Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort

This was our fifth stay at Anantara the Palm Dubai Resort, so we're big fans of this beautiful property. A great family-friendly resort set with a beautiful stretch of beach with views of Atlantis, Royal Atlantis and the most amazing sunsets at the end of the day.

We booked a One Bedroom Apartment and were allocated one of the newly renovated ones and we noticed the improvements straight away - brighter rooms, more storage and more modern décor and a huge balcony overlooking the lagoons. Our boys had their own bed in the living room, one on a rollaway and the other on a sofa bed. The room was spotlessly cleaned every day and although the shower room tiles could have benefited from a refresh, the apartment was perfect for us. We were provided with eight bottles of water everyday which we kept cool in the fridge, they provided washing machine and dishwasher tablets, we just bought softener from the convenience store on the ground floor of our building. There's a fridge/freezer, coffee machine, kettle, pots, pans, utensils; all make it your home away from home.

The Kids' Club had a wide variety of activities that our boys took part in. The hotel had daily activities in the pool such as water polo and water volleyball which got we all enjoyed.

One of the main USPs for this property are the Lagoon Access Rooms. Thai style blocks with lovely balconies with a gate and a few steps and it's like you're in your own pool. You are able to access the lagoons from your room 24/7 (no lifeguard on duty from 6pm). The hotel only has one main pool, but it's quite large, so it never felt crowded. There are three lagoons located within the perfectly manicured gardens, they're great to have a relaxing swim or just to read your book as they were very quiet.

Our favourite restaurant was Mekong for dinner. Buffet breakfast was served in their main restaurant and always had a wide selection of food; you're spoilt for choice! Revo is a really chilled/relaxed all day dining café with great views of Burj Al Arab.

The property is located at the end of the Eastern Crescent of the Palm, but Ubers were cheap: approx. £15 to Dubai Mall or £8 to Nakheel Mall on the Palm where there are restaurants, cinema, Waitrose etc. You could jump in a cab to Atlantis and take the monorail off the palm then onto the main metro for a more cost-effective journey.

Top tip: I highly recommend booking Half Board as a minimum for ease. The restaurants offer a great selection of food have good options for kids too, not just your standard chicken and chips! Book Lagoon Access Rooms, they are spacious for couples, families (some come with interconnecting rooms). There's also a Thai style bar boat which floats around a few times a day where you can enjoy a drink whilst relaxing in the lagoons.