check-out an hour late than the regular, and gladly, it was approved. Actually, a staff said that we can stay longer, but since Ed and I had plans that afternoon, we chose not to.
Breakfast at Encore Bistro
For breakfast, we went to Encore Bistro, a Mediterranean restaurant that serves international buffets with an Arabic touch. The restaurant is contemporary and chic. We chose a table by the glass window, quite far from the buffet counters yet still a good spot for me who loves to dine with a view.
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| the elegant hallway leading to Encore Bistro |
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| a chic Mediterranean restaurant at The Ajman Palace |
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| breakfast with a view |
The selections for breakfast were pretty basic. I was hoping for a salad bar, a crepe station and all the fancy extras! Yes, I expected too much because it's a five-star hotel! Well, despite of not seeing what I was looking forward to, I still had a good breakfast. I personally love the homemade jams and the bread selection. I also like the frilly servings of labneh, hummus and yogurt; they look special in little porcelain and glass containers. Of course, I wouldn't miss having an omelette from the live-cooking station!
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| delicious homemade jams |
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| the bread selection |
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| yogurt, labneh and hummus |
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| an array of starters |
I now present to you my colorful breakfast at The Ajman Palace!
I couldn't find a salad bar, but I found slices of cucumber, tomato and some olives. I had a little of those on my first plate with breakfast staples and a heap of fried rice. I had a freshly made omelette, cheese, a small pretzel, toasts smothered with butter and homemade wild strawberry jam on my second plate. And lastly, I had a waffle with fruits! I ate too much, I know! :)
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| my colorful breakfast at The Ajman Palace |
Overall, our stay at The Ajman Palace was great. Yes, I hate that I had to deal with an aircon problem during a holiday in a hotel, but then the staff immediately tried their best to make up for it. That for me is enough. At the end of the day, good memories are all that matter. And I am happy that we had loads of it at The Ajman Palace.
Location:
The Ajman Palace
Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street
Ajman, UAE
Contact #: 06 701 8888
How to get to The Ajman Palace by public transportation from Dubai?
-Take the bus E400 from Union Bus Station in Dubai
-Travel time: approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on road traffic
-Take a cab from Ajman Bus Station to The Ajman Palace (Fare: 10 AED)
1 Blogger Comments
Stayed in this hotel for 6 nights the breakfast was ok, the rooms were clean and the staff was friendly. This hotel search websites is very central and near to shops Restaurants and lots of lovely scenery and the bridges were amazing. They are very efficient, honest and knowledgeable. I will recommend their services as they are very reliable…..
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