Editor’s Review: CENTARA MIRAGE BEACH RESORT – DUBAI

Thailands leading hotel operator, Centara Hotels and Resorts opened their latest venture, Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai, in late 2021. A family friendly resort situated on the Deira Islands development to the north of the city, with a variety of restaurants, water parks and private beach to keep guests, both young and old entertained and relaxed.

Overlooking the Arabian Gulf in a prime waterfront location, the Centara Mirage Beach Resort has 607 rooms and suites with views of either the Gulf or a panoramic view of the city – which is particularly spectacular at night. The accommodation comes in a variety of options, from family and superior rooms to suites and rooms with bunk beds for the children.

There is a distinct Thai-inspired feel to the hotel in keeping with the operators’ roots; large ornate elephants and palms are strategically placed at the entrance and in the large welcoming lobby. On entering the hotel, the first thing we noticed was how bright it was, big bold coloured furniture and comfy seating stood out against the cream coloured floor tiles and walls and natural sunlight flooded in through the floor to ceiling windows. As well as the reception desk, the lobby also contains ample seating and meeting areas as well as a small coffee shop which also sells sweet treats and refreshments. Adjacent to the lobby is an “E-Zone”, where the young and young at heart can play on games consoles, table football, air hockey, pinball and arcade machines as well as relax on bean bags watching films on a large screen.

Young family members are very much catered for. There are a variety of kid clubs for different age groups, a family lounge with interactive play area and an excellent selection of pools, water parks and water based activities. The kids club provide activities such as arts and crafts, reading, climbing and soft seating areas and also games consoles and in the evening a disco and family films shown on a cinema screen on the beach.

Due to our flight arriving in the early hours, fully exploring the hotel and facilities had to wait until after a getting a few hours’ sleep, thankfully the check-in was smooth and we were quickly up in our room. We had a Superior Room with Sea view, which in keeping with the rest of the hotel was bright with décor consisting of a white, light blue and orange colour scheme. The room was furnished with a comfortable king-sized bed and sofa-bed, work station and seating area. The balcony gave amazing views, not only of the Gulf but also down on the external facilities the hotel offered. You could truly appreciate the meandering of the lazy river or the golden sandy private beach. The amenities in the room included air-conditioning, wi-fi, smart tv, mini bar and coffee/tea making facilities. The bathroom had a wonderful walk-in rainforest shower with toiletries which had a fragrance which could be found around the hotel.

For our first experience of dining in Centara Mirage Beach Resort, we headed to the family lounge for breakfast, where a buffet style experience could be had in a quiet sedate atmosphere. There was an excellent selection of fruit, yoghurts, cheeses, meats, a cooked breakfast buffet, pastries and breads, accompanied by a variety of teas, coffees and fruit juices. A diverse choice of egg dishes, such as omelettes and eggs benedict, could be selected from a menu to be cooked fresh, all of which was supplemented by wonderfully polite and attentive staff. If the younger family members get restless during a meal in the lounge, there is no need to rush as there is a supervised play area, with incredible “under sea” décor on the walls, pillars and even floor. The lounge was such a fantastic relaxed way to start each day that we returned there frequently, not just for breakfast, occasionally for afternoon tea and also pre-dinner cocktails in the evening. We visited the hotels’ various restaurants during our stay for lunch and dinner. On the top floor of the hotel is Sheesh, a shisha lounge specialising in Lebanese cuisine with a particularly wide variety of delicious meze, which also allows outdoor rooftop seating to give great views whilst eating. The main restaurant, Suan Bua, is best described as a Thai and Asian buffet. The dishes differ each day but remain Thai-inspired. There is a wonderful selection of salad, freshly cooked meat from the open kitchen, different curries each night, rice, noodles and plenty of fish and vegetable dishes. There is a special section (at a lower height) for children to select their own meals which is a thoughtful touch. Adjacent to the buffet is Uno Mas, an Argentinian Grill restaurant with its own wine cellar. Out by the main swimming pool is Sands, where you can get fresh seafood (the seafood pad thai had a kick to it which will not be forgotten for a while) or something from the grill, the portions are substantial and you will not be leaving hungry, plus they have a bbq in the evening.

A main feature of the Centara Mirage Beach Resort is its water parks and pools. Not only is there a main family pool, but also a sedate adults only pool for some quiet time, a lazy river flowing around the resort (a visit to which became a daily ritual after breakfast), water slides, a “cliff-jumping” area, an undercover children’s activity pool with sprinklers and water cannons and a separate pool with an inflatable assault course – a selection to cover most adults and children alike. As well as the manmade water attractions, there is of course the crystal clear water of the Arabian Gulf on the doorstep. The hotel provides a selection of water activities - kayaks, pedalos and even battery powered jet bikes for the children and away from the water, a large inflatable activity area, table tennis and petanque is available for hotel guests.

In case the heat of the day becomes too much for you, the hotel has its own wellness facilities in which to relax and let off steam. These include a spa for adults with steam room and sauna, a special children’s spa zone and a fully equipped gym. They provide a full menu of spa treatments for individuals and also couples, which include Thai massage and foot massage.

The Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai truly provides an unbeatable family experience for holidaymakers and a perfect getaway for those on a staycation. With incredibly helpful and polite staff and the emphasis on family fun in a Thai-inspired setting, the balance between activities and relaxation is spot on and will be fantastic addition to the Centara Hotel and Resorts brand.